Nitrox Question

[TSandM]

I think a lot of fillers like to empty the tank because that means they are putting the O2 in at the lowest possible pressure, which is easier and less risky for their equipment.

 

[waterpirate]

I think a lot of fillers like to empty the tank because that means they are putting the O2 in at the lowest possible pressure, which is easier and less risky for their equipment.

I would add that a haskel booster that is o2 clean does not come cheap to buy or maintain. There is also more room for error when topping off mixes at higher pressures. So the cost aspect as well as safety comes into play when selling gas to others.
Eric

 

[Shcubasteve]

I also seriously question why a sticker with a couple extra lines of text that say "O2 clean" is $10 more? Does that mean they use contaminated tools for inspecting tanks that are not going to be O2 clean? Are they O2 cleaning the valve every time and installing o rings and parts that are that much more expensive (they are not by the way)? There is no reason for a shop to charge $10 more on a visual for a nitrox tank. Other than they can I guess..

...Also, I can't imagine why a vis on a nitrox tank would cost more than a vis on an air tank. ?).

Here are a few examples of why a nitrox Visual inspection tends to cost more then straight air:

-Nitrox inspections come with an O2 fill, up to 40% at my shop- that costs more than air
- Every O2 clean cylinder that comes in for inspection gets the valve rebuilt and returned to O2 service-

Both of these processes add time and cost over a simple air inspection.

OP, as for converting your tank from air to O2 service, $50 is a deal! tumbling a tank with food-grade de greaser, glass beads, and hot water takes time and effort. Same goes for removing the silicone from the threads and rebuilding the valve. Its a pain in the butt and my least favorite job in the shop.

 

[gcarter]

Speaking with the LDS owner this afternoon, brought my tanks in for VIP & stickers.

He banks 32% and will sticker the tank for banked gas for $5.

If I need to go for a fill elsewhere (ie travelling) where his sticker is not accepted for banked, or where they do partial pressure blending, he told me if I bought 2 Nitrox fill cards, he would clean & sticker the tank as part of the deal. Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[ianr33]

He banks 32% and will sticker the tank for banked gas for $5.

Why does the tank need a silly $5 sticker?

 

[gcarter]

Why does the tank need a silly $5 sticker?

Really not trying to be flip, but who cares? For $5 I avoid the cost of O2 cleaning and can still get my fills. Having said that, I understand that they do use O2 compatible o-rings and lube when doing the valve.

This is also the LDS who will give me 32% for the same price as 21%. The fill cards I already have for 80 or so fills can be used for either. How many shops will do that?

 

[kierentec]

Why does the tank need a silly $5 sticker?

probably because its policy, like almost every other dive shop in the country, for EANx cylinders to be labeled?


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[RTee]

The diveshop just require a sticker of some sort. If somebody was following the procedure to the letter he would require a humoungous Nitrox sticker on the tank so non certified Nitrox divers do not mistake it for theirs, plus a VIP sticker of some sort (O clean or not) plus the label containing all the particulars pertaining to the tank. So rather than putting the Nitrox sticker, he just puts a small one that says premix only as a mesure of protection for his employees and other diveshops as not only he provides banked 32 but also any other percentage of O2 which will require partial blending. Considering he provides his banked 32 fills at the same price as his air fills, 5.00 is a small price to pay for a sticker.

Talking about coincidence, I happened to see 4 X al 80cft awaiting VIp/O clean of some sort at the LDS when I dropped by to pick up my doubles and a stage bottle. They all bore a gcarter masking tape on them...