How much does it cost to make a tank ready for Nitrox up to 40%?

[NJScubaDoc]

See title

 

[Gary D.]

It's a wide range so ask your LDS and check with a couple of others for an accurate price.

Gary D.

 

[IceBergSlim]

about 75 cents not including the sticker.

 

[aaen]

hmm, don't they have to wash out the inside with that blue gunk,a nd then change th o-rings in the valve so no hydrocarbons can cause and explosiion or anything, although I presume the chances of this happening slim. Anyways I know your reg shoudl be nitrox cleaned the same way, or atleast it states in my andi csu book and class.

Anyways I think the price for th reg was about 10 bucks to clean it, maybe a bit more but not much, and I think a tnak was around 20, been awhile since I asked though, so my prices may be off a bit at my dive shop, or I may be getting my prices mixed up.

Steve

 

[Dive-aholic]

about 75 cents not including the sticker.

They must charge a lot more for simple green in NYC than they do out here!

If you're going to fill your tanks with banked nitrox, you don't even have to get it cleaned. Dutch Springs does banked fills and will fill any tank with 32%. The cleaning issue comes up with PPB and putting 100% O2 into the tank before filling with air. It will vary. Many shops in the NJ area will charge you $30+ each tank. They're making a killing. It takes about 15 minutes to clean the tank and valve to O2 standards.

 

[captndale]

They must charge a lot more for simple green in NYC than they do out here!

If you're going to fill your tanks with banked nitrox, you don't even have to get it cleaned. Dutch Springs does banked fills and will fill any tank with 32%. The cleaning issue comes up with PPB and putting 100% O2 into the tank before filling with air. It will vary. Many shops in the NJ area will charge you $30+ each tank. They're making a killing. It takes about 15 minutes to clean the tank and valve to O2 standards.

Since I sold my shop I only do my own tanks now, but it takes me at least a couple of hours to clean a tank to O2 standards. Some efficiency can be gained by doing several at a time, but it is still a lot of work. This is an outline of the process:

1. Remove boot, valve, all stickers and do a visual.
2. With a large funnel pour in a couple of gallons of weak detergent and a couple of pounds of abrasive (aluminum oxide for aluminum or ceramic for steel)
3. Tumble with cleaner and abrasive to remove any oxide or rust. (about 1/2 to 1 hour for aluminum tanks or up to 48 hours for steel)
4. Drain and remove abrasive chips. Rinse chips for future use.
5. Rinse until water is clear.
6. Fill with a couple of gallons of weak detergent again and add a couple of pounds of glass beads.
7. Tumble for 1/2 hour.
8. Drain detergent and beads. Rinse beads for future use.
9. Rinse tank several times until there are no more soap bubbles.
10. For steel tanks, rinse with an oxygen compatible rust inhibitor.
11. Set tank up on drain rack with hot air dryer blowing air into tank. Dry for about 1/2 hour.
12. Disassemble valve completely. Clean parts with detergent and toothbrush and pipe cleaners.
13. Clean valve parts, new O-rings and valve seat in ultrasonic cleaner with weak detergent solution (about 5 to 10 minutes)
14. Rinse and dry valve parts.
15. Lubricate valve parts with O2 compatible lubricant and re-assemble.
16. Reassemble valve to tank.
17. Replace boot and affix new sticker.
18. Fill tank.

Would you do all that for $30? I will not.
If you are paying $30 or so for an oxygen cleaning, chances are you are probably getting the fifteen minute job.

Now, I ask you, what does the fifteen minute job include?

 

[IceBergSlim]

They must charge a lot more for simple green in NYC than they do out here!

Simple Green Rule of Thirds:

One third spilled on floor

One third in tank

One third left over to spoil

Everything is more expensive here.

 

[mike_s]

How much does it cost to make a tank ready for Nitrox up to 40%?

well to me, "up to 40%" does NOT mean O2 clean. It means for blends that are not partial pressure blended, like pre-mix like pre mixed 32% or pre mixed 36%.

Cost for an "up to 40% tank" is pretty much the cost of the sticker. Say $3 to $8 bucks. You don't have to O2 clean it for that. (unless it's an old nasty tank, then you need to clean it regardless of the mix).


If it was being used for "partial pressure fills", it'd have to be O2 cleaned. When you do partial pressure fills you fill the O2 part first (unless they have a boost pump on the O2 cylinder, which most don't)... Then you have a partial fill of 100% o2.

 

[cool_hardware52]

See title

Depends on who's recommendations you are following.

It is commonly assumed in the scuba community that no special treatment is required for mixes of less than 40% O2 as long premixed Nitrox is used (membrane or Continuous blended) If premix is used the tank and valve don't see high pressure pure O2.

However both PSI and the CGA would disagree. The offical position of both is any tank / valve used with any mix over 23.5% needs to be O2 cleaned, and equipped with O2 compatible components.

O2 cleaning and prep can be expensive.


Regards,


Tobin

 

[H2Andy]

It is commonly assumed in the scuba community that no special treatment is required for mixes of less than 40% O2 as long premixed Nitrox is used (membrane or Continuous blended) If premix is used the tank and valve don't see high pressure pure O2.

However both PSI and the CGA would disagree. The offical position of both is any tank / valve used with any mix over 23.5% needs to be O2 cleaned, and equipped with O2 compatible components.

could you show me where in their guideliness this official position is set out? i'm not familiar with it (but then again, i'm not familiar with a lot of thigns)