Pony cylinders and the Red Sea

[Anne Southgate]

My pony cylinder has recently had its inspection. The inside so was badly corroded it has failed and been condemned.

I have always taken great care with it and only had it filled after a flight.

I have had to empty it to take it to the Red Sea - a liveaboard twice from the Port of Sudan. On return from my trips it has had 2 weeks open to dry out in the airing cupboard aftre the cold of the flights. I've been advised that the chances were a bad fill (too much moisture in the air) by the boat's compressors.

I was furious as it is only 2 years old. Stoney Cove recently had one explode with the same problem. It would be cheaper to hire one out there.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Anne

[katdiver]

If it's the air fills you suspect, then hiring one would only put the question in your mind, "What state is this one in"? (or the tank on your back). Sometimes it's difficult to get to see the compressor that's filling your life support system, or to see recent test results. Then again, those can be faked. Best advice, support the operations with the best reputations and maintain high standards of excellence.

[one_tc]

...

On return from my trips it has had 2 weeks open to dry out in the airing cupboard aftre the cold of the flights.

....




If you leave the valve open in the airing cupboard, each time the heating comes on and the cupboard warms up, the air in the cylinder is going to warm up and expand, expelling the air. When it cools down it's going to draw in fresh damp air.

Whether this is going to be damp enough to cause serious corrosion is another matter, but it's not going to help.