Using a tank out of Viz
- Thread starter eweingarden
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I guess I would be screwed if I bought a couple of out of hydro tanks while down in North Florida and I was bringing them home to hydro them. Also, if I have a tank that I just got hydroed from a fire extinguisher place that does not do VIPs, I would still fill it from my personal whip but would get a VIP done before taking it to a shop to have it filled. Or better yet, take it to my local shop to get a VIP and they give me a fill for free. But I got a 13cf that I will be getting back from hydro next week and I will be using it for playing around the pool and emergency tire inflation, it will not be getting a VIP for a while.
@Doby45 I suspect you would take the valves off those tanks then there can be no issue of hydro or not, they are just really big beer cans at that point...
Not very familiar with (specifically) the US laws. However, an observation:
If industry "best practice" is to require a VIP every year, I suspect that if there were some incident where liability was in question it wouldn't do you any favors to be out of VIP even though it may not be the prime cause, e.g. someone knocks the tank over and it pops a valve, injuring someone. A lawyer looking for deep pockets might be able to put the onus on you. picture the non-diving jury "everyone does a VIP every year, this guy decided not to now my client is missing an elbow..."
Or if someone went OOG and shared with you with a subsequent issue, etc etc. I believe a recently expired VIP is HUGELY unlikely to cause any issues to anyone but US litigation is not always a bastion of common sense.
Not very familiar with (specifically) the US laws. However, an observation:
If industry "best practice" is to require a VIP every year, I suspect that if there were some incident where liability was in question it wouldn't do you any favors to be out of VIP even though it may not be the prime cause, e.g. someone knocks the tank over and it pops a valve, injuring someone. A lawyer looking for deep pockets might be able to put the onus on you. picture the non-diving jury "everyone does a VIP every year, this guy decided not to now my client is missing an elbow..."
Or if someone went OOG and shared with you with a subsequent issue, etc etc. I believe a recently expired VIP is HUGELY unlikely to cause any issues to anyone but US litigation is not always a bastion of common sense.
If it doesn't smell/taste/test as contaminated I would not hesitate to dive it.
I have dove an 1978 air fill in 2015.
Understanding what causes contaminated air is useful and how to detect it. A VIP sticker on a vacation dive location or rental fleet tank does nothing to reassure me it is a breathable uncontamintated gas inside.
Regards,
Cameron
Ps. I may be fringe on this issue and my experience and opinion is my own.
I have dove an 1978 air fill in 2015.
Understanding what causes contaminated air is useful and how to detect it. A VIP sticker on a vacation dive location or rental fleet tank does nothing to reassure me it is a breathable uncontamintated gas inside.
Regards,
Cameron
Ps. I may be fringe on this issue and my experience and opinion is my own.
The question asked was can the OP use a tank that is filled with air (and still in hydro I assume) but is out of the one year (and not codified in any law) visual inspection. YES.
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