Tank Hydro

[DA Aquamaster]

A eddy current/visual plus inspection is now required every 30 months on 6351 alloy tanks per DOT reg. Luxfer however "recommends" it be done annually.

Annual VIP's for scuba tanks are a dive industry standard and not a legal requirement. Other than for 6351 alloy tanks as indicated above, a VIP is only legally required every 5 years - at the time of the hydro test per DOT reg.

I have no problem with dive shops charging for VIP's annually. I am also ok with them double checking the tank when it comes back from hydro, but since they are already making money off you for a pickup and delivery service and in some cases a marking up the cost of the hydro itself, charging you for a redundant VIP is an abusive business practice.

 

[mike_s]

A eddy current/visual plus inspection is now required every 30 months on 6351 alloy tanks per DOT reg. Luxfer however "recommends" it be done annually.

Annual VIP's for scuba tanks are a dive industry standard and not a legal requirement. Other than for 6351 alloy tanks as indicated above, a VIP is only legally required every 5 years - at the time of the hydro test per DOT reg.

I have no problem with dive shops charging for VIP's annually. I am also ok with them double checking the tank when it comes back from hydro, but since they are already making money off you for a pickup and delivery service and in some cases a marking up the cost of the hydro itself, charging you for a redundant VIP is an abusive business practice.

I agree that it's redundant, but I'd say that 99% of the dive shops do it.

But for the extra $$ to drop it off and pick it up that some people don't like, well, I look at it this way. If I drop it off and pick it up, I have to take off about 2 hrs early in order to go home, get my tanks, and drive to the hyrdro shop. Then I have to take off work early a 2nd time to pick them up (in order to get all this done before the hydro shop closes at 4pm or 4:30. So I have to take 3 or 4 hours of vacation to do this or I can drop them off at my LDS on saturday and pick them up the next w/o any vacation lost. Where I work, Vacation is "precious" because if we aren't there to charge the customer, then we aren't getting paid and have to take leave.

So in the long run, this extra $10 bucks saves me several hours of vacation that I'd much rather use to go diving instead.

Besides, it gives me an excuse to go to the dive shop to see what new toys they have.

 

[Hop Devil]

Check with you local welding supply house. Thats where I take mine and they charged
me $15.00 last time I took my tank. The dive shop wanted $35.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I paid $38 for vis and hydro from a shop that does it themselves. I was a little upset since the shop had sold it to me on consignment a year earlier and I din't ask them to hydro it for free knowing is was on the verge of expiring.

Chris