Hydrostatic & O2 Cleaning Service??

[frankc420]

Ok so my tanks are due for a hydro in August. Any ideas where I can get it done? Keep in mind I live in MS, so I'd like a low price & fast turn around. I figure while I'm getting it hydro'd I should go ahead and get them O2 cleaned.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[outlaws]

Frank if there is no local dive shop. Look for a fire ext. company like Simplex Grinnell. Talk to your fire department they likely could steer you in the right direction. That will handle the Hydo but then you will need to get it O2 cleaned. You could always do that yourself if you had the training.

Butch

 

[mike_s]

Actually, the DOT has a list of hydro facilities on their website somewhere... I can't remember exactly where on their site, but I found it once before. (However not every hydro shop does scuba tanks. some only do fire extingishers or welding tanks for example.).

ah... Google found the website
http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/hydro_retesters.htm

In Mississippi, look here.
http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/cyl_ms.pdf

You'll want one that does 'High Pressure' as indicated on the PDF file


Regardless of of where you get it done, inspect is for normal cleanliness. Hydro facilities have a tendency to use the same water over and over again. If dirty welding or fire extingisher bottles were done before yours, you will most likely end up with some residue in your tank. Just something that is good to look for.

I took one of my air tanks recently for a new hydro at my local hydro facility and got a hydro, visual, and fill (air) for I tink $22 bucks.

If you're going to o2 clean it, then plan on a valve rebuild also with o2 compatiable parts. (this is normal operating procedure when converting a tank to o2 clean for partial pressure blends). Your new visual sticker will indicate it's o2 clean for higher percentages of oxygen. Don't skimp on O2 cleaning. An O2 fire or explosion will definately ruin someone's day.

 

[frankc420]

Thanks guys! Mike, your suggestion was overall the kicker to my question, as usual!

I contacted one of the local hydro facilities in that PDF and they charge about $20 per cylinder for hydro and VIP.

Edit: Turns out they can O2 clean my tanks also. So a question comes to mind, does the water for the hydro matter now? Since they are going to O2 clean them also? And, are there different levels of O2 clean? They are a welding shop, so I know they use O2 for welding, I'm going to guess they would have to use pure O2 so they would have to be really clean

They most likely won't have orings that fit my valves, so what do you guys suggest?

 

[mulefeathers]

Walter can't take of this for you?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Most dive shops can rebuild your valves for O2 ready operation... Its just a different material Oring and lube for the most part...

 

[mike_s]

Thanks guys! Mike, your suggestion was overall the kicker to my question, as usual!

I contacted one of the local hydro facilities in that PDF and they charge about $20 per cylinder for hydro and VIP.

Edit: Turns out they can O2 clean my tanks also. So a question comes to mind, does the water for the hydro matter now? Since they are going to O2 clean them also?

Not really. the dirtier the water, just the more cleaning needed.

And, are there different levels of O2 clean?

In theory, No... but in reality, yes. They should all be done to a certain level "cleanliness". I think that CGA (Compressed Gas Association) sets the standard for this, but I'd have to look that up to verify it.

The "in reality, yes" part is due to the fact that different shops use different procedures and standards for o2 cleaning, so you get a different outcome. Ask to look at their procedure or get a copy of it. Any shop that isn't willing to let you see it, I would question their process, or lack of process.

They are a welding shop, so I know they use O2 for welding, I'm going to guess they would have to use pure O2 so they would have to be really clean

They most likely won't have orings that fit my valves, so what do you guys suggest?

chances are that a welding shop doesn't have the exact o-rings required for a high pressure scuba valve. You'd most likely need to get a scuba shop to do that. Of course if you've got to do that, you might as well let them clean your tank also and do your visual.

Like Bugman said, it's different o-rings and lube (Christ-o-lube) that they use.

 

[frankc420]

Walter can't take of this for you?

I have no desire to use Walter's shop anymore, unless I'm getting air fills.

I walked into his shop, grabbed a pony bottle that was marked at $135, was going to buy it. Before I could get my wallet out of my pocket, the price tag was ripped off, I heard, "this is the incorrect price, it has gone up." The new price at this point was $165.

I'm sure I could have complained yadda yadda and got what I wanted, but why should I have to do that? For shame... Anyway, he doesn't do O2 cleaning.

It wasn't Walter that did this, but so what, bad business IMO. You would think after me dropping over 3k in there things would be different.

 

[mike_s]

I have no desire to use Walter's shop anymore, unless I'm getting air fills.

I walked into his shop, grabbed a pony bottle that was marked at $135, was going to buy it. Before I could get my wallet out of my pocket, the price tag was ripped off, I heard, "this is the incorrect price, it has gone up." The new price at this point was $165.

I'm sure I could have complained yadda yadda and got what I wanted, but why should I have to do that? For shame... Anyway, he doesn't do O2 cleaning.

It wasn't Walter that did this, but so what, bad business IMO. You would think after me dropping over 3k in there things would be different.

that's pretty piss poor of a shop.

I understand that a new-order pony might cost more, because tanks have gone up in price. Of course that often means the showroom gear goes up.

But you don't do that when someone is trying to buy something. That's just being chentzy. IF that was me, he would have lost more on future sales because of that than the additional $30 bucks he made. It reeks of slapping the customer in the face.

 

[mwhities]

hehe

Frank refuses to purchase anything from them anymore. Like he said, only air fills as he is the only one in town to get fills from. Unless the places that hydros tanks can fill them up too.

Michael