LiteHedded
Contributor
has a tank EVER exploded because of a cave fill? they've been doing it for years and years. has it EVER happened?
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has a tank EVER exploded because of a cave fill? they've been doing it for years and years. has it EVER happened?
Don't know. Not a cave diver. However as a parallel let me say this, I have run many red traffic lights and NEVER been hit. Has it happened? NO Will it happen? Odds are it will.
There was a rumor going around the US Virgin Island dive shops that the local government was looking at regulating fill locations due to an incident that happened in the British Virgin Islands while filling a tank. I have never been able to track down the source or the facts behind the "incident".
5. Are SLC-related scuba tank ruptures widespread?
No. Of the more than 40-million all-aluminum cylinders manufactured by various companies over the last 45 years, only 20 SLC-related or suspected-SLC ruptures have been reported to regulatory authorities around the world. All these ruptures were in cylinders made from 6351 alloy.
Of these ruptures, 12 have been scuba cylinders.
Let's look at the actual record.
Aluminum scuba tank ruptures
DATE LOCATION LISTED CAUSE INJURY? MANUFACTURER
Oct-88 Southport, Australia SLC No Luxfer
Jun-94 Miami, Florida SLC Yes Luxfer
Jan-98 Corlette, Australia SLC No CIG Gas Cylinders*
Feb-98 Riviera Beach, Florida SLC Yes Walter Kidde
Aug-98 Tairua, New Zealand SLC Yes Luxfer
Dec-98 Tampa, Flordia Not determined No Luxfer
Apr-99 British Colombia SLC No Luxfer
Mar-00 Key Largo, Florida SLC Yes Walter Kidde
Jun-00 Miyako Island, Japan SLC No CIG Gas Cylinders
Jul-04 Oahu, Hawaii Not determined Yes Walter Kidde
Sep-04 Videlia, California Not determined No Walter Kidde
Jan-05 Perth, Australia SLC No CIG Gas Cylinders
Jun-07 Rhode Island SLC No Luxfer