Full fills on HP Steel Tanks

[sffrenchman]

I am considering purchasing HP 100 steel tanks but I have heard that it can be difficult to get full fills on HP tanks. Are there LDS in the Bay Area (SF, Peninsula, South Bay) or Monterey where one can reliably get full fills on HP tanks?

Thanks for your help

 

[Hepcat62]

There are lots. I've had very good fills at Wallin's in San Carlos, so long as I'm willing to leave the tanks a bit to get topped off (or hang out at the shop for a while). I HAVE found that it helps if you get your regs converted to DIN, or pull out the inserts before going for a fill. Some people are more willing to fill a DIN tank to ~3500 than one with a yoke valve (or insert in).

 

[Ben_ca]

Any Water Sports has fast fills and banked 32%... They also have a fast haskel to top you off and get you on your way in no time

 

[TaoH]

My tanks have DIN valves and I've gotten good fills at Any Water Sports in San Jose and Aquarius Del Monte in Monterey.

It will take longer to get a complete fill on HP tanks regardless of where you go. AWS and Aquarius will put tanks in a water bath to help minimize the effects of hot fills. If you're getting fills from a place that doesn't put tanks in a bath, then maybe you can leave them overnight so that they can top off.

 

[dannobee]

The only place that I've got consistent fills of 3500 psi after the tank cools off is my garage. I had so many problems getting full fills that I bought my own stuff a few years ago and haven't looked back.

I have a compressor and a big (8") Haskel. Together they'll fill tanks in no time to whatever pressure you want. I rebuilt the Haskel and during testing it filled an HP80 from 2000 psi to 4200 in six seconds. :shocked2: It had enough capacity to blow the fill station bypass (3900 psi) and kept right on going. How is THAT for fast?

I don't use the Haskel for single tanks anymore, I'll hook up a few at a time, then let it rip.

 

[DocWong]

Cool, when we going diving? I'll take a hit with a wee bit of helium if you would.

The only place that I've got consistent fills of 3500 psi after the tank cools off is my garage. I had so many problems getting full fills that I bought my own stuff a few years ago and haven't looked back.

I have a compressor and a big (8") Haskel. Together they'll fill tanks in no time to whatever pressure you want. I rebuilt the Haskel and during testing it filled an HP80 from 2000 psi to 4200 in six seconds. :shocked2: It had enough capacity to blow the fill station bypass (3900 psi) and kept right on going. How is THAT for fast?

I don't use the Haskel for single tanks anymore, I'll hook up a few at a time, then let it rip.

 

[rcpalmer1]

The key to making sure you get a proper fill is to check the pressure before you leave the shop. I have been diving HP steels for years. I get them filled all over. I alway ask before I take my tanks to get fill if they will insure a fill to 3500. Some shops just don't fill over 3000psi. On my 100's I loose about 300psi if they are hot filled. If I am filling them myself I will fill to between 3800 and 3900psi or I will drop them off to be filled. I check them when I pick them up and they have cooled off ,if they are short I have the shop top them off. It is not a big problem.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I usually get my fills at Aquarius del Monte, and they are full. I do pour
water over them to keep them cool while they are filling (don't have much
else to do).

 

[Peter_C]

I usually get my fills at Aquarius del Monte, and they are full. I do pour
water over them to keep them cool while they are filling (don't have much
else to do).

Uhhh...pet Cody and throw the ball?

Whenever I get fills at Aquarius they are usually pretty close to 3442 after cooling and that is all I ask for.

 

[Gombessa]

Agreed with the above, particularly AWS, who probably have the best fill policy in NorCal. I've occasionally gotten short fills everywhere else, but Bamboo Reef in Monterey seems to be the next-best shop in terms of going out of their way to meet customer requests on fills. Aquarius Del Monte seems to be more "by the book" regarding fills (they often look for and care about plus ratings on LP tanks, etc.) but for you HP folks that's more often than not a benefit.

On the whole, I don't hear too many bad things about local shops regarding HP fills, but I wouldn't really expect to. It's the LP policy that concerns me