Tanks - True cost of ownership

[jzipfel]

I thought I had all my i's dotted and t's crossed, but I guess I missed something.

I purchased some used Faber LP95's. Nitrox ready. The seller was is a shop owner and the tanks were in current hydro and he did a visual and placed the sticker on them before they were shipped out. However, to ship them, the valves have to come off.

So, when I dropped of the tanks to get filled with 32% EAN, they tell me that since the valve is off they have to do a visual. Even if the current visiual was performed and stickered from a dive shop just last week. (Before they were shipped).

So now, here is my general question:

- If I purchase a brand new tank from say DRIS, it will be in current hydro, but I am assuming I will have to have the shop conduct a visual on a brand new tank before filling. (correct?)
- If I purchase a brand new tank from my shop do most shops include the visual with a brand new tank purchase so there is not added cost?
-What is the going rate for a visual (for Nitrox)

Thanks much

 

[Superlyte27]

First, find a new shop. Yours sucks and is trying to rip you off, mainly because you didn't buy a tank from them. Secondly, put the o-ring on the valve, put the valve in the tank. Whack the valve a few times with a rubber mallet to tighten the valve.

If you brought a brand new tank to us, we wouldn't charge you to screw the valve in. That's just bs. We'd fill it. And charge you for the fill. Now, back to the questions.... Buy a tank from us, it comes with fill and vip. A VIP alone would cost $15 and comes with a fill.

 

[jzipfel]

First, find a new shop. Yours sucks and is trying to rip you off, mainly because you didn't buy a tank from them. Secondly, put the o-ring on the valve, put the valve in the tank. Whack the valve a few times with a rubber mallet to tighten the valve.

If you brought a brand new tank to us, we wouldn't charge you to screw the valve in. That's just bs. We'd fill it. And charge you for the fill. Now, back to the questions.... Buy a tank from us, it comes with fill and vip. A
VIP alone would cost $15 and comes with a fill.

Forgot to say that I did place the valves on the tanks before I dropped them off.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It depends on the shop. Vis here is 15.00 and includes a fill. This is at the shop I contract with for fills. Some tanks come O2 clean but a shop may still want to charge you for that. If they are doing partial pressure blending I can understand it. Some will accept the sticker from the seller. If they are filling from banked nitrox O2 cleaning is not needed. I own a transfill whip for situations like this. Buy a used tank over the net or from an individual I remove the valve and do a visual. If they were kind enough to do one before they sold it I just confirm it. Slap the valve on, put a couple hundred PSI in from one of the tanks I have here and take it to get filled. Meaning I fill it myself at the shop.
Your LDS may not like that you got it from someone other than them. Hence the vis charge. A new tank should not incur a vis charge since they are shipped w/o the valves anyway and they have to look inside before they put the valve on. Stickers are 3-5 bucks each depending on whose they are.
Most reputable shops include a current vis sticker with tanks they sell. It's figured in with the cost along with shipping.

 

[boulderjohn]

Reading the fine print for a brand new tank might be helpful here. The last ones I bought said that the tank itself comes O2 clean, but you can't just slap an O2 sticker on it because when they make the tank, they don't know what kind of valve you are going to put on it. You might put some old piece of crud, which will negate the cleanliness of the tank. If a shop sells you a new tank and a new valve, they have a lot of nerve charging you extra for a vis.

 

[Akimbo]

Was the cylinder plugged or left open? There is an O-ring sealed plastic plug when you buy a new bare cylinder from anyone. A used cylinder without a valve could have been left out in the rain on your deck for all anyone knows.

 

[jzipfel]

Was the cylinder plugged or left open. There is an O-ring sealed plastic plug when you buy a new bare cylinder from anyone. A used cylinder without a valve could have been left out in the rain on your deck for all anyone knows.

Tank came plugged, but I took the plug out to place the cylinder. Dont know if the shop would have approached it any differently if i just handed them the plugged tanks and loose valves.


I just talked to the shop again and they indicated that since the valves had been off a new O2 clean was to be performed. This included visual inspection, cleaning the inside, tumble the tank, take apart valves and clean, inspect put back together.

They don't charge for this service for new tanks.

Also, they indicated for EAN up to 40% tanks that this process is conducted every year for the vis. Regular air fill tanks would only be a sight vis and only cost $18.

 

[tbone1004]

what they said, if they are PP blending I can't blame them for wanting to vip it to verify O2 cleaning, if they are banking nitrox then they are ripping you off and you need to find a new shop. Chat around with some of the people on here from the PNW and see what shops they are using, but in your situation I do usually do what Jim said, make a transfill whip, they're pretty useful in their own right, and put 200psi in each bottle and then the vip magically becomes good again because the tanks have air in them...

If they're doing that they are PP blending, and likely charging you far too much for nitrox, I don't understand why shops are still PP blending for common nitrox blends, but in that case I can't blame the shop for wanting to reclean them, too many recent accidents from O2 recently so it's a safety measure for them. He is correct though, every year they have to be O2 cleaned which isn't cheap, best to get your PSI-PCI tank inspector cert and get the tools, will save you money, or better yet just go to a shop where they bank nitrox and not have to worry about it

 

[tomfcrist]

First, find a new shop. Yours sucks and is trying to rip you off, mainly because you didn't buy a tank from them. Secondly, put the o-ring on the valve, put the valve in the tank. Whack the valve a few times with a rubber mallet to tighten the valve.

If you brought a brand new tank to us, we wouldn't charge you to screw the valve in. That's just bs. We'd fill it. And charge you for the fill. Now, back to the questions.... Buy a tank from us, it comes with fill and vip. A VIP alone would cost $15 and comes with a fill.

They were used tanks...not brand new. And a savvy person can have viz stickers made very cheap.

.

If they're doing that they are PP blending, and likely charging you far too much for nitrox, I don't understand why shops are still PP blending for common nitrox blends, but in that case I can't blame the shop for wanting to reclean them, too many recent accidents from O2 recently so it's a safety measure for them.

The vast majority of MY fills are not 32 or 36.... The blend is custom dialed to where I am diving, and it is the same for many divers in the mid Atlantic region. I guess what I'm trying to say is that continuous blending is not the best option for shops that don't go through ALOT of whatever the standard blend is. Additionally, if the shop has a good size tech customer base, they may want to ensure they are cleaning tanks for O2 service vice premix.

 

[tbone1004]

I agree with you, but for most people diving nitrox, the NOAA mixes are usually good enough and you just eat a bit of extra deco if you're a point or two off.