I just enrolled in a program with Gregg Stanton over at Wakulla Dive Center which started with the PSI Visual Inspection Course. First of all, he is a fantastic instructor and I recommend him for any advanced diving or technical courses; extraordinarily knowledgeable and quite inventive!
As an instructor, there are many things that I was taught; including tank VIPs and servicing my own gear. Although a regimented course on VIPs is not necessarily required to VIP tanks, I thought, prior to the course, that it would be more of a refresher on what I already knew. I was proven wrong...
The course began with about 6 hours of lecture discussing cylinder manufacturing processes, tank alloys, the use of devices such as Eddy Current, cylinder wear and maintenance, etc. There are MANY things that I was very happy and receptive to learn that I know most lds's have no idea about. For instance, there is a common perception that a crack on less than three threads is acceptable (a misreading of the thread number requirement). Any crack, however, is enough to condemn the cylinder. Most untrained VIPers often confuse tool stop marks with cracks, use eddy current devices on 6061 AL alloys and steel cylinder, don't measure tank pits, etc. Lax inspectors may believe that hydro's are THE place that tanks fail, when in reality, hydro's rarely fail tanks that would be condemned by a thorough cylinder inspection.
There is literature out there, obviously, that people can educate themselves with and I do encourage that. VIPs are an important, and misunderstood, safety aspect in the diving community. If you are not qualified, don't have the proper tools, and don't fill your own cylinder, please do not slap a printed sticker on your tank. That is not to say bring it to an lds that has no idea what they are doing, it means take caution and make sure that if you are not qualified, have a qualified person inspect your tanks. Otherwise, stand back when filling!
I can't wait to finish the program and participate in more of Gregg's awesome courses...
Hopefully, this will be a productive thread about VIP training and not one of bashing...
As an instructor, there are many things that I was taught; including tank VIPs and servicing my own gear. Although a regimented course on VIPs is not necessarily required to VIP tanks, I thought, prior to the course, that it would be more of a refresher on what I already knew. I was proven wrong...
The course began with about 6 hours of lecture discussing cylinder manufacturing processes, tank alloys, the use of devices such as Eddy Current, cylinder wear and maintenance, etc. There are MANY things that I was very happy and receptive to learn that I know most lds's have no idea about. For instance, there is a common perception that a crack on less than three threads is acceptable (a misreading of the thread number requirement). Any crack, however, is enough to condemn the cylinder. Most untrained VIPers often confuse tool stop marks with cracks, use eddy current devices on 6061 AL alloys and steel cylinder, don't measure tank pits, etc. Lax inspectors may believe that hydro's are THE place that tanks fail, when in reality, hydro's rarely fail tanks that would be condemned by a thorough cylinder inspection.
There is literature out there, obviously, that people can educate themselves with and I do encourage that. VIPs are an important, and misunderstood, safety aspect in the diving community. If you are not qualified, don't have the proper tools, and don't fill your own cylinder, please do not slap a printed sticker on your tank. That is not to say bring it to an lds that has no idea what they are doing, it means take caution and make sure that if you are not qualified, have a qualified person inspect your tanks. Otherwise, stand back when filling!
I can't wait to finish the program and participate in more of Gregg's awesome courses...
Hopefully, this will be a productive thread about VIP training and not one of bashing...
