Hydrotesting in Switzerland, WTF.

[Sebek]

I know about the trains in Switzerland, I have been going there since the early 60's. Never saw anybody with a scuba tank on the train or thought that they would allow scuba tanks on the trains there

An empty scuba tank is just a piece of metal, not considered dangerous or special in any way, it's just a piece of weird shaped luggage.

Swiss railways do not allow full scuba tanks (considered dangerous goods). But if I happened to have a small drysuit inflation bottle in my backpack, no one would notice...

 

[broncobowsher]

An empty scuba tank is just a piece of metal, not considered dangerous or special in any way, it's just a piece of weird shaped luggage.

Swiss railways do not allow full scuba tanks (considered dangerous goods). But if I happened to have a small drysuit inflation bottle in my backpack, no one would notice...

Typically, valve installed is considered hazardous regardless if empty or full.
Valve removed, just a lump of metal.
That is how airlines treat stuff.

 

[Sebek]

Typically, valve installed is considered hazardous regardless if empty or full.
Valve removed, just a lump of metal.
That is how airlines treat stuff.

On Swiss trains, valve doesn't matter - there are no checks for the luggage you bring on a train, unlike with an airline. And if some is concerned, they will ask you what is in the tanks and whether they are pressurized.

It happened to me once when I was bringing an empty tank to a dive shop for hydro, SBB security walking through the train noticed my tank and asked whether it was empty. They stopped caring after I said it was indeed empty.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

It happened to me once when I was bringing an empty tank to a dive shop for hydro, SBB security walking through the train noticed my tank and asked whether it was empty. They stopped caring after I said it was indeed empty.

A scuba tank can never be empty.

It can be at ambient atmospheric pressure, but never empty.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

@Sebs it might be time to look into a small portable compressor.

The only thing I pay for anymore is the hydro every 5 years, and even then I take them direct to the testing place. I think it's $17 / tank and that includes O2 cleaning.

 

[broncobowsher]

A scuba tank can never be empty.

It can be at ambient atmospheric pressure, but never empty.

Mine have been. When filling O2 rebreather bottles I go ahead and pull a vacuum on them. I have a few vacuum pumps, so why not use them?