Visual inspection for new tank?

[aedavidson]

Santa brought me a new pony bottle for Christmas , it came with no visual inspection sticker as this is my first tank I am not sure if it needs one. It has the date 02-03-05 stamped on it . I am leaving on a dive trip in a couple of weeks and want to get it taken care of if needed. I also have never traveled with a tank - I did read the TSA document found here and know that I have to remove the reg. I plan on checking the tank and carrying my regs on . My question is can I leave the plastic plug in the tank or is that considered sealed? Thanks in advance for your knowledge.

 

[jerryn]

I would take the plastic plug off. TSA doesn't understand them and will not want to open the tank for inspection. When you get to your destination, you will want to have the tank vip'd before reinstalling the valve. Ask them to put a sticker on then.

Technically, the tank should be vip'd when it is fresh from hydro and does not need a vip sticker on it, but most shops insist on the sticker. Any time the valve is off you want to have the tank looked at for the presence of contaminents and water.

Jerry

 

[owen]

To expand slightly on what Jerry said... Any time the tank pressure is allowed to
drop below around 100 PSI, it should be Visually Inspected. (VIP stands for
Visual Inspection Plus, and, is one particular training agency for people who
conduct visual inspections).

The hydro stamp does count as a Visual Inspection, but, once the tank is fully
depressurized, the visual is essentially invalid. Visuals also must be completed
annually, and, hydros every 5 years. For the most part, travelling with a tank,
especially on an airliner, is more hassle than it is worth. I take everything else,
but, tanks and weights, I obtain locally.

A visual inspection should cost between $12-$15, so, taking your pony bottle
with you amounts to an extra $30 in visual inspections (one when you arrive
there, one when you get home).

Regards,

Owen

 

[scubatoys]

Of course some other places might be a bit more forgiving. Really, with aluminum tanks, the main thing we are looking for is neck cracking, not corrosion like the good ole' steel days, and really, by law... visuals are not even required. But since they are accepted industry standards, most shops will not fill a tank without the sticker. But I know if someone showed up at our shop, with the valve out, but had a sticker within the last year, we'd look real quick, make sure nothing was in the tank, install the valve and fill it... and charge for a fill... not a vip.

But dive shop procedures vary, especially on things like vips.

 

[wedivebc]

The hydro stamp does count as a Visual Inspection, but, once the tank is fully
depressurized, the visual is essentially invalid.

Why would that be? I can see if it was depressurized under water but not just because the valve was off. I will be contacting the dive shop I will be diving with in Mexico and see if that is their policy. If so I will go elsewhere.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Once the pressure is too low contaminants can enter the tank. I haven't been to a shop that will fill and empty tank without a new hydro in years. I would consider it irresponsible if they didn't do a vis.

You care what you breathe right?

 

[rockjock3]

Why would that be? I can see if it was depressurized under water but not just because the valve was off. I will be contacting the dive shop I will be diving with in Mexico and see if that is their policy. If so I will go elsewhere.

It is because it is just your word. I do agree with others though, it isn't worth the hassle to tank your tanks with you. It will cost you more in the long run in both money and hassle. Just use the tanks the resort gives you with the charters.

 

[wedivebc]

Once the pressure is too low contaminants can enter the tank. I haven't been to a shop that will fill and empty tank without a new hydro in years. I would consider it irresponsible if they didn't do a vis.

You care what you breathe right?

Vis doesn't really inspect for contaminants do they? Usually they are looking for corrosion and cracks.
I need to take my tanks because my rebreather uses al 13s. Probably hard to rent

 

[BigJetDriver]

Personally, I think you can understand that I travel more than most folks.

When I take my RB, I take it with the tins. I have to. It is an Inspiration, but with a larger case for long, narrow Luxfer 7 liter cylinders.

I always pull the valves, and insert the green, plastic, threaded plugs with o-rings. The first stages remain in the machine, connected to their normal hoses, and capped. The valves go in the case, in plastic bags.

I have NEVER had a problem with the TSA folks. They unscrew the caps, look in, and are nice enough to screw the caps back in.

When I get to my destination, I shine my light into the tanks to eyeball them, put the valves back in and go have them filled for the morning dive.

End of story.

 

[scubatoys]

Once the pressure is too low contaminants can enter the tank. I haven't been to a shop that will fill and empty tank without a new hydro in years. I would consider it irresponsible if they didn't do a vis.

You care what you breathe right?

Well, contaminants can't enter unless there is more pressure outside the tank than in... and then only if the valve is unscrewed, or open.

And are you trying to say without a new vis?? A hydro can be 4 years old and it won't stop anyone from filling it. And as far as the vis... If you do a quick look in the tank, you can see if anything fell in there... a vis on aluminum is primarily to look for cracks in the threads, and if there is a current sticker on a pony, and the customer had to remove his valve for travel, I wouldn't think of charging them another 12 bucks. We'd just look in, make sure there was no water, install the valve and fill. Now if the vis is over a year old, then we'll do a full vis.