@JamesBon92007 tanks will easily get water shoved into them during the filling process of there is water on the valve at the time of filling. It's critical to blow the tank valve off before putting the whip on there or you will put water into the tank. It can't come in during normal use, but it can absolutely come in during filling which is why we VIP in the first place. A lot of places are pretty careless during filling and if salt water gets blown into a steel tank it's going to be real ugly real fast.
@USMC CPL. the one year vip is only a recommendation and is not enforceable. There is no "rule" that says they have to get a VIP only an industry standard that has shown up. Fill stations can refuse to fill any tank for any reason, and a lot of them use VIP as an excuse. Hydro is also really only a recommendation and not required for personal use and when transporting for commercial use.
Swing down to cave country or a lot of the tech shops, and if they know you, they don't really look at the tanks before filling. They trust that you keep them in good shape and in hydro. If they don't know you or of you, they'll usually look for a hydro stamp. A lot of them will fill out of hydro tanks if they are a month out and usually give you a condescending stare that says "you really need to take this in" while they're filling it.
That crowd is obviously very different from the norm though so if you come in looking and acting like a stereotypical recreational diver you'll probably have to show a vip sticker, and various certs for what you are getting filled. All in who is showing up and who is filling.
