They Didn't Peel Off the Sticker

[oxyhacker]

Tank inspection is like backyard croquet. There are no "official" rule, everyone has their own, and everyone thinks that theirs are the only correct ones. So one cannot say what is correct and what is not when it comes to visuals, beyond a few generalities such as that the tank should be dry inside, with no heavy rust, dead rodents, deep pitting or cracks.

Removing old stickers from a painted tank always runs the risk of scratching the finish. To me this seems just normal wear-and-tear, but some tank owners don't understand, and get mad at the slightest scratch. So some shops figure why bother, if he customers wants them removed, let the customer do it.

 

[b1gcountry]

So one cannot say what is correct and what is not when it comes to visuals, beyond a few generalities such as that the tank should be dry inside, with no heavy rust, dead rodents, deep pitting or cracks.

Now you tell me! And I just got done putting mice in all my tanks to drink any water that leaks in.

I love your Voodoo Gas stickers, btw.
Tom

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

It's called lazy and I have to wonder if they'll do that....how good are their services? Tim

 

[spectrum]

Whenever my cylinders go in for visual inspection, I remove all the stickers beforehand...

Me too...

After a shop used what seemed like a wire wheel to rip the old ones off some galvanized steels and still left some of the goo behind I just began to do it myself, my way in advance. A hair dryer will let you peel them off without a lot of fussing and a little solvent will remove the remaining residue.

Likewise and other sticker should be removed, especially for salt water use. Inevitably they will be punctured and capture corrosive salts that will not rinse away.

I also bleed them down very low and in advance. That way they will be nearly ambient in temperature when opened and less susceptible to condensation.

Pete

 

[fireflock]

I've had shops leave a previous VIP sticker on when it indicated something like a date for O2 cleaning (a punchout on the old VIP sticker).

This made sense to me, but did confuse a fill monkey or two along the way.

 

[Rick Inman]

Oh, I could care less. Old sticker on, sticky stuff on the tank, paint scratched... it don't matter to me. And don't fill it, 'cause when I get home I'm gonna open the thing back up myself and O2 clean it after they stuck who-knows-what inside to poke and scratch around. 100% O2 will go in there, and not at the LDS, but at my home, so I'm gonna' be darned sure those tanks are clean (at least to start). Then I'll top them myself at the shop (they gave me a key and access after several years of cultivating a relationship and trust) so the rate of flow starts out nice and slow, and then increases to get a good mix.

Really, I don't expect the kids that work there to know what to do (I'll have to disassemble and re-assemble the doubles myself, which I'd prefer anyway). But if they feel the need to look inside my tanks and put on some stickers or something, go for it.

My tanks look like crap on the outside, and I don't really care at all.

 

[The Chairman]

On the other end of the spectrum, I got yelled at by a customer for removing the sticker of a now defunct dive shop! It was a memento for them, but they failed to tell me that! I now ask before I peel.

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

As the tank filler, I do not want to look at 6 friggin stickers to see if the visual is up to date. IMO, there should only be one on the tank. If you want a momento, put it on your luggage cause I'm peelin it. Its kind of a pet peeve of mine. Shops usually charge in the range of $15 for a vis. Visuals don't take that long, so take the time to peel the old sticker. It is part of the inspection process. I especially enjoy peeling off the competitions sticker

 

[FrankPro1]

In general you don't want any decals on your tank at all that do not need to be there.

Is there a specific reason for this? Or is it just common practice?

 

[SparticleBrane]

Stickers can hide rust/corrosion/pitting etc. They can also encourage it, by keeping water underneath the sticker longer than normal and allowing it to sit next to the metal or paint.