Tank Fills Vancouver Lower Mainland area

[TheWetRookie]

As already mentioned, pic a store that is close to you for your fills. Depending on where the shops is, the cost of driving to and from the shop will eat any savings that you may of had. Also the the time factor needed to drop off and pick up tanks will cut into your day and limit your free time. Then think rush hour.

Once you are a regular customer of a dive shop, ask them about sweetening the price on fills.

 

[Corona1986]

Hey yes G.P.D is still selling Air and Nitrox fill cards cheap

 

[Henry]

I would like you get your air fill at The Edge and here is why:

Our fills are $10 a piece and $9 if you buy it as a fill card. It sounds expensive but here is the breakdown.

The compressor we have had a capital cost of $20k. It require ongoing maintenance which we really want to keep up because we don't want to give you bad air. The oil filter on it's own is a $450.00 part, not including the $75.00 an hour labour that we pay to get it installed. The air filter is around $80 and we change them... a lot. Again, we don't want to give you bad air.

PADI insurance requirement says we need to test the air at least twice a year. We test it four times a year... because we don't want to give you bad air and no, it's not cheap. I can tell you a story about the dive shop (and it is very local to you) that didn't test their air at all because they didn't want to pay for the testing and a diver didn't come back from a dive. I suppose their air fill is much cheaper than ours. For legal reasons, let' just say I made that last one up.

The compressor repair company that we use, repairs air compressors all over the lower mainland. The tech tells me that he has never seen a compressor with as much usage as ours. That's really interesting because it tells me one of two things:

1. The Edge fills more tanks than anyone else. I really doubt it because I see just as many dive trucks/vans from other shops at Whytecliff.

2. Or no one else services their compressor to the degree that we do??

Guess what, it is really really expensive when I call the compressor company to come service the compressor but I do it because... I don't want to give you bad air.

The compressor guys are now telling me we need a new compressor because we are out growing the one we have. They recommend that I consider keeping the one we got and simply buying a bigger one. The new compressor is $40k and I am going to spend the money. Why? because by having two compressors, it means you as a diver will never be without air when you need it, even when one of the compressors is down. It also means that I am spending the money on a proper compressor, not one that's built out of an old motor and car parts. Trust me, I've seen it.

I can lower the price of the air fill if you like. In exchange, you will receive bad fills, bad air or no air because the compressor is down and we can't afford to fix it.

I would like to conclude by saying I appreciate anyone who shops at The Edge. We value your opinion and business. It is all very important to Mike and I and we would like to continue to provide you with the very best product and services that we can bring you.

Thank you.
Henry
The Edge Diving Centre
Edge Diving Centre

 

[mustang_5l]

GPD sells the 10 fill air card for $39.95 and nitrox card for $69.95 from time to time. (usually around Christmas time)
Regular price on air is $64.95 for the 10 fill.
Regular price on nitrox is $134.95 for the 10 fill

 

[AquaSocMan]

Henry,

I couldn't agree with you more, the cost of running a compressor properly and maintaining good air is insane. However I disagree with your assumption that other local operations are cutting corners and letting bad air go. BC and the lower mainland has an number of amazing dive shops, The Edge being a perfect example. I think some of the best shops in the country are here in the lower mainland, and from what I know everyone here strives to sell the cleanest safest air possible to their customers.

I'm on the quarterly test regiment as well with the highest O2 compatible specs. oil and filter change on a regular basis so your not alone.

If customers are unsure of the air quality, most local dive shops post their Air Check Certification, compatible air specs and next test date in plain view of customers and if not can be presented if inquired.

Brendan
UBC

 

[Julian55]

Good post Brendan, well said!

 

[mustang_5l]

I normally just get Randy to fill my tanks...

 

[DaleC]

I'm a fan of LP tanks so I can just use my bicycle pump. Saves a few bucks and my biceps are kick a$$!

 

[tregrrr]

I bought the LP cross fill whip so that I can just pull into the truck stop and equalize off some semi truck tires... its cost effective now, but diving always brings an 'interesting' taste to my mouth and a dull throbbing pain to my head....

One thing I have learned is that we divers are the cheapest louts out there...

When I was working on boats in the Caribbean, management found they had to pay the dive staff twice to three times the per-diem rate that the catamaran day cruiser boat crew was receiving... It seems that the dive staff did not appreciate having to pay ridiculous insurance and training costs in order to work for half what their basically untrained co-workers were receiving
... average tip out per guest from divers was down around 4-5$ for a 4 hour service (8am start checkin to noon return) compared to $10+ per head for the 2hour service involving alcohol.

Total paid amounts for these day trips were equivalent.

Divers are cheap, but the costs to run diving operations are high... So makes me wonder what, other than love and dedication to the sport they love, makes people choose to run or work a shop/boat/compressor?? Often I think one (possibly only) potential allure is the wholesale gear and cheap air to subsidize one's own diving habit since it sure isn't the Cadillacs and caviar at the end of the road!!!

 

[99north]

Henry
I just read your post on here.I am the GM for an asphalt company that runs 2 -3 million dollar asphalt plants in the sea to sky area,,,we are under strict air quality and environmental regulations,,,it costs $ 90,000 quarterly for each plant for air emission tests. Yes there are other asphalt companies that do it on the cheap,,,but my point is,,,its the cost of doing business!

It doesn't matter to me that it costs you what it does to provide quality service air or otherwise,,,I am a paying customer and in these stringent economic times we are all looking for the best bang for our buck.

When I hear that other dive shops are providing air fills for half the price that your dive shop does, it makes me wonder why. So I call around and I have to have faith in these other dive shops as well that they provide clean safe air for divers, after all they have been in business awhile now as well.

I travel all over the LM weekly so apart from GPD in Surrey any of the other dive shops would be okay to drop off and pick up my tanks. I appreciate that you have an expensive operation and know all too well what the costs of running a successful business are, but the customer shouldn't have to worry that its costing you an arm and a leg,,,he or she after all are the ones forking out the cash from their account to keep you in business.

Competition is a healthy thing,,,it keeps most business's alive,,,,the minute that you start to lose customers to another business for their services and products rather then yours is when things start to unravel. Dive shops all have their hard core
followers but when the going gets tough and the economy is tight,,,will they be enough to keep a business alive???

Just sayin!