13 August 2009

MARES Issues urgent safety warning on O-Rings

I know a lot of us own Mares dive equipment. I really enjoy my rig and Octo but sometimes things slip by in the manufacturing side of the house. Mares just released this voluntary recall:

MARES Diving issued the following announcement earlier today:

MARES DIVING URGENT SAFETY NOTICE NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR 0-RING
Please be informed that we have discovered a quality issue on the O-ring assembled on the Nemo Air quick connector.

Under certain circumstances, the O-ring can fail and consequently Nemo Air may start leaking through the Quick Connector. As a result, there is a continuous, albeit slow, loss of breathing gas and Mares has decided to issue a voluntary product recall. After intense internal tests Mares has identified a new O-ring of different material, color and hardness that can be retrofitted onto the Quick Connector of any existing Nemo Air.
We take this matter very seriously, but we would also like to point out that this issue is covered by the EN250 norm, which requires a 0.3mm opening in the high- pressure hose fitting. As a result, the hose is designed to ensure a slow enough gas release; which should allow the diver to complete a safe emergency ascent.
NONETHELESS FOR THE PERSONAL SAFETY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS AND TO AVOID POSSIBLE DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS: STOP ANYONE FROM DIVING WITH A QUICK CONNECTOR SUBJECT TO THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL UNTIL THE EXISTING O-RING IS REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW GREEN COLOR ONE.
THE CURRENT O-RING FROM THE NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR (O-RING IS BLACK OR BROWN) MUST BE REPLACED ONLY WITH OUR NEW O-RING THAT IS A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, HARDNESS AND GREEN IN COLOR.
Affected products and codes are:
Finished goods
414158 – DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR
414159 - DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR W/COMPASS
Spare parts
44200771 – HP HOSE W/QUICK CONNECTOR NEMO AIR
44200770 – QUICK CONNECTOR ASSY. FEMALE NEMO AIR
Please contact an Authorized Mares dealer/Service Center in your area to schedule the retrofit of the O-Ring of your Nemo Air Quick Connector. If you do not want to perform the above service procedures, please contact our customer service department at 1-800-874-3236 for a return authorization number. You will need to provide the unit(s) serial number(s).
NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR O-RING MUST BE REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW O-RING.

If this recall affects your dive equipment then go over to www.mares.com for more information on returning your defective gear.

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