Visual Tank Inspection Course (Chicago Area)

[Hoosier]

They are both recognized the same. PSI is dedicated to the cylinder inspection industry wereas TDI also offers diver level courses. I did my initial cylinder inspection course through PSI and my instructor level course through TDI. Both agencies are similiar in content and procedures for the cylinder inspection course.

Hmm~~~ I see.....

Thanks for the clarification and your fee for the class is competitive to PSI (used to be $250)......

 

[ppo2_diver]

Yeah, I paid ~$250 for my initial PSI training. But that included how to use the eddy current test machine. But the instructor didn't give us any certificate for the eddy portion. He also marked up the price of the materials significantly.

 

[JEScholz]

$150 for the day class, with certification and stickers sounds good to me. Let me know when and where you set it up and I probably will come over.

 

[SDAnderson]

Though some shops in Chicago are reluctant to accept VIPs from sources they don't know, that's no reason not to take the class. Aside from the economic justification, I think taking a VIP course is a terrific idea for anyone serious about diving. The information you will learn about your cylinders and their filling and maintenance is interesting and may save you some money - or your life. I'm not familiar with the TDI program but I'll take a WAG that it's not a slouch program.

Full disclosure: I've been a PSI inspector for years.

 

[SteveC]

I might be interested. Would this be a one time certification, or would a re-cert be need every few years, and how much trouble do you have with dive shops accepting this inspection.
It was stated in another post that the visual inspection is not required by anyone other than the dive shop, so they could refuse to accept it I assume.

 

[ppo2_diver]

The TDI course doesn't expire. PSI's course does expire and recommends training every 3 years. However, most people don't do the re-training when they are just doing their own tanks. The people who are required to do the re-training are the ones working for dive stores due to liability reasons. I'll be doing my re-cert for PSI at OWU this next year. If you would like to do a refresher every now and then, I won't charge anything for people who have been through my class already.

I've had no problems with most of the dive stores accepting my VIP sticker (I use TDI or GUE stickers). Haigh acepts it as do most of the bigger dive stores (i.e. Scuba Emporium, Below H2O, IID, Sea Lions, etc.) The only problem I've ever had was getting Nitrox fills at Haigh as I don't have the huge Nitrox stickers on my tanks, even though my VIP stickers says O2 clean. But that topic has been beaten to death in many other threads.

 

[robzr]

Count me in...

 

[JEScholz]

I definately want to take the class and so does one of my dive partners. Please PM me with the details so that I don't miss them on the board.

 

[ppo2_diver]

No problem. It's just coordinating the dates that I've gotten so far.

 

[ppo2_diver]

Looks like I'll be holding the class on Dec. 9 at my place if anyone else is interested.