Explain to me why you own your own tank(s)

[twistypencil]

One reason is that I want a tank at home of clean air so I can work on and check out my gear.
I may also be driving somewhere so that the logistics are simplified with several of my own tanks.

You apparently dive and fill locally. Depending on where you live and how much you dive, that can get expensive compared to having your own tank(s). The fundamental idea is that filing is cheaper than filling plus renting. Example: suppose you do N dives per year, and the cost of a fill is $F, and the cost of a rental is $R, and the cost of an annual visual tank inspection is $V. Then your total cost for the year is
$T = N($F+$R) + $I
Typical numbers are $F=$8, $R=$10, and $I=$25.
For N=10 you spend $180 if you rent, $125 if you do not.
For N=100 you spend $1800 if you rent, $1025 if you do not.
For doing not much diving, it takes a while to amortize tank ownership.
For a lot of diving, it take just a few months.

I think you replaced $V with $I ini your example

 

[BRT]

I don't get why I'd want to own my own tank(s). There has to be a reason, but I'm failing to see it. Right now, I go to my LDS, rent the tanks, bring them back. Its two trips to the shop. If I buy tanks, I still have to bring them to the LDS to fill them (and then I need to wait for them to fill them), so I save one trip to the LDS, but then I need to add regular inspections. It seems like it isn't worth it, especially if you fly somewhere where you are likely to rent tanks (and weights)... but I must be missing reasons that you all prefer to own your own tanks -- so fill me in! Is it because you really want a very specific tank material, size etc. and can't usually get them at the shop? Are you obsessed about making sure nobody touches your stuff? What is your reason?

Using the tanks you like is one advantage. For me it is 35 miles to the nearest place I can get a fill and takes 2 trips so I have tanks and a compressor.

 

[tursiops]

I think you replaced $V with $I ini your example

Yes. Good for you for catching that. Corrected.
Do you agree with my assessment?
Does it at least partially answer your question?

 

[lexvil]

Since there is a lot of diving where you live “earth” there are a lot of places to get you tanks filled, since you go to a shop to rent tanks I presume you also have to go to a shop to return them, why not just adjust your time that you now waste filling out the form to rent and use that time waiting to get you tank refilled before heading home.

I like to get my dives in, at one, before any shops open which also puts me back there at about the time tank renters are just getting started.

So there isn’t really any good reason to own a tank or any other piece of gear except convenience

 

[tursiops]

So there isn’t really any good reason to own a tank or any other piece of gear except convenience

...and cost.

 

[lexvil]

Using the tanks you like is one advantage. For me it is 35 miles to the nearest place I can get a fill and takes 2 trips so I have tanks and a compressor.

Fire anywhere near you? Unrelated to post.

 

[BRT]

Fire anywhere near you? Unrelated to post.

Wrong Oroville. I'm in Washington.

 

[rhwestfall]

there isn’t really any good reason to own a tank or any other piece of gear except convenience

 

[ibj40]

It is 45 minutes, one way, to our "LDS". Whenever we wanted to do a checkout, even just to splash around in our pool, it wasted half a day, more or less, each time.

We recently bought an aluminum 60. Figure the first fill will last over a year of piddling and paddling.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

• Dive shops nearby (30-60 minutes drive) don’t want my money - they are open 9-5, I earn money to go diving 9-5. Makes me wonder why the owners keep whining that they get so few customers and everyone shops online.
• I can get a fill in the harbour (after diving) few meters away from the boat. No need to drive anywhere.
• Not all dive shops have all the gasses I need.
• Not all shops carry the cylinders I need.
• It’s cheaper.
• Renting stages, twinsets and so on is a major pain and they are never rigged the same.
• Multi day diving.