SF/Monterey HP Fills

[mweitz]

BTW, Nitrox fills at Manta (under 36%, 100CF) are now officially $10.00. I think some of the regulars still get the old price, but don't be surprised to pay the 10.00.

I think the 24 fill cards may be even a bit less expensive. I think I just paid 160.00 for one, but I was pretty darn tired when I got it .

Mark

 

[pchelp]

Just got a 12 fill card at manta last week, $86 (up to 36%).

 

[mech]

Manta has always been a pleasure for me to deal with.
Prompt fills with tanks ending cool to the touch.
About that nitrox ready thing... so many people interpit that wrong.
Unless I bought a tank off of a well trusted dive buddy I'd consider it contaminated just to be safe.
YMMV

 

[liberato]

Unless I bought a tank off of a well trusted dive buddy I'd consider it contaminated just to be safe.

Good point. I hadn't considered that he might have bought the tank second-hand. From the context I thought it was new. Cleaning new PST tanks and valves is simply a "profit center" for the shop, nothing more.

 

[Burner]

When I got my tank from Any water, I asked if it was O2 clean for PP fills, and they said the valve wasn't. So he cleaned it for me for free. I also got free air for a year.

No idea if they still do that.

 

[mweitz]

Thermo doesn't recommend using their valves for partial pressure fills. All their valves labeled either Nitrox Use Only or stamped with an E are OK up to 40% (like most new SCUBA products that come in contact with the breathing gas).

http://thermovalves.com/oxygen_enriched_air.htm

Though I am SURE that E7 tanks are fine to use PP blending from the factory, I have to defer to the shops. If *I* was filling with pure O2 I would be fairly picky.

If you really think that Diver Dans took apart my 4 tanks and installed an 11.00 part in each one (and didn't charge for labor which took 1.5 hours) for the 44.00 sale ....

Mark

 

[liberato]

Thermo goes so far as to state that if the valve is used with CGA Grade E air (Diver Dan's and just about everyone else's normoxic air) it has to be removed from EAN service or recleaned. That doesn't make much sense since that is what they are using for the partial pressure blending. I think the Thermos caveat is a CYA statement in these litigious times. I would be interested, though, to find out what the part is that they require to be replaced. I would want to replace that part in my valve if it is at risk.

 

[mweitz]

When I was poking around on the Thermo site I found it. http://thermovalves.com/scuba.htm at the bottom of the page, the high pressure plug & seat assembly is what they changed. I'm not saying that the one from Thermo can't handle 100% O2, I actually have no idea. They took my tanks apart, showed me the HP plug, and the HP plug from the O2 kit and in fact they were different (the coating was a different color). It was explained to me that the factory coating is not O2 compatible. I had a bunch of PP fills with the old HP seat and not too many people died .

I'm just pointing out that different shops have different standards. Don't be surprised if shop A won't do fills based on the O2 clean sticker from shop B and or get yourself in a jam because you need a quick Nitrox fill. I guess what I am really saying is if you MAY need to get Nitrox fills at DD's, it is worthwhile to get your tanks O2 cleaned there or at the very least be able to leave them overnight. I was actually there for 3 hours that day to get my fills, by the time they drained the tanks, inspected them, found the part, changed it, put them back together and then filled them.

Now, I also don't know what parts Manta may have changed before I brought the tanks to DD's. I *assume* the O-rings, clean the valves and relube with Christo-Lube or the like.

I'm sure you can call DD's and ask them. They are nice folks, and I'm not complaining at all. Just did some business with them yesterday and will go back.

Mark