For hydro, I use these guys: http://www.airfillstations.com/air_f...nder-valve-incOriginally Posted by SmittyGoesDeep
If you go down I-575, Divers Supply in Marietta would be good for VIP, and cleaning, if you really need it (like for O2 tanks).
Why is that a bad thing? I put a local shop on my "never darken their doors again" list last year when they ripped off my custom Dive Signs stickers so they could put a pair of EAN bumper stickers on my doubles, and then thought I should pay for the privilege. ( Without bothering to call me and ask--I would have told them to just give me an air fill!)
If they have not done anything to the tanks ask for the tanks back. They are YOUR tanks and as such they should be returned as received, with all stickers and labels.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
o2 clean
Sorry, but if you don't have a problem paying $72 for yearly VIP on steel tanks, I don't understand why you have a problem with the $40 for the O2 cleaning. VIP is the easy stuff, the o2 cleaning if done right is the harder one as they will have to wash the tanks, dry them ....
I don't see the need to do yearly VIP's on steel tanks unless you suspect moisture got in there or other stuff. I'd recommend it if you want to fill them with 100% for partial blending.
You took a risk as they opened them and now they might not be clean enough to put 100% o2 in them. If you plan to put 100% O2 in it you should consider cleaning the tank and definitely the valve.
As far as I remember, here in the US there is a difference of having tanks clean for nitrox (oxygen compatible) or oxygenclean for 100%o2. In Europe everything in contact over 21% must be oxygen cleaned as there is a higher risk as skip mentioned.
The nitrox sticker on the tank is meaningless, and personally I would never trust it, also its not required to have. The service sticker is more important and it should show if o2 clean or not, in your case it's not. Dont try to state they are as they are not anymore, you don't know what they did with your tank while it was open.
Now its up to the guy filling your tank if they pump you banked 32% or not in that tank, let the guy on the fill station know.
My tanks don't have nitrox stickers on them but service tags that they are o2 clean. I never had problems getting them filled, but made sure that i get clean fills even when I get air to keep them o2 clean. I had guys asking me and I explained what they are dealing with.
Last edited by huxley; 10-24-2013 at 09:15 PM.
Remember that the shop he's dealing with might not bank nitrox. The risk of not having the tank clean is not so much for the owner, but the gas jockey who is filling it by partial pressure. The shop has every right to insist on O2 cleaning. And $40 for 2 tanks isn't bad. They have no right to remove your EANx sticker. They can put a VIP sticker that certifies for up to 40%. That's the sticker they should be looking at when they fill it. You could put any sticker you want on the tank. The worst they can do is refuse to fill it.
With all that being said, everyone understands that it feels unnecessary to have a tank inspected and cleaned if the tanks had no chance of contamination since the last cleaning. But they don't know that. Blend your own gas and its not a problem.
Ken
The Tech Diver's Prayer: Oh Lord, if I should die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it..
How many dive shops have the true ability to clean ANYTHING to the level of "O2 Clean"?
Joe
Not doubles. Breaking them down and reassembling them is a pain.
Whoever said money can't buy love never bought a puppy.
Agree. Also You might need to inspect, wash and re-lube manifold parts, replace o-rings, check valves. Some skills required to put bands back in the same way they came in. Not sure if it should come to $70+ but if shop has unfortunate business situation (taxes, fees etc.) it could be the reason. I would personally like to have tanks o2 clean because once in a while you might have to do a partial pressure fill. But it would be nice to know how they actually do the o2 cleaning and not just BS you for 40 bucks. Actually it sounds like if you do thoroughly o2 wash it might take more man time than VIP...
The key to filling O2 is speed and heat. You can fill anything with O2 if done carefully and slowly, as it should be. Just because a shop (or anyone) O2 cleans a tank, doesn't mean it stays that way. One bad fill with a little oil leaking thru nullifies any O2 cleaning. Therefore, just because a tank has an "O2 clean" sticker on it, or worse, a Nitrox/EAN sticker on it, doesn't mean anything. It comes down to the person doing the fills. I never "assume" any tank is really clean, so I fill carefully.
I'm not suggesting that O2 cleaning shouldn't be done. I thoroughly breakdown and clean everything on an on-going basis, from regs, to valves to tanks. But I never assume that makes filling truly O2 safe.
Shops have no control over tanks once they leave the shop and therefore shouldn't count on them remaining O2 clean. Also, do the research on O2. Anything less than 40% is pretty darn safe, so filling banked nitrox less than 40% is no biggie, which is probably why cave country shops don't worry about what they're putting that gas into.
Get the OxyHacker book for good info on O2.
In the end, you're beholden to the shop you want to do business with. If it takes letting them do something that makes no sense, you may be stuck if you want to get fills and such. I've had good luck in my area forming relationships with shops and educating them, then getting a little special service when needed and bending their rules.
Just my 2 cents for the day. Dive safe.
Chris Hill
www.ocda.org
"Every man dies, but not every man really lives." William Wallace - Braveheart
Yep. I find it amusing that the shop would threaten you with removing a contents sticker. Unless that's all they look at when deciding if they should fill the cylinder ...
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks