LDS arbitrary tank fill rules.

[Divescape]

Add me to your list. If I don't like it I don't fill it. I will give you an explanation as to why I won't fill, but if you take offense that I won't fill a tank just because it is in date you are welcome to take your business elsewhere. I stand over the compressor so it will me my call.

As an aside to those who will claim in date means safe. Look in to the case in South Africa where an in date tank was brought in to be filled that exploded killing the operator.

 

[redacted]

Add me to your list. If I don't like it I don't fill it. I will give you an explanation as to why I won't fill, but if you take offense that I won't fill a tank just because it is in date you are welcome to take your business elsewhere. I stand over the compressor so it will me my call.

As an aside to those who will claim in date means safe. Look in to the case in South Africa where an in date tank was brought in to be filled that exploded killing the operator.

With that rational, why would you ever fill a scuba tank?

 

[fire_diver]

Add me to your list. If I don't like it I don't fill it. I will give you an explanation as to why I won't fill, but if you take offense that I won't fill a tank just because it is in date you are welcome to take your business elsewhere. I stand over the compressor so it will me my call.

As an aside to those who will claim in date means safe. Look in to the case in South Africa where an in date tank was brought in to be filled that exploded killing the operator.

Does SA have a yearly inspection requirements for scuba cyclinders like we have in the states? How do you justify what constitutes a "fillable" tank? Do you drain and look inside every tank? Do you make the choice because the tank is "pretty" looking?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The goofiest rule I ever heard was from the shops who won't put nitrox in a tank unless it has a big yellow and green NITROX sticker on it. When I asked one shop about it the owner told me it was because that way they know it was VIPed for nitrox. So I pointed out that the VIP sticker is punched for nitrox. He then told me it's so that you know it needs to be analyzed before you use it. I pointed out that's what the tape with the MOD and mix is for. He proceeded to tell me about the dangers of someone on a boat grabbing the wrong tank ... so I pointed to my name written prominently across the crown of the tank. Finally he told me the truth ... "it's shop policy". Thank you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Divescape]

We have a yearly Visual and 4 year Hydro. Al tanks are uncommon so we don't see many tanks with visual plus. I will look for tampering with the valve. I.E a tank valve that has been removed between official inspections. For the remainder I will look at the regulations as laid down by SANS19 that determine the guidelines on what is acceptable in terms or rust. If i am in doubt i will drop the boot and that will give me an indication as to how the tank has been looked after. Scuba is inherently dangerous and so is filling tanks, but in the same way that I try to become a better diver by participating in discussions and minimizing my risk, i also do the same when filling tanks. I just felt it was important here to express my view as a compressor operator. I don't discriminate on age come and stand beside me and have a chat whilst i fill your tank and there is likely to be no issue.

 

[flots am]

The goofiest rule I ever heard was from the shops who won't put nitrox in a tank unless it has a big yellow and green NITROX sticker on it. When I asked one shop about it the owner told me it was because that way they know it was VIPed for nitrox. So I pointed out that the VIP sticker is punched for nitrox. He then told me it's so that you know it needs to be analyzed before you use it. I pointed out that's what the tape with the MOD and mix is for. He proceeded to tell me about the dangers of someone on a boat grabbing the wrong tank ... so I pointed to my name written prominently across the crown of the tank. Finally he told me the truth ... "it's shop policy". Thank you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

It's to encourage the sale of $10 stickers.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... I fell for it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[boulderjohn]

Finally he told me the truth ... "it's shop policy". Thank you ...

I was recently on a liveaboard in Australia. In two different situations on two different days, the man in charge of diving operations announced a policy that limited our diving decisions. In each case he announced that the limitation was because they had to follow PADI requirements for diving. The announcements were obviously routine parts of every trip. He made each announcement with the boat's entire diving crew in attendance, and they were all, like him, PADI instructors. That means that someone in that crowd had to know that neither limitation was part of PADI policy. Someone in that crowd had to know that PADI does not make rules that govern their dive operations like that.

After the first one, I took him aside and challenged him on it. I went through a conversation similar to the one Bob described, and we ended up at exactly the same place: "It's company policy." I didn't bother with the second one, because I knew where we would end up. In my review of the trip, I wrote a lengthy comment about their pretending that the limitations on our diving were the fault of PADI, and they had no choice in the matter, when in fact they were only company policies designed to make absolutely certain that there were no dive accidents on the trip.

I suspect that some shop policies regarding tank fills come from ignorance and misunderstandings--I know the shop I used to work with had such a misunderstanding that they corrected when they were properly informed. On the other hand, I suspect some policies are done for other reasons, and the shop assumes that 99% of their customers will not know any better and will not question the "rules they must follow."

 

[PhatD1ver]

sad, I have two 30cf pony bottles that are SP6498 and manufactured in 3/74... I don't know what their real condition is, the last time they were hydroed was 10/97, but the seller told me that they hadn't been used in 'years'... I wonder if it wasn't because no one would fill them, or the user stopped diving (which is what the seller said, user died in a car wreck)...

So, I'm wondering if I want to put out the $60 per bottle to have them visualed and hydro'd, if they don't pass the visual, most likely they won't be able to be repolished anyway... but the larger issue is paying the money to get them 'street legal' so to speak, and then not being able to get them filled anyway.

Thoughts?

 

[redacted]

I was getting ready to board a live-a-board when the crew came out to inspect all tanks that were being brought aboard. I had my HP100 with current hydro and VIS and my pony in hydro but no VIS (I fill it myself). The boat policy is that they will not fill a pony anyway. Captain told me I could not bring my pony on board because of the missing VIS. We discussed it a bit and he insisted that has long been their policy (it had not) and that it is industry standard. More discussion about industry standard to no avail. Their web site goes into great detail on their policies but said nothing to that effect. I started to gather my gear to put it back in my car and leave. The captain allowed as how it would be OK this time (and we had a good trip). I checked their website again at the beginning of the next season and, still finding no such written policy, made reservation for 3 of us. A couple weeks later that policy with a few other distasteful additions showed up on their website. We cancelled our trip. I figure it is at least $4k worth of business they lose per year; but their boat, their rules. It is not hard to find other places to spend it.