Physically Small Single Tanks

[Nemrod]

I don't understand why shops in So Florida won't fill 72's. If they have current hydros and VIP's then what's the problem?
What's going to happen when these newer 3442 100's are a bit old but pass hydro, are they going to refuse to fill those too. What do you think is the underlying reason? You can't really believe they think they will be unsafe, do you?
What is their criteria for age, because I have some more recent 72's, like in the 80's.
I have personally never run across an epoxy lined tank, not to say there aren't any, just none I've ever seen.
All my 72's have 3/4" valves with O-rings. Many have newer valves.
I'll bet some or all of my 72's will be around a lot longer than many or most of the AL80's they are currently happy to fill in So FL.
I'm really starting to wonder about FL. What's next, are they going to tell me my regs are to old to use and kick me off their boats?

One popular shop in WPB would not fill a brand new Faber, it had a Voit decal on it and apparently he thought it was old, no amount of arguing was worth it. It is hit and miss, their shop, there rules. Some shops will happily fill them, many will not. Brownies happily filled mine, up in Central Florida, Extreme Exposure also was gung ho, no issues. When I drive down, I bring aluminum 63s for beach diving. Charter boats I rent. Let me explain something further, you are in California, you understand traffic. I mean, if you want to run all over the place looking for a fill, I am positive you can get it.Of course the freeways there are total mayhem, this time down, it was backed up for two hours coming back from KL in Miami and I am afraid to say a motorcyclist had been run over and his cycle was about 50 yards or more down the road from the tarp covered body. Going down, I did a bad thing and was in rush hour(s) and there was wreck after wreck after huge wreck. So, it is like this, fly, drive, dive, drive, drive some more, dive, drive, dive, drive, drive, because you get bumped or cancelled and do not dive then drive some more and maybe dive and then fly. So, sure, if among all that you want to hunt for air fills, have fun. And you know, I do have fun, which is why I go back over and over. World class diving and world class entertainment. Where else can you swim in formation with really strange fish and even stranger people and then have your vision ruined by a butt naked bum living in some bushes by the beach dive entry after arguing with an otherwise intelligent fellow about filling a brand new, in hydro, fresh (actual) VIP tank with a Voit decal?

N

 

[Frosty]

OP-if you are boat diving I Have a simple solution. gear up in the water.
Then the weight just isn't a concideration.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

One popular shop in WPB would not fill a brand new Faber, it had a Voit decal on it and apparently he thought it was old, no amount of arguing was worth it. It is hit and miss, their shop, there rules. Some shops will happily fill them, many will not. Brownies happily filled mine, up in Central Florida, Extreme Exposure also was gung ho, no issues. When I drive down, I bring aluminum 63s for beach diving. Charter boats I rent. Let me explain something further, you are in California, you understand traffic. I mean, if you want to run all over the place looking for a fill, I am positive you can get it.Of course the freeways there are total mayhem, this time down, it was backed up for two hours coming back from KL in Miami and I am afraid to say a motorcyclist had been run over and his cycle was about 50 yards or more down the road from the tarp covered body. Going down, I did a bad thing and was in rush hour(s) and there was wreck after wreck after huge wreck. So, it is like this, fly, drive, dive, drive, drive some more, dive, drive, dive, drive, drive, because you get bumped or cancelled and do not dive then drive some more and maybe dive and then fly. So, sure, if among all that you want to hunt for air fills, have fun. And you know, I do have fun, which is why I go back over and over. World class diving and world class entertainment. Where else can you swim in formation with really strange fish and even stranger people and then have your vision ruined by a butt naked bum living in some bushes by the beach dive entry after arguing with an otherwise intelligent fellow about filling a brand new, in hydro, fresh (actual) VIP tank with a Voit decal?

N

Well we don't have clear warm water, but one thing I suppose we have in our favor is that steel 72's were born here (as far as use). There are probably more steel 72's in California then the rest of the world combined.
EVERY dive shop I've ever been to in CA filled my 72's without even flinching, and that's from LA up to Humbolt Co.
They look at AL80's sideways, you'd probably have better luck having them refuse to fill an aluminum tank before an old steel.
I've never had the misfortune of getting my eyes damaged by the sight of naked homeless people, but I've run into a few tweekers spun on meth come up and ask for money. But I guess that's everywhere now.