refuse to fill

[rc.chris]

I just had my local dive shop refuse to fill a couple of steel 72's that I have! The original hydro was in '71 , and I just had a hydro on them last month and the shop I took the to for the hydro filled them! Just got back from Key Largo, where they were filled almost daily by a local shop there! This local shop here at home would not fill them, saying that they were to old and she was not comfortable filling them!

Has anyone else ever had this happen? Now it is a 50 mile drive to get tanks filled!

 

[fdog]

It's any shop's right to refuse to fill a tank (and thus lose business if they are being unreasonable).

In this case it is a lack of knowledge - they are more than likely confusing your cylinders with the 6351 Aluminum cylinders.

It might be worth having a chat with the shop owner and asking what's up. The steel 72's like yours are generally prized, because they take a fill easily at nice low pressures, hold almost as much as an aluminum 80, have great buoyancy characteristics, and last forever with just a modicum of care.

Any shop owner that knows even a little bit about diving will be acquainted with the robustness of a steel 72. If this shop owner doesn't, I'd be tempted to start questioning the rest of the shop...is the compressor maintained correctly...is the air filtered to standard...etc...

If there's any cylinder with a reputation of enduring service, the steel 72 would be it.


All the best, James

 

[Darol]

If they are confusing a steel 72's with an Alum 3651, ya need to find a different shop.
Chances are they might not appreciate the fact you had them hydroed elsewhere.
Dive shop loyalty can be serious business... $ $ $

 

[Rileybri]

Shoot I have 6 72's and the only thing i hear from the shop rats is will i sell them one?

 

[ajduplessis]

What size in liters are the 72?

 

[spectrum]

Technically it comes down to a lack of knowledge. As others have said the product is rock solid and your testing is current.

Now, I have seen some older cylinders with multiple coats of beat up paint that just plain look scary. If that happens to be the case then maybe a make-over will help.

At the end of the day the testing should speak for it's self but it's still at the shop's discretion.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

Technically it comes down to a lack of knowledge. As others have said the product is rock solid and your testing is current.

Now, I have seen some older cylinders with multiple coats of beat up paint that just plain look scary. If that happens to be the case then maybe a make-over will help.

At the end of the day the testing should speak for it's self but it's still at the shop's discretion.

Pete

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have seen 3A and 3AA steel tanks from as early as 1911 that still pass Hydro and still qualify for a plus rating. In contrast a 3AA steel scuba tank from the 1970's is still young.

In general what kills syteel tanks is not age or cycles but rather rust. As long as the tank is rust free inside and out and not pitted, the odds are good it will soldier on for another 40 years.

I have heard shop owners comment on how thin the walls on a steel 72 are and that breeds fear if they have ever seen one cut in half. The wall on a steel 72 looks extremely thin in comparison to an aluminum tank and it even looks thin compared to a 2400 psi steel tank like a steel 95. but it is thinner as it can be thinner due to the small diameter and lower working pressure of the steel 72, and both tanks are designed to the same 3AA engineering standard.

My suggestion is to talk the the shop owner and let him do VIPs on the tanks to satisfy any rust realted fears - provided if he agrees to fill them when they pass.

The paint comment above is relevant as numerous coats of paint or paint in poor condition will prevent a thorough VIP as loose or thickly applied paint can hide rust, and more importantly, pitting.

 

[HowardE]

I had a shop in Florida refuse to fill my steel 72's, and actually referred to the tanks as "bombs". I called the owner, and asked him to explain to his tank jockey the difference between steel and aluminum. Problem solved.

 

[captndale]

What size in liters are the 72?

A 72 is about 12 litres.