How much $ to O2 clean a tank?

[soamelt]

How much does it cost to have a tank O2 cleaned? I just got a new tank and called my LDS to which they said about $64 and it takes a week. Not sure what I expected, but I know it was a lot less than that. Also, does it have to be done every VIP of hydro?

Greg

 

[rustyshakelford]

my lds told me $60 also but can usually get it done in a day. they also said it wont need to be cleaned again for a visual as long as you have it filled with nitox or air that has been filtered properly

brett

 

[Clammy]

If it's brand spanking new, then it should come 02 cleaned, unless you dirty filled it afterwards.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Luxfer used to have an option of shipping tanks O2 cleaned, but you had to ask for them that way. Since you needed to order tanks 100 at a time, most shops get them from a middle man such as sea pearls so they do not arrive O2 clean.

Saying a tank will never have to be O2 cleaned again if you have it filled only with 02 compatible air and nitrox is optimistic. O2 compatible air has fewer hydrocarbons, it does not have zero and they do accumulate over a given number of fills..

On the other hand, unless a shop does nitrox fills using partial pressure blending or unless you are going to use more than 40% O2 mixes, O2 cleaning is not required. Of course, many shops require it anyway as it is a potentially lucrative revenue source.

 

[Colliam7]

How much does it cost to have a tank O2 cleaned? I just got a new tank and called my LDS to which they said about $64 and it takes a week. Not sure what I expected, but I know it was a lot less than that. Also, does it have to be done every VIP of hydro?

We charge $60. (That includes the tank AND the valve.) The actual process takes a couple of hours at the most, but many shops tend to batch O2 cleaning of tanks, rather than going through the set-up to do only one, and that may explain the 'takes a week'. At least one shop in our area prefers not to O2 clean at all, and increases the price (to $75) to cover the nuisance factor of having to do it. I clean mine once a year, when I VIP them.

 

[soamelt]

The tank is a brand new Worthington HP100 with the 200 DIN valve. I believe the tank itself has a sticker that says it's 02 cleaned, but I know the valve is only compatible to 40% pre-blended mix. My LDS uses partial pressure so I know I need to at least have the valve done.

I just wasn't expected $60+ every year for it. Is it a requirement that it needs to be done yearly?

 

[ppo2_diver]

I start my O2 cleaning prices at $25. Aluminum tanks are relatively easy. So they don't require much additional work. My price for steel tanks may increase if they need work (i.e. rust removal, tumbling, etc.). That includes the cleaning the valve and VIP on the tank.

 

[mike_s]

How much does it cost to have a tank O2 cleaned? I just got a new tank and called my LDS to which they said about $64 and it takes a week. Not sure what I expected, but I know it was a lot less than that. Also, does it have to be done every VIP of hydro?

Greg

What comes with that $64 bucks?

I mean does that include a visual, which normally costs $10 bucks or so?
does it include a nitrox fill? (which depending on where you are is $6 to $12 bucks)
does it include a valve rebuild? (labor and parts?)
does it include the wrap around nitrox sticker? ( a few bucks).

As for does it have to be done after every VIP or hydro? If you're partial pressure filling, then yes after each hydro as the water the hydro facility uses is no where near
clean, much less o2 clean.

After every VIP? not really. but every time you fill your tank you add a few micro-contaminants to it. Depending on how clean your air source is, etc, there is debate on whether it needs it between Vis dates also, but since you can't test for o2 cleanliness easily, the only way to know it's clean is to have it cleaned. (however most don't re-clean every year, but will every couple years).

If it's brand spanking new, then it should come 02 cleaned, unless you dirty filled it afterwards.

I hope you don't believe that.... I've gotten tanks in from the manufacturer that had o2 clean factory labels on them but were filthy inside, had grease in the threads, etc...

don't ever trust a manufacturer that their tanks are clean when they say they are. I've seen many cases where they aren't. Whether it's the dive shop that got them dirty, the shipping company, or whoever...... you should never "trust" some sticker on a tank that has no pedigree of where it's been.

A tank is only as clean after you've had it correctly cleaned, by yourself or someone you trust.

 

[frogman159]

My LDS charges $60-$65 if you get it done when you buy the tank (AL80)

Otherwise its in the $80 range.

 

[mike_s]

I think my LDS charges $15 or $20 for "just the cleaning" (no vis, sticker, etc). (valve rebuild parts would be extra ).

that's a decent price in my opinion as for me to do it myself, get a tumbler, glass beads, pay for the chemicals would be a hassle alone for just a couple tanks. Add employee labor and liability and they really aren't making any profits off that.


If you buy the tank from them, they throw in o2 cleaning for free, along with the vis (and typically a free fill). Tanks aren't really discounted on prices that way, but there is no profit in LDS's selling tanks, especially smaller shops that sell less than a pallet load a year. So it's not a bad deal.