The elusive "+" rating. . .

[Wookie]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately that shop won't put a + rating back on if it was lost.

How odd. The rating wasn't "lost", the procedure wasn't followed to allow the 10% overfill last time. Did you speak to the hydro technician or Mark, or did you ask whomever answered the phone? The physical properties of the cylinder certainly didn't change....

So I just spoke to my hydro tester and I owe iDive2 an apology. The regulation is that the hydro tester MAY put the plus rating on any steel cylinder that had one initially. I was right about that. It is very uncommon for a hydro tester to do so, however, because of the liability associated with doing so. He says that a shop closely associated with scuba will likely not put a plus rating on a cylinder on it's second or more hydro, and will likely not reinstate a plus rating once it is not used. If you want a plus rating back, you gotta go to a fire extinguisher tester who will strictly follow the procedure without regard to scuba liability. Again, I apologize. My Texas hydro tester was a fire extinguisher tester. He'd do anything I asked, as long as there was a procedure and the cylinder passed it.

 

[halocline]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately that shop won't put a + rating back on if it was lost.

Well then add them to the list of ignorant hydro shops.

---------- Post added January 12th, 2013 at 03:26 PM ----------

So I just spoke to my hydro tester and I owe iDive2 an apology. The regulation is that the hydro tester MAY put the plus rating on any steel cylinder that had one initially. I was right about that. It is very uncommon for a hydro tester to do so, however, because of the liability associated with doing so.

More ignorance and B.S., sometimes it's pretty discouraging. How complicated is it? If the total expansion is less than the REE number, the tank qualifies; if not, it doesn't. There's no "liability" associated, that's just another B.S. excuse. I'd be happy to ask a concerned hydro tester 2 questions:

1)Why would a shop be liable for qualifying a tank that passes the 'plus' rating any more than qualifying a tank that passed hydro test?
2) Please provide a single example of any hydro shop ever being sued or penalized for qualifying a plus rating on a 3AA tank that passes the test, yet somehow explodes...

There's also no "procedure", other than stamping the plus sign if the tank qualifies. It's just comparing two numbers. Man this is depressing, thank god it's only every five years. And for what? A lousy 225 PSI...I gotta stop ranting....

Anyone who actually has one of these tanks, I would strongly suggest going directly to the hydro test facility, and asking about the plus rating. If you get an earful of BS, find another place, there are many around. There was a place in San Antonio that the dive shops used where the guy actually stamped the words "no plus" in my kidde 72 because he could not find the REE. I couldn't believe it. Same shop, a friend brought his faber LP80 with the REE stamped right on the tank, the guy did not give it the plus because he said the dive shops 'didn't want him to'. Maybe that's why I'm jaded about this, I've seen the idiocy up close and personal. So I found another shop, with a reasonable tester, problem solved.

 

[zider]

The odd thing is that my wife works for the fire protection company who does the vast majority of the hydros for the Indianapolis area, and they refuse to do + ratings. I still go there because the wifey gets my hydros for free and that's worth skipping the + rating IMO.

 

[elan]

We do no have a "+" rating, we have a "K" rating. The hydro is done at the pressure that is equal to what is "+" rating gives in the US but in bars. That is LP tanks are tested by default for 184 bars. If the hydro does not pass then it is retested for 10% less than the 184 bars and if passed then marked with a "K".

I still have to fight with tank monkeys at some fill stations and remind them that we are in Canada and they suppose to fill to 184 bars and not to 2400 psi . Both values are marked on cylinders. One says DOT-2400 and the other TC-184

Why? TC allows a 10% overfill if the cylinder is marked with a "+" marking.....

 

[JohnN]

I still have to fight with tank monkeys at some fill stations and remind them that we are in Canada and they suppose to fill to 184 bars and not to 2400 psi . Both values are marked on cylinders. One says DOT-2400 and the other TC-184

184 bar = 2650 psi. . . = 20% overfill

go Canada!

 

[elan]

184 bar = 2650 psi. . . = 20% overfill

go Canada!

I think it's still 10% from nominal 2400

I agree with the second part

 

[JohnN]

I think it's still 10% from nominal 2400

I agree with the second part

Hmmmm. . . without the plus rating in the Southern Provence, we only get 2250 on a LP tank


Do you have a unique form of "Northern" math I don't understand?

 

[elan]

No , the current LP tanks (which are stamped with TC-184) per DOT are 2400 psi without a plus. They read DOT- 2400+ when new.

Hmmmm. . . without the plus rating in the Southern Provence, we only get 2250 on a LP tank


Do you have a unique form of "Northern" math I don't understand?

 

[JohnN]

No , the current LP tanks (which are stamped with TC-184) per DOT are 2400 psi without a plus. They read DOT- 2400+ when new.

Thanks. So TC-184 is really a "+ +" rating.

This thread started with me (the OP) wondering what was required to get a paltry 2400 PSI fill on an old LP72.

So how's that Hockey season doing ? :cool2:

 

[elan]

Yeah that's true, the LP72s are 2250 or 2150. Up here filling them up to some specific pressure is gambling all places can fill them to 2250 some can go to 2500 some can to 3000 I think it depends on how many Tim Hortons coffies you bring to the tank guy.
The bar thing I think appeared in the beginning of this century.

Hockey ? What Hockey ? I'm not following them honestly... busy diving

Thanks. So TC-184 is really a "+ +" rating.

This thread started with me (the OP) wondering what was required to get a paltry 2400 PSI fill on an old LP72.

So how's that Hockey season doing ? :cool2: