Misunderstanding at the dive shop

[The Kraken]

There's a dive shop here in the Atlanta area that is geared only on making money.

I'm certified to O2 clean and visually inspect tanks.

I had my tanks hydroed. Brought them home, tumbled them, rinsed them, treated and rinsed and did an O2 cleaning on the valves.

Put my inspection sticker on the tanks and took them to this particular shop to be filled.

Because the tanks were empty they wanted to perform VIS on them and charge me for the inspections even though they had already been inspected.

What gougers . . .

Safe dives . . . . . .
. . . safer ascents !

the K

 

[tursiops]

We sell tires. The big name competition adds on everything. Don't know if they still do but they used to sell a 15 cent valve stem for $3 extra. So our tire business model is to include everything in the tire price including sales tax. The locals have been vaccinated (you know, when you feel that little sting?) so they ask us about balancing, valve stems, etc. We tell them they can bring a check made out for the amount we are quoting. Our tire business has been growing really fast.

This is a terrific policy. I'd probably use you too.

 

[RandomGuy1]

**Update** The dive shop called and left a message for me yesterday. Possibly related to the bad review I left on Google for them, possibly not. After playing some phone tag, they apologized for the misunderstanding and stated I should have been quoted the $50 for the O2 cleaning, and the $35 for the VIP, but since I had not been, they will be sending me a check for the $70 difference.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

$35 for a VIP is still legal theft, to my concern ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[boulderjohn]

$35 for a VIP is still legal theft, to my concern ...

...or at least a pretty darn good hourly wage, especially given the fact that you have alrady done an O2 cleaning on the tank and have very little more to do.

 

[Peter69_56]

Why do they do hydros every year in Autralia? That just seems like overkill and bad for the tank. Wouldn't that just create more problems than it would try to solve?

I think you missed the point, money money money. As my trainer said about hydro, "it only shows that it passed on the day, you would be surprised how many tanks fail after hydro". I suspect its some office chair warmer deciding, more is better. Their knowledge being based on some LDS rep saying more is good (vested interest). Surprisingly all industrial cylinders are done every 10 years which I think is the norm in most world countries.

I agree bad for the tank and good for the LDS making money, especially when they simply vis the tank and they stamp it (yes we did a test to prove that's happening). Hence why I do my own tanks and also fill y own O2 clean tanks with my "Nx clean air". I found that even though I spent $3500 AUD on a Dive Tech, hydro, inspection course and probably another $3000 on accommodation, its cheaper in OZ to do that and do my own tanks than to have 10 tanks done yearly at $100 each for O2 clean, vis and hydro.

On another misdirected note, just checked my cars re coolant, both have been fully serviced at their manufacturers workshops, both have coolant not changed during normal servicing. Yes I was ripped off. I fear this with dive gear and servicing thus I service ALL my own gear. This way I know its been done and to a standard. I am over being ripped off with bad servicing and often not to spec, all at a premium price.

 

[WhiteSands]

$35 for a VIP is still legal theft, to my concern ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I don't own or work at a dive shop or provide VIP service.
But I won't generalize that $35 is a lot until I see what the tech does for that money.

A proper VIP involves removing the tank valve, checking the threads on the valve and tank with go and no-go gauges, and then measuring all pits in and outside of the tank to ensure they do not exceed the standard limits. This itself can take awhile depending on the condition of the tank that was brought in and how many pits there are. If the pits are borderline, he has to remeasure them and make a judgement call if the tanks can last till the next service. If not, he is in the unhappy position to explain to the owner that his tank needs to be condemned.

I think the important part is the thread and neck area inspection. Some standards call for looking visually with a dental glass. However, I have seen firsthand how this form of inspection will fail to detect a dangerous hairline crack that may later cause the tank valve to blow out. So more meticulous shops will actually use a magnified scope to do a thread by thread inspection of the neck area despite what the standards say. This takes time, you have to go slow, and time is money.

Older tanks with copper in the alloy need to be taken to a dry area to be eddy current tested.

Sometimes customers bring in tanks that are dirty, and need to be cleaned first (saw this first hand when I took the course). Add in the overheads, tools, labour etc and the high cost of training for the techs, and certification fees for the dive shop, and it adds up for the business.

The business has to charge a fair amount to stay open, unless they are doing a huge volume of business. Personally, I don't think $35 is a lot to ask.

 

[Peter69_56]

I don't own or work at a dive shop or provide VIP service.
But I won't generalize that $35 is a lot until I see what the tech does for that money.

A proper VIP involves removing the tank valve, checking the threads on the valve and tank with go and no-go gauges, and then measuring all pits in and outside of the tank to ensure they do not exceed the standard limits. This itself can take awhile depending on the condition of the tank that was brought in and how many pits there are. If the pits are borderline, he has to remeasure them and make a judgement call if the tanks can last till the next service. If not, he is in the unhappy position to explain to the owner that his tank needs to be condemned.

I think the important part is the thread and neck area inspection. Some standards call for looking visually with a dental glass. However, I have seen firsthand how this form of inspection will fail to detect a dangerous hairline crack that may later cause the tank valve to blow out. So more meticulous shops will actually use a magnified scope to do a thread by thread inspection of the neck area despite what the standards say. This takes time, you have to go slow, and time is money.

Older tanks with copper in the alloy need to be taken to a dry area to be eddy current tested.

Sometimes customers bring in tanks that are dirty, and need to be cleaned first (saw this first hand when I took the course). Add in the overheads, tools, labour etc and the high cost of training for the techs, and certification fees for the dive shop, and it adds up for the business.

The business has to charge a fair amount to stay open, unless they are doing a huge volume of business. Personally, I don't think $35 is a lot to ask.

Yes I agree with your summation. As long as they do what they purport to do. I have seen some tanks come in that are so badly corroded that you need a specially made tool of heavy steel that fits over the tank valve and has a bash pad to use a sledge hammer on it to remove the valve. We used it on one tank that ha d been 10 years from last hydro. Even though we had to bash the valve out, surprisingly it was in perfect condition and the neck and valve were fine. This however all takes time, and if a LDS does the job properly with a good inspection $35 seems reasonable given the time. Remember your tank might be simple but the next one might be a dog. The price reflects average time and effort.

But as I say, AS LONG AS ITS DONE AS PER THE STANDARDS, and not some dodgy looks ok from outside, its cool.

 

[abscuba]

First off you should always know who is inspecting your tanks. I have seen tanks perfectly fine get dropped off for hydro and come back damaged. No a visual is not a hydro but I don't let any one touch any of my gear that I do not know and trust. I might pay 35 but having 10 tanks myself that would be alot each year. Some of the prices I have seen on here like 150 for everything, it would be cheaper to just buy new tanks every year. There has to be a balance between the shop and the divers. The shop has to stay open however over charging people causes new divers to give up the sport and divers who have been around to go other places. This does nothing to progress diving as a sport or safety wise. I am for supporting my local shop and do when possible, but the balance has to be meet and I avoid shops that overcharge or do not provide good service.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It's easy to find a worst-case scenario and use it to rationalize why it's therefore justified to charge everyone for the cost of accommodating that one situation ... it's also not good business, not if you expect to stay in business.

Almost every dive shop I've ever known that followed that practice is no longer in business. In most cases, it's too easy for customers to decide to spend their money elsewhere.

But if y'all want to throw your money away, have at it. In THIS case, the tanks had already been O2 cleaned, and a proper charge for that service had been applied. Adding another $35 for what ... a valve inspection? Sheesh ... I can buy a brand new valve that's already been O2 cleaned for not much more than $35.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)