tank fills

[leabre]

Is it normal for shops to charge for (2) fills when filling doubles? I've noticed some places do, some don't.

They told me today that they charge for the service of connecting the tank otherwise they'd have to pay taxes. But then they charge two tanks for doubles when they are only connecting it once, strikes me as hypocritical/greedy but is it normal for this practice?

 

[sabbath999]

Pretty much everybody here charges 2 fills for doubles.

 

[FireInMyBones]

It depends on location, in my experience. I normally just get a fill card and roll with it. Spend enough or get enough people to spend enough and you can usually get something like fills covered. Time to buy the shop owner a beer.

 

[clifftondiver]

Yeah. They do it here, too. It irked me at first. But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. I mean if multiple connected tanks (i.e. doubles) are considered one tank, then what happens if come in with 10 tanks all connected? I know it's silly and absurd, but it's the same idea. Like Fire said, the more time/money you spend in a particular shop, the more likely you are to be thrown a free fill every now and then.

 

[vjanelle]

You're getting 144 to 260CF of air, instead of 72 to 130. It takes time and resources to compress and filter that air, you were expecting a free ride?

 

[leabre]

You're getting 144 to 260CF of air, instead of 72 to 130. It takes time and resources to compress and filter that air, you were expecting a free ride?

This particular fill was at 2950 PSI on a 3442 system. Perhaps not free considering I'm from out of town and may never pass through again, but at $20 per tank, for 500 PSI, just seems excessive.

 

[peterbj7]

$20 to fill a single standard tank sounds a lot to me. An awful lot for a dive center in mainland USA. Down here in the Caribbean with vastly higher costs I charge 1/4 of that.

That said, wear and tear on the compressor arises from two things - the volume of air pumped, and the time the compressor is pumping at high pressure. Filling doubles creates extra costs under both those headings so charging more is quite reasonable.

 

[Sas]

Everywhere I've been except for one place, charges for two fills for my twins. The one exception, he charges based on how much air is already in the tanks. I come in with them about half full he charges half price. I like that place Though it's in the next state and I can only do this when on a trip.

I've often gotten discounts on twins for nitrox fills at the regular place I go locally. Doesn't happen always and the discount varies a bit, guess it depends on his mood

 

[Rhone Man]

Mines does, and I have to bring my own DIN adaptor to boot.

But what really galls me is that they charge a full fill for my 19 cu ft pony. Last time I let the kids play with that in the pool...

 

[vladimir]

strikes me as...greedy

Yeah, another wealthy dive shop owner using his monopoly power to squeeze the diving public! I'm so tired of it! Where does he park his Bentley?!