well this bites...

[ClayJar]

If you want to hydro it, call your local fire extinguisher places. Fire extinguishers have to go through hydro, too, and they're all over the place. In fact, around here, all the dive shops send the tanks to the same place for hydros, and you can too.

Of course, that doesn't get around the fact that you'll need an LDS-style VIP sticker for them to fill it, and if it's that old and aluminum, you'll need the eddy current test (technically, that rule doesn't go into effect until January 1, 2007, but it's a de facto rule now).

If you go into the dive shop waving the new regulation (not yet in effect) and showing a good hydro, visual, and eddy current test, you can feel justifiably upset when they refuse to fill it anyway.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

The power inflator is actually fine, I took it apart, the inflate valve had a little corrosion on it, just enough to make it stick a little. 5 minutes with steel wool and some grease has it working fine. I took apart some of the dump valves too, they look to be in decent shape.

Doing thingson the cheap is different than doing them unsafely. I dropped the reg I also got cheap off at a local shop today to have it serviced, and I'll gladly pay whatever they charge ($50 plus parts) to make sure I have a reg that works safely. I also have a new SPG on it's way. I'm going to look into getting a splitter or something so I can hook up an octopus too, the first stage has no more lp outs right now sadly. Last resort, I'll buy one of those inflator integrated octos, which is probably cheaper than a pony and regs for it.

 

[spectrum]

First let's see what you have there, can you post the info stamped on the cylinder?

Some aluminum cylinders were made from a problematic alloy and many shops won't touch them and with fairly good cause.

Other shops just refuse to go near an mature cylinder inspite of the hydro and VIP practices that are in place. In that case it's time to find another shop.

SCUBA cylinders are usually a small part of what a hydro facility checks and they are unlikely to have an age problem. Industrial cylinders stay in servioce for many many years. I'm pretty sure this is the LDS giving you the flack so another shop that uses the same facility may pass it right through.

This is assuming the alternate shop s are in resonable proximity for your air fill neds, otherwise you are back where you started only you have a cylinder with current hydro and VIP.

I take it we are talking about an AL80 here. GIven what they sell for new and knowing that it needed a hydro and VIP I would hope that you are out of very little money at this point. If you set this tank asside, take the money you would have sunk into the hydro and VIP along with skipping a few weekends of diving that should pay for a new AL80. Airfills, cylinder rentals, gasoline, meals and incidentas add up fast.

Pete

 

[TheRedHead]

I'm going to look into getting a splitter or something so I can hook up an octopus too, the first stage has no more lp outs right now sadly. Last resort, I'll buy one of those inflator integrated octos, which is probably cheaper than a pony and regs for it.

You need a splitter on your regulator in order to connect a backup? You're going to have to do something because people aren't going to be lining up to be your buddy.

How do you know you aren't diving unsafely?

 

[texdiveguy]

JahJahwarrior-- dude, I hope you are not pulling a funny on ue nice folks! But if you are for real...take some free advise,,,,STOP & SAVE for some 'new' scuba gear,,,your 'life' will appreateate it.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

So far, I'm out $20.

DOT-SP6498-3000

P19365 USD

stamped around top in varoius places:
10 (funky arrow thingy) 73
6 (funky symbol thingy) 79
5 M 85
2 (B6/31) (that is not side by side on the tank, they are on top of each other, like a fraction) 93


And there are stickers for the VIP
6/79
3/80
11/81
mar/83
2/93
jul/96

Not sure about the years that aren't on there....

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I don't know that I'm not diving unsafely, to be 100% definitive about it. I dive much more conservatively than my buddies usually, I am a careful diver. I am a bit of a newbie, but don't hold that too much against me, i'm not an idiot There is no octo on the reg I use now. In my circumstances, I don't consider it necessarily stupid, remember, divers dove for years without safety seconds. I'm not doing any diving deeper than 60 feet, if I were, then I'd rent or borrow another reg. I'm not doing anything whereI cannot surface immediately, nothing even remotely cavern like. I'm having all the gear serviced, the reg worked, I could have dived with it without having it serviced...I like my life though, and am glad to spend $80 on getting the reg in tip top shape. I can always borrow a tank or rent one, but if this one is perfectly fine, I don't see why i should be told I cannot get it hydroed. If it came back failed, then I'd make darn sure they drilled a hole in the thing or chopped the top off. If I thought my BC wasn't safe to dive with, I wouldn't dive withit.

I could save up and buy new gear, but it's all about priorities. I'd rather dive with older gear that's well taken care of, and have a car, be able to get fresh guitar strings. Clothes, school supplies, etc. I don't dive that frequently. My parents told me i shouldn't spend much on this sport until I dive more, but I can't afford to dive more until I own my own equpment. For the price of three days diving, I've gotten all the equipment I should need and am having it serviced.

 

[TheRedHead]

There is no octo on the reg I use now. In my circumstances, I don't consider it necessarily stupid, remember, divers dove for years without safety seconds. I'm not doing any diving deeper than 60 feet, if I were, then I'd rent or borrow another reg.

How are you going to share air with your buddy? :11:

I think you are rationalizing here. The divers who dove for years without safe seconds had a much different kind of training than today's divers.

 

[texdiveguy]

I don't know that I'm not diving unsafely, to be 100% definitive about it. I dive much more conservatively than my buddies usually, I am a careful diver. I am a bit of a newbie, but don't hold that too much against me, i'm not an idiot There is no octo on the reg I use now. In my circumstances, I don't consider it necessarily stupid, remember, divers dove for years without safety seconds. I'm not doing any diving deeper than 60 feet, if I were, then I'd rent or borrow another reg. I'm not doing anything whereI cannot surface immediately, nothing even remotely cavern like. I'm having all the gear serviced, the reg worked, I could have dived with it without having it serviced...I like my life though, and am glad to spend $80 on getting the reg in tip top shape. I can always borrow a tank or rent one, but if this one is perfectly fine, I don't see why i should be told I cannot get it hydroed. If it came back failed, then I'd make darn sure they drilled a hole in the thing or chopped the top off. If I thought my BC wasn't safe to dive with, I wouldn't dive withit.

I could save up and buy new gear, but it's all about priorities. I'd rather dive with older gear that's well taken care of, and have a car, be able to get fresh guitar strings. Clothes, school supplies, etc. I don't dive that frequently. My parents told me i shouldn't spend much on this sport until I dive more, but I can't afford to dive more until I own my own equpment. For the price of three days diving, I've gotten all the equipment I should need and am having it serviced.

Well... if all is good for you on that---cool. You at least are getting your gear serviced and that is a start...nothing wrong with old gear,,,but be careful with whom you get it from---REMEMBER your life is only as good as the gear you entrust it to at depth.....I wish you well and safe and continued fun diving!

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I'm hoping to do most of my diving with two other buddies, and like I said I'm going to try to get an octo on there within a dive or two. I also don't think it'd be stupid of me and my buddy to practice buddy breathing. Perhaps this is a lost art? Today's divers have less training....that's pathetic you have got to admit. Why are we dumbing it down? I view this is a chance to practice a type of diving just a tad different than your standard PADI


[edit] I do see allof yours wisdom, you all aren't stupid. You've dived alot more than I have. If I kill myself, it's not your fault. I feel I have taken several good safety precautions, and I do appreciate the accountability. It would be horrid if you all simply said "oh well if they die they die, not that I care." You dn't want the reputation of Scuba diving ruined. neither do i. I'll do my best not to kill myself, and I will try to heed your advice as soon as I am able. It might be a month though.