What’s wrong with this valve? If you think it looks a little beat up, you should see the other guy. This metric valve was installed in an Imperial tank by a diver. The fill operator hooked it up for a fill without knowing about the “attempted service” by the unknowing diver. Fortunately, the fill operator had stepped out of the compressor area when the incorrect threads gave out and the valve launched out of the cylinder, stripping the threads along the way. Nearby, while eating my lunch, I heard the loud bang and hiss and was glad to note that it was not followed by pandemonium or screaming. Nobody was hurt. The valve took the fill whip with it and smashed out a light fixture creating a hole in the ceiling. This could have been a deadly accident. Consider this a reminder that you should never mix threads between Imperial and Metric tanks and valves. Better yet, leave your tank maintenance to a pro.
