Gas Bottle Refund?

[Pav]

I have a Hamilton Bard? gas bottle for my pressure barrel. I havn't needed it yet and bought it about 3 weeks ago from local homebrew shop. I gave it 1 puff to check a pressure barrel was not leaking and then put it in my homebrew drawer in the garage.

3 weeks later got it out and it is completely empty. I have a reciept.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am hoping for a refund!

Cheers.

[Andy]

Well know issue with these cylinders. The pin can stick slightly open after use and discharge the entire cylinder. I always put it to my ear and listen for escaping gas after use. If leaking then a sharp tap on the pin reseats it.

[steve_flack]

The same thing can happen with the Midget Widget cylinders as well. It's very annoying.

[Pav]

cheers. as a faulty product or a failure to include this info on the packaging I am hoping for a refund this time. Hopefully my local brew shop will put it right and I'll take this advice in the future.

[Andy]

My Hambledon Bard cylinders have some instructions on the cylinder and number 4 reads:-

"If gas continues to flow from the cylinder after use then immerse the brass cylinder valve only in warm water for 2-3 seconds."

First time I've seen that but they could argue that they've covered the discharge of CO2.

[bumperprop3]

This happened to me with a brand new cylinder on Monday night, and how ever much tapping, soaking,putting the extra gas into my keg, the leak would not stop. I gave up and had to leave it. I checked it the next morning, the leak had stopped, and there was pressure in the cylinder, great I thought ... however I was able to release gas by pressing the centre pin down by hand, so that would mean I would have two more squirts of gas left from a brand new cylinder. Undaunted, I rang Hambleton Bard yesterday morning, and the nice lady on the other end of the phone stated that there was a facility for returns, and I would be able to take it back to the shop. The failure percentage, she claimed, for reported cylinders, was 1% and my local shop where I have always exchanged and bought my CO2, would just need to place a returns note on the faulty cylinder, and receive a credit for this cylinder. Good, I thought, so off I toddled, cylinder in hand to my local HBS. I explained to the proprietor my tale of woe, and explained that I had been in touch with Hambleton Bard about returns. That is where the fun started! The shopkeeper tried to do his best not to exchange it claiming that it was not the same cylinder that I had purchased, and this was
the older style white cylinder with the flat end, which HB do not use any more. I held firm, and assured him that this was the cylinder( delivered to me in a sealed wrapper of course). He was not amused, and claimed that there was gas still in there, so was OK , which I agreed with, and pressed the end to show how little was left in. He lost his temper, and agreed to exchange the cylinder, slamming it on the counter,claiming that he would lose 12 pence on this! I tried to explained that I was not interested in an argument, I would reimburse his 12p ( I was sincere!). His parting shot was for me to go elsewhere for my gas, as I do not purchase my beer kits from his shop, and the gas was for customers who did. That was not a condition of sale some 3 or 4 years ago, so I did not feel it should be now, and where I purchase them from is my business. I left as I had had enough. I rang HB back on my return home, the older cylinders, for the record are still in use. Beware you friendly HBS!

[Madbrewer]

The shopkeeper tried to do his best not to exchange it claiming that it was not the same cylinder that I had purchased, and this was
the older style white cylinder with the flat end, which HB do not use any more. I held firm, and assured him that this was the cylinder( delivered to me in a sealed wrapper of course). He was not amused, and claimed that there was gas still in there, so was OK , which I agreed with, and pressed the end to show how little was left in. He lost his temper, and agreed to exchange the cylinder, slamming it on the counter,claiming that he would lose 12 pence on this! I tried to explained that I was not interested in an argument, I would reimburse his 12p ( I was sincere!). His parting shot was for me to go elsewhere for my gas, as I do not purchase my beer kits from his shop, and the gas was for customers who did.

No doubt he'll be wondering where all his customers are gone soon with a Customer Service policy like that?

[MartialAnt]

bumperprop3 - Whats the HBS called and where is it?

[Ditch]

What MA said, exactly!

That's just completely outrageous behaviour! And, considering a high percentage of that idiots customers probably come here, they really deserve to know what to expect from the goon when their time comes.

[bumperprop3]

I have deliberately stopped short of naming & shaming, but it is a hardware & homebrew shop in Wolverhampton, and is situated on the Stafford Road. Local users should know where I mean, and you can all draw your own conclusions. I never went looking for conflict, but just to try to solve a problem.Has anyone else had a similar experience?
I am looking for a new gas supplier in the area, anybody have any clues?
I may need to switch to sodastream, do larger stores like Wilkinsons still do that, and where can I get an adaptor from?

I doubt my now ex - local HBS wouled have one or would sell to me!

[kenny850]

The Hamstead homebrew shop isnt a million miles away from you on Newton road in Great barr by junc. 7. You can get your gas from there plus good stock levels of everything else(plus friendly service)

[Pav]

Spoke to a girl called janet at HB. She asked me to return it and to say that I had spoken to Janet. The shop exchanged it for me no problems. AND... whilst I was there picked up a new kit and a syphon clip. If I had been treated as you were I would have moved my business. There are some web pages that offer shipping at £4 regardless of order and some are free over £70 if you don't have a local shop to move to.

[bumperprop3]

Glad to see that someone has had a trouble free trip to their local HBS!

[gullarm]

Online works out cheaper for me and I only tend to pop in for gas or finings.

The online brew shops are slightly cheaper for kits etc so I tend to buy in bulk, 3-4 kits at a time + sugar so its actually cheaper even when the postage is tacked on.

The only problem is waiting for the stuff to come and THEY ALWAYS COME WHEN IAM AT WORK!


Here is a tip for delivery companys

- have an option for the customer to collect straight from the depot. A simple phone call can suffice and I will pop down in my own time. This will save on your van driving all over town to deliver a leaflet to tell me my stuff is in the depot as they couldnt deliver as I'm at work monday to friday, 9 - 5. GAAARRGHHG

[stubru23]

Here is a tip for delivery companys

- have an option for the customer to collect straight from the depot. A simple phone call can suffice and I will pop down in my own time. This will save on your van driving all over town to deliver a leaflet to tell me my stuff is in the depot as they couldnt deliver as I'm at work monday to friday, 9 - 5. GAAARRGHHG

A few times i have got companys to deliver to my place of work or to neighbours houses so i get the stuff right away