Etiquette if the shop doesn't fill the tank completely

[NorCalDM]

At My shop we charge by the cu.ft. for all our gasses; we fill all tanks in a water bath @70f to pressure and tank is not released back to customer until the tank is at desired psi and it is @70f +/-5. An AL80 takes about 28min. Steels take a little longer as they take longer to dissipate the heat from filling. All our banks air and 36%are at 5k and can fill up to 5 tanks at a time.

Legit question, do you charge by the actual Cu Ft used to fill or the rated Cu Ft of the cylinder?

 

[spool]

Every tank gets analyzed every time before I dive it. Doesn't matter how long it was stored.

Smart, what do you like for a portable analyzer?

 

[spool]

At My shop we charge by the cu.ft. for all our gasses; we fill all tanks in a water bath @70f to pressure and tank is not released back to customer until the tank is at desired psi and it is @70f +/-5. An AL80 takes about 28min. Steels take a little longer as they take longer to dissipate the heat from filling. All our banks air and 36%are at 5k and can fill up to 5 tanks at a time.

How much is a cubic foot of air in your shop? Is there a minimum?

 

[TrimixToo]

My LDS spent over $150,000 to install a nitrox compressor system and power box from the city to get it running. They won't see any profit from fills for a long time.

Thinking this over, I must say that's just an extraordinary amount to spend on a compressor system, whether it's set up for continuous or partial pressure blending. By itself it will essentially never pay them back in fill charges. As part of the overall business plan, it will still take a Long Time. I have to wonder what, exactly, they got for their $150K.

 

[Tracy]

Legit question, do you charge by the actual Cu Ft used to fill or the rated Cu Ft of the cylinder?

CF used to fill the cylinder

Smart, what do you like for a portable analyzer?

I am currently using the divesoft solo, I have had a few others in the past. I like this one best.
If you are only doing nitrox, the palm o2 or the o2e2 are hard to beat

How much is a cubic foot of air in your shop? Is there a minimum?

I don't know about him, but I charge $10 to fill a tank with air. I don't do air by the cubic foot. All of my other gases go by the CF.
Banked Nitrox (32) is $0.17 per cf.

 

[Superlyte27]

Five years between hydros. Unless there is an emergency, you shouldn't need to use the tank.

You’re only required to hydro before filling. If it’s not empty, it doesn’t need a hydro.

 

[Superlyte27]

Thinking this over, I must say that's just an extraordinary amount to spend on a compressor system, whether it's set up for continuous or partial pressure blending. By itself it will essentially never pay them back in fill charges. As part of the overall business plan, it will still take a Long Time. I have to wonder what, exactly, they got for their $150K.

I have a new big Mako $48k. $7500 in storage bottles. Another $7k in fittings, tubing, whips, yokes, DINs. $11k in the Masterline Booster and $8k in the Nardi mixer.

150k seems hard.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

You’re only required to hydro before filling. If it’s not empty, it doesn’t need a hydro.

Unless you transport is to get where you're going? As it's a Transport Dept thing?

 

[Superlyte27]

Unless you transport is to get where you're going? As it's a Transport Dept thing?

Nope, read the reg, it doesn’t work that way. Was it in hydro when it was filled?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Thinking this over, I must say that's just an extraordinary amount to spend on a compressor system, whether it's set up for continuous or partial pressure blending. By itself it will essentially never pay them back in fill charges. As part of the overall business plan, it will still take a Long Time. I have to wonder what, exactly, they got for their $150K.

A huge chunk of that was having the city come out and put in an electrical box large enough for the continuous blend system.