Can't fill AL tanks 5+ years old?

[metridium]

How common is it for a dive operation to refuse to fill an aluminum cylinder that's over five years old, even if its VIP and hydro are current? Or steel tanks over ten years old?

Is this an insurance regulation, a Canadian law, excessive caution, or what?

 

[durangodiver]

I would say excessive caution. I have one AL 80 from '78 I bought used and have never had a problem getting it filled.

~Adam

 

[DivingGal]

As long as viz and hydro are up-to-date, I don't see why they would refuse. I'd ask them why.

 

[roakey]

More like ridiculous caution, unless they immediately offered to sell you a new cylinder, in which case it’s dishonest.

Roak

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by roakey
More like ridiculous caution, unless they immediately offered to sell you a new cylinder, in which case it’s dishonest.

Roak

No sales, only rentals.

Odd.

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by metridium
No sales, only rentals.

So they offered to rent you a cylinder because they wouldn't fill yours? Still dishonest.

Ask 'em what they know that the TC doesn't. You might tell them they should go read the law sometime. Refer them to CSA B339.

Roak

 

[The Chairman]

I would take a close look at their rental tanks. I wouldn't consider them dishonest IF none of their tanks are more than five years old. However, I would definitely discuss any apparent double standards that may exist.

As an Automotive Service Manager for many years, I made it a point to NOT sell anything I was unwilling to buy. This simple policy kept me honest, and gave folks yet another reason to trust me. Trust is elusive; It is very hard to earn in the first place and once gone it is incrediby hard to re-establish.

You should expect them to hold you to the same standard as they hold themselves.

 

[Bob3]

I've heard of blatent ripoff scams before, but that ranks right up there in the top 10.

Find yourself a different shop, those guys are flat out trying to rob you.
There is absolutely no excuse for what they're trying to do, it's consumer fraud.

I also suggest you report them to your local Better Business Bureau, or equivalent.

Care to share their name so we can make sure to avoid them?

Added 29 June:
Now that I see that the op is a vessel, they can pretty much do what they want, even requiring passengers to wear pink polkadot underwear on their heads.

 

[metridium]

The dive op in question is a liveaboard, and the policy is clearly stated on the website. The scam alarm bells just aren't going off for me on this one. If it's just to get more people to rent from them, why the 10-year policy on steels, which drysuit divers are much more likely to use, vs. the 5-year on aluminums?

It could be a scam, I guess, but it seems so nickel-and-dime compared to normal liveaboard costs that I think it has to be something else. The cutoff at two hydro cycles for steel and one for aluminum made me think it might have a regulatory basis, but from what Roakey posted, TC has nothing to do with it.

You can check out the policy for yourself at www.divebc.com/Retail_Rates.htm

 

[scubabunny]

Ohhhh....after reading the link, I'm betting they left out a few words. I bet they ment they would fill tanks "who's hydro" is over 5 years old, which is standard practice. I would email or call the live-a-board and verify this, but it looks like a very bad typo to me.