The perils of owning LP tanks in the Midwest

[Marie13]

I got rid of all my HP80s. I’m down to 85s and 50s. My usual place for AIR fills is closed while they’re on a trip to MX. I’m diving New Year’s, wanted fills before the holidays, and banked 32% (which I prefer to dive), plus slight overfills on my 85s. You’d have thought I was asking for someone to rob a bank when I asked about overfills! I wanted 3200 at the most.

I ended up at the shop @KathyV had previously recommended to me. They’ll overfill to 3000. I can deal with that. I drove the 40 minutes to drop tanks off tonight and I’ll pick up Saturday. I’ll have a proper, not hot, fill that way.

One shop I’d emailed told me overfills were illegal, immoral, and they weren’t risking their shop and employees for a $15 fill. Drama queen! They’re off my list for good. Location wasn’t very convenient, anyway.

Another shop won’t overfill, but they didn’t throw a tantrum when I had asked when in for something else a few weeks back.

And as a big plus, I found out the shop I went to has helium! I had thought there were only two shops in my area that offered it.

 

[tbone1004]

@Marie13 I'll fix that title for you, the perils of owning LP tanks literally anywhere except cave country.

In defense of that shop, they are illegal, so I can't really fault them on that...

Also, welcome to why so many of us have our own fill stations

 

[Marie13]

Hell, trying to get fills on HPs is only slightly less troublesome! We have a lot of what I refer to as “warm water shops” here. They are only interested in filling AL80s. Can’t be bothered to push their compressors past 3000. And they only offer air.

At least the shop where I get air fills has no issue giving me a good fill. Mostly a warm water shop, but there are a number of cold water divers who get fills. I’ll see doubles and SM tanks left for fills when I stop in.

 

[divezonescuba]

Different people at the last held DEMA told me that they regularly filled LP85s to 4000 psi.

I told that to the blue steel guy and he had a fit.

 

[Marie13]

Different people at the last held DEMA told me that they regularly filled LP85s to 4000 psi.

I told that to the blue steel guy and he had a fit.

The shop where I get air fills will fill to 3500-4000 because my tanks were new (50s and 85s) and they know me.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

I don't ask for "cave fills" on my big LP 121s, but I'd say about 10% of the time the shop is either generous or the person at the fill station mistakes them for HPs. I've had at least one instance where the gauge was reading 3800 cold and I took them home quite gingerly.

Come to think of it, I should probably get those 3000-psi stamped burst discs replaced with sterner stuff.

 

[tbone1004]

I don't ask for "cave fills" on my big LP 121s, but I'd say about 10% of the time the shop is either generous or the person at the fill station mistakes them for HPs. I've had at least one instance where the gauge was reading 3800 cold and I took them home quite gingerly.

Come to think of it, I should probably get those 3000-psi stamped burst discs replaced with sterner stuff.

there is nothing ginger about handling lp bottles at 3800psi in cave country...

3000psi burst discs are set to go at 4500psi. 90% of test pressure. 3442psi psi discs go around 4600psi. They're the same...

 

[Manatee Diver]

Come to think of it, I should probably get those 3000-psi stamped burst discs replaced with sterner stuff.

Mine all have 5,250psi burst discs. Ask @boulderjohn about his burst disc experience.

 

[Marie13]

Mine have 5250 burst disks as well. The shop tonight checked when I dropped my tanks off.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

there is nothing ginger about handling lp bottles at 3800psi in cave country...

3000psi burst discs are set to go at 4500psi. 90% of test pressure. 3442psi psi discs go around 4600psi. They're the same...

Yeah, I think buried somewhere way back in the forums is a slightly panicked query I made the first time it happened. Now I just shrug and note not to leave them in my trunk too long on a hot day. In any case, on most of the dives I do 120 cf is more than enough; if those puppies get overfilled I just go "whee, single-tank double 80s" as my spine gets compressed. One time it happened I did a double dip on the Spiegel Grove with the one tank and then later did an entire day of bounce dives with the other.