How reasonable is it to expect a "good" fill in New England?

[MSilvia]

I almost always get good fills from South Shore Divers in Weymouth, MA and PG Dive in Newton MA... PG's air fills are free too, so the revenue stream argument is pretty weak.

 

[matt_unique]

Basically do your own fills to ensure you leave with a full tank. I lift the tanks, vent the valve, watch the fill rate, temp, etc. You need time for a fill to allow you to get them topped when they cool if it's important to you to get every bit.

--Matt

 

[oceancurrent]

Nah... The LDS won't let me anywhere near the fill station although I have passed the applicable PSI exams on fill station operation and have prior experience filling tanks. Officialy it is for "insurance reasons". But also, I guess, they don't want to open Pandora's box with customers filling tanks. Both sound like decent reasons to me, so I don't insist. Otherwise, I would be more than happy to do my own fills and wouldn't go overboard to give myself "really good" fills. I am perfectly happy with "good" fills.

 

[MSilvia]

While the LDSs I go to give me good fills, there are several others that are so consistantly bad that cringe every time I begrudgingly have to ask them to fill my tanks. Perhaps yours is one of them. If so, you might try elsewhere.

 

[oceancat]

I usually check my tanks before I leave the store--I have had my tanks get mixed up in the 'wrong piles' and then they are as low as when I left them. Most shops have a pressure gauge at the fill station. I have never had a problem with getting the tanks topped off if I ask (nicely, of course!).

 

[spectrum]

I had a long respose drafted last night and it got lost in the upload. Short answer:

Usually a good fill.

I expect a slow fill from cool banked air, including HP. If I'm hanging around a while or leaving them overnight I expect an honest top-off

I do not expect the shop to exceede the rated pressure of the cylinder. If they make a best guess over fill to get a perfect ambient pressure I am grateful.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

While the LDSs I go to give me good fills, there are several others that are so consistantly bad that cringe every time I begrudgingly have to ask them to fill my tanks. Perhaps yours is one of them. If so, you might try elsewhere.

I hear you, I have one of each.

Pete

 

[pgdive]

oceancurrent

If we had more tank experts like you around, the world would be a better place

Paul

 

[oceancurrent]

What are you doing on this seemingly pointless thread, Paul? Aren't you supposed to be pulling people out of their flooded houses?

So, in your opinion, is -300 psi still a "good" fill? Does the customer have any right to expect good fills even when the shop isn't making a squat?

And, for the record, I know that you give good fills, so no complains from you personally

 

[paulthenurse]

I know this was addressed to Paul (the other one) but c'mon folks, 300 psi is 10 %. I think the MOST I've ever had a tank be down is 300 psi, generally if it's down at all it's just a smidge. (Except once from an un-named shop on the north shore, where we filled the tanks on the drive by and got to the site and had 2400 in. That I was pissed about.) Do you scold your shop if they overfill you by 10 %? C'mon guys, if the worst you get is 90 % you don't have a whole lot to complain about.