How strict is the vis inspection expiry?

[dfx]

Since a few threads popped up discussing similar topics and they reminded me of this, I thought I'd ask the knowledgeable people here...

Without going into boring details, what happened was that I had rented some tanks from my LDS and neglected to check the vis sticker. This was just at the end of the month. A few days later, now in the next month, I wanted to get the tanks filled at a different dive shop. They refused to fill them because the vis had just expired the previous month, so just a few days ago.

Later, when I returned the tanks, the owner apologized and offered a discount on the next rental, but also commented that the shop should still have filled the tanks, because the vis inspection/sticker is good until up to one month after the expiration date. Is this true or did he make it up?

 

[Teller]

Once the last day of the month that is punched out on the VIP sticker passes it is no longer valid and youll probably have a hard time getting it filled anywhere.

 

[drbill]

Not sure if things are different up there than down here, but the other shop was correct in not filling the tank based on what I read in your post

 

[Sieg@VU]

Agree with Teller, no one should fill after the last day of the month based on the punches on the sticker, but shame on the LDS for not advising you about the short dated tanks if your rental was going to exceed the VIP date.

 

[TravisD]

The answer is, as strict as the filling shop feels like being. There's no "law" or really regulations behind VIP from what I've seen -- it's a scuba industry thing, and probably ultimately a factor of the insurance of the guy who owns the filling station. In other words, nobody ever goes to jail for not checking a VIP date, but they might be in a world of hurt if someone sues over bad air and it comes out that they didn't check.

If it were me, and the filling station had the capability, I'd have paid them to do the VIP (it doesn't take long) and then asked the renting shop to compensate me for the expense (and likely had a chuckle over their rental tanks bearing someone else's VIP sticker...). Can't VIP? If I could rent other tanks I'd do the same thing.

I realized earlier this year that a couple of my tanks were WAY out of Viz -- like, over a year. I generally get fills a the same place and they "know me" so weren't really checking on me. It's my bad for not catching them earlier!

 

[dfx]

Thanks for the replies, it's kinda what I thought.

If it were me, and the filling station had the capability, I'd have paid them to do the VIP (it doesn't take long) and then asked the renting shop to compensate me for the expense (and likely had a chuckle over their rental tanks bearing someone else's VIP sticker...). Can't VIP? If I could rent other tanks I'd do the same thing.

In my case, the dive shop that refused the fill let us rent some of their tanks for the same price as for a fill, for the dive that we wanted to do (it was on site of the quarry that we wanted to dive). So at the end of the day it wasn't a problem at all, I was just curious about the whole thing.

 

[TravisD]

In my case, the dive shop that refused the fill let us rent some of their tanks for the same price as for a fill, for the dive that we wanted to do (it was on site of the quarry that we wanted to dive). So at the end of the day it wasn't a problem at all, I was just curious about the whole thing.

I'd say you found yourself a reasonably sensible shop and they probably deserve your patronage in the future!

 

[dfx]

I'd say you found yourself a reasonably sensible shop and they probably deserve your patronage in the future!

I would agree, if it wasn't for the fact that this isn't exactly a "local" dive shop for me

 

[Spg01]

I had a shop tell me that it was only good until the middle of the month that was indicated, but he would fill it for me this time. I am glad he no longer works at that shop.

 

[dytis-sm]

I have had a fill with expired VIS but with a warning since it was a close date. VIS tags expire on the 1st of the month indicated and I was in the middle of the month. They were kind enough to make the exception and spare me the inconvenience of the wait. Plus the tank involved looked practically brand new. There are some really nice and honest diving shops out there...