Surprised VIP + O2 Cleaning Many $$$'s

[Charlie99]

When I told them it's BS as the tanks are O2 cleaned and marked as required by law, they changed the tune to the fact that it is store policy as they can not be sure how well the tanks were cleaned.

Did you offer to stand next to the tanks while they put in the O2?

It's usually the tank fill guy that takes the brunt of any problems with tanks, not the owner of the tanks.

 

[RonFrank]

This quote from the Luxfer site, and I could not agree more.

This whole Visual Inspection/O2 Clean thing is IMO a LOT of BS that the LDS has created in many ways. Certainly we want things to be safe... BUT, I just researched this a LOT as I was looking at used tanks.

I can take my tank to the Local Hydro place myself. They do the Hydro at 5000psi (3000psi tank), clean the tank, and do a visual inspection. That costs about $15.00, and that is the majority of the work. But THEN the LDS will NOT fill the tank until it has been Visually inspected by a LDS.. HELLO? It just passed a 5000psi Hydro test, and a Vis.. IT IS READY to be filled. So what does our LDS charge for a Vis? $20!!! WHAT? That is MORE than the Hydro place charges for the complete Hydro AND a Visual inspection.

It get's worst. If you puchase a tank from ScubaToys, it will come with a Vis inspection sticker from the Dive shop, is new, and ready to be filled. However the LDS won't honor the vis even thought it's obvious that the tank is new, and ready for a fill. Why? IMO it is punishment for not putting up the $200 they want for an AL80, and purchasing online.

IMO this is a throw back from the days when LDS's price fixed everything, and this is one of the few area's where they are in control. My buddy purchased ALL of his dive gear from our LDS at foolish prices. He then came to them with used tanks that needed O2 clean and a vis (he hydro'd them outside of the LDS). They initally refused to even fill them with air, and were wanting $100 to O2 clean two tanks. Worst, the only guy in the shop that does O2 cleans is heading to Indonesia for three weeks so they told him it would be at least a MONTH before he'd get a fill. At my suggestion he put his foot down, and basically demanded an air fill. They agreed, only after this very valuable and profitable customer complained.

IMO this is all foolish.

 

[pgdive]

This is a little off the subject, but Luxfer has two runs of tanks that they sell. When you look at the sticker on a new tank if it's a green one, read it carefully and it says that the tank is compatible with O2, while the ones with a red sticker (I think it' red) say the tank should be cleaned for anything above 21-23%. I noticed the green sticker on some of the tanks we got from Sea Pearls (Leadking on this board) and he explained it to me. The Valves are a difrent story though.

I'm sure leadking will jump intot this discussion, he is a wealth of info for all things tank related.

Paul

 

[NAIBdiver1]

Wow - I just checked back to see if anyone responded to my thread. Really interesting reading and I'm glad to know that my case wasn't unique.

I'm wondering, since I'm blowing a mixed gas into my dry suit, whether my LDS will insist that either myself or my drysuit be O2 cleaned.

NAIBdiver1

 

[wedivebc]

Wow - I just checked back to see if anyone responded to my thread. Really interesting reading and I'm glad to know that my case wasn't unique.

I'm wondering, since I'm blowing a mixed gas into my dry suit, whether my LDS will insist that either myself or my drysuit be O2 cleaned.

NAIBdiver1

Yeah, don't forget the mask if you exhale through your nose

 

[Ron Brandt]

I anyone on this thread a gas blender except me? PM me if you want to know how much is involved with an O2 "cleaning"..you will be VERY supprised. I am the only offiicial blender tek in the city and the guy I teach for puts the O2 clean stickers on the tanks without actually doing the process....

Everyone think about this very carefully. I only wish I could get paid.

Ron

 

[wedivebc]

I anyone on this thread a gas blender except me? PM me if you want to know how much is involved with an O2 "cleaning"..you will be VERY supprised. I am the only offiicial blender tek in the city and the guy I teach for puts the O2 clean stickers on the tanks without actually doing the process....

Everyone think about this very carefully. I only wish I could get paid.

Ron

The problem is Ron, once you have cleaned your own tank you have to convince the shop that is filling it that it was done to industry standard. So unless you blend your own gas and fill your own tanks, which I do BTW your o2 cleaning might not amount to much.

 

[JeffG]

Wow - I just checked back to see if anyone responded to my thread. Really interesting reading and I'm glad to know that my case wasn't unique.

Nope...Tank Monkeyitis is contagious and has spread to all corners of the globe. Add in some legalese butt covering, well, this just gets the monkeys all excited. (And when they get excited, they tend not be able to control their bowels and poop all over everything.)

 

[RonFrank]

I anyone on this thread a gas blender except me? PM me if you want to know how much is involved with an O2 "cleaning"..you will be VERY supprised. I am the only offiicial blender tek in the city and the guy I teach for puts the O2 clean stickers on the tanks without actually doing the process....

Everyone think about this very carefully. I only wish I could get paid.

Ron

Of course as stated, even if one is willing to go thorugh the process, convincing the LDS that the tank is in fact O2 cleaned is a horse of a different color.

I'm certainly not opposed to paying someone $50 once ever five years for an O2 clean assuming the task is time consuming. However when one tanks a new tank with Hydro and Vis to an LDS for air, and because it's empty they demand a $20 Vis (and they know damn well it's a brand new tank) that is just wrong.

 

[JeffG]

Of course as stated, even if one is willing to go thorugh the process, convincing the LDS that the tank is in fact O2 cleaned is a horse of a different color.

I'm certainly not opposed to paying someone $50 once ever five years for an O2 clean assuming the task is time consuming. However when one tanks a new tank with Hydro and Vis to an LDS for air, and because it's empty they demand a $20 Vis (and they know damn well it's a brand new tank) that is just wrong.

Get either PSI or TDI tank inspection certification, get a copy of The Oxy Hackers handbook and a bottle of Simple Green.

Avoid shops that have tank monkeys. Tell the owners of these shops that you are avoiding them because of the tank moneys.

Fight stupidity with facts....and if all that fails. Buy a compressor.