New tank ordering question

[WC46]

When ordering a new aluminum tank from let's say Scubatoy's, does the tank arrive with the valve already installed or is that something that the consumer has to do? And if so, what is the process of installation? Just screw it on, use pipe tape, etc.
On the Scubatoy's web sight it says "comes with tank valve and inspection sticker"

 

[H2Andy]

it will come with the valve off if they are following protocol

you just screw it back on. tighten it by hand and give it an extra push at the end.
that's all it takes.

make sure you check inside the tank first and there's nothing in it that doesn't belong

 

[The Kraken]

WC46,

The tank will come with the valve installed.
There will be a visual inspection sticker on the tank.

If you plan to use the tank for nitrox, you need to let them know so that O2 cleaning can be done on the tank and the appropriate sticker afixed.

At least that's how I received a couple of 3442psi 100's I purchased from them.

the K

 

[H2Andy]

well... here's where i get pissed off at dive shops

there is no real difference between an air VIP and a Nitrox VIP, yet shops charge more for a Nitrox VIP

as to O2 cleaning, you don't need it unless you are going to partial pressure blend your Nitrox. yet many shops will insist on an O2 cleaning ($50) before they fill banked
Nitrox ... which is totally unnecessary

ah well ... rant over

 

[The Kraken]

Yep, Andy's hit on one of my pet peeves . . . . the different type of O2 fills and cleaning.

If you have your tank PP filled, it has to be O2 cleaned. This means it has to be taken down, cleaned out along with having the valve O2 serviced.

You will but tanks from time to time and the store will tell you that that are "O2 ready". Basically what this means is that they've probably changed the O rings to viton which will enable the tanks to be used with Nitrox up to 40%, but only if filled from a pre-mix, or a membrane system (I may be wrong about that. If so, I'm sure someone will correct me. I hope so anyway)

Now here's the booger, if you have your O2 "CLEANED" tanks filled from a pre-mix or bank, then you have "contaminated" your tanks and must have them O2 "cleaned" again.

And, if you have O2 "ready" tanks, the shop won't fill them if they do PP blending because they haven't been O2 "cleaned".

Fun and games, huh ????

the K

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I've purchased 5 tanks via the internet from two separate vendors ... Fill Express (Dive Rite Express) and Scuba Toys. The tanks from Fill Express came with a current month VIP sticker and about 10 psi in them and just needed to be taken and filled. The tanks from Scuba Toys came with a current month VIP and had the valves in the tanks but the tanks were empty. All I had to do was tighten down the valves and then take them in for fills. As has been said, just a smidge past hand tight is all that's needed. The o-ring is what seals the tank, not having the valves screwed in super tight. Just like hoses on your regulator. They need to be screwed in just a tad past hand tight to hold the o-rings in place and then the o-rings do their job and seal the hoses/tank.

 

[mike_s]

Just screw it on, use pipe tape, etc.
:

Since I didn't see anyone else specifically address the pipe tape issue, the answer to that is no also.

While I've never heard of anyone using it, pipe tape could stress the threads or soak up salt water and cause corrosion. The O-ring on the valve will seal it just fine, as the others referrenced.


BTW.. I agree that the "nitrox ready" advertising is BS. It means nothing and doesn't mean O2 clean.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Since I didn't see anyone else specifically address the pipe tape issue, the answer to that is no also.

While I've never heard of anyone using it, pipe tape could stress the threads or soak up salt water and cause corrosion. The O-ring on the valve will seal it just fine, as the others referrenced.


BTW.. I agree that the "nitrox ready" advertising is BS. It means nothing and doesn't mean O2 clean.

Good point Mike. I forgot to touch on that point. Absolutely ... NO PIPE TAPE! The o-ring seals the valve and the threads hold it in tight. Some folks LIGHTLY lube the threads of the valve, some don't. Personally, I don't.

Re: O2 clean. I'll use my tanks with nitrox for any fill method except for partial pressure fills. If you're going to use tank for partial pressure fills you'll need it O2 clean and you'll need to keep it that way. That means being very, very careful where you fill it. I don't use nitrox all the time so I need to use my tanks for air fills as well. One of the local shops I use banks 40% and then tops off (if needed) with air to get you down to the desired O2 percentage. Regular tanks are fine for this method, so I don't worry about it as 40% is the richest possible mix ever in the tank. But I would never have my tanks filled via partial pressure.

 

[mike_s]

.

I don't use nitrox all the time so I need to use my tanks for air fills as well.

there is a solution for this if you have O2 clean tanks and your shop partial-pressure-fills. Just get them to fill your tank with air from the O2 clean fill whip they use to top off the partial pressure fills. This way it's o2 compatible clean air and doesn't contaminate your tank.

Where the problem lies with this is that not all shops have the ability to do this if they don't partial pressure fill.

One of the local shops I use banks 40% and then tops off (if needed) with air to get you down to the desired O2 percentage. Regular tanks are fine for this method.

here the problem is solved for you. However if the banked mix was not done via an o2 clean system, you can't use this banked mix to put into a o2 clean partial pressure tanks. here lies another problem with the system. *sigh*

one of the reasons that I have tanks for air and tanks for Nitrox (that are o2 clean). Every shop around here and in the Florida Panhandle seems to do it different.
I rarely get fills in Florida anyway unless I'm staying longer than the weekend. I just take the amount of tanks I need for the weekend, plus maybe a spare or two. (you can never have enough tanks. Shameless plug: Got any HP100's or HP120's you want to sell?. anyone? )

But I would never have my tanks filled via partial pressure.

Are you against it for some reason or just don't need it the way your system is set up?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

there is a solution for this if you have O2 clean tanks and your shop partial-pressure-fills. Just get them to fill your tank with air from the O2 clean fill whip they use to top off the partial pressure fills. This way it's o2 compatible clean air and doesn't contaminate your tank.

Where the problem lies with this is that not all shops have the ability to do this if they don't partial pressure fill.

Exactly. I have my tanks filled from 4-5 different sources, and only one of those can reliably fill with o2 clean air.

here the problem is solved for you. However if the banked mix was not done via an o2 clean system, you can't use this banked mix to put into a o2 clean partial pressure tanks. here lies another problem with the system. *sigh*

Valid point again. This is why, if you want complete flexibility, you need both o2 clean tanks to use for pp o2 fills, fills richer than 40% (assuming you're adv. nitrox certified) or fills with o2 clean air as well as and regular tanks to use for non-pp fills or fills from sources that are not o2 clean. It gets expensive to maintain such flexibility.

one of the reasons that I have tanks for air and tanks for Nitrox (that are o2 clean). Every shop around here and in the Florida Panhandle seems to do it different.
I rarely get fills in Florida anyway unless I'm staying longer than the weekend. I just take the amount of tanks I need for the weekend, plus maybe a spare or two. (you can never have enough tanks. Shameless plug: Got any HP100's or HP120's you want to sell?. anyone? )

Assuming you can trust all of your nitrox sources to be using o2 clean air. If they're not doing PP fills, I bet many of them don't use o2 clean air.

Just bought my first two HP100s. I won't be getting ride of them anytime soon!

Are you against it for some reason or just don't need it the way your system is set up?

No, no. Not against it at all. It's simply because I don't keep my tanks O2 clean. If I did, as you do, I'd have no problem having them filled that way.