20 year shelf life for Aluminum dive cylinders

[redacted]

One major problem with most of the posts in this thread is a dive shop makes little or no money on selling tanks.

Perhaps, they might make a little more money on hydro's and VIP's.

However the Risk is high on filling tanks, again for little profit.

After 20 years, it makes more sense to replace the tank and valve than to hydro and VIP it.

If you figure out the cost of hydro and VIP against getting a brand new tank and valve, you are better off replacing an old tank.

If your tank fails, you just wasted your money.

Any tank that was made before 1990 should be scrutinized.

I wish all the tanks and valves in the tropics were replaced at least every 10 years.

After 10 years, most of them are trashed and need to be replaced.

In what way is LDS profit at all a problem in this thread?

If LDSs are not making $$ selling tank, who's problem is that? Who has complete control over that.

The risk involved in filling properly inspected tanks using generally accepted procedures is minimal. And the price of that fill is entirely of the shops choosing. How much less fill $$ would your shop take in if you stopped filling any tanks but your own? You don't even need to consider the incidental losses as you would then lose customers to other providers. Chance are most dive shop personnel are under a greater risk from traffic accidents going to and from work than from filling tanks.

Do you have data to support your 20 year life contention. As I see it, a hydro and VIP costs about $40. A new tank costs between $200 and $400. So it would take at least 1 in 5 to 1 in 10 failing at the 20 year mark for the user to break even. Any tank that comes in for hydro/VIP should receive an appropriate test/inspection independent of the tank's age (but dependent on materials and specs). What is it you do to older tanks that you fail to do for newer tanks?

LDSs with your attitude should make customers think twice about where they want to take their business.

 

[beaverdivers]

In what way is LDS profit at all a problem in this thread?

The inference in many of the posts was the dive shop was not filling old tanks, so the diver had to buy a new tank from them so the LDS could make money.

If LDSs are not making $$ selling tank, who's problem is that?

It is a dive industry problem. It is one of the reasons LDS go out of biz.

How much less fill $$ would your shop take in if you stopped filling any tanks but your own?

We fill more cylinders for Avalanche Float bags than SCUBA. We charge $20 to fill a 2 cuft. cylinder. We only fill about 20 non-shop SCUBA cylinders a year.

As I see it, a hydro and VIP costs about $40. A new tank costs between $200 and $400. So it would take at least 1 in 5 to 1 in 10 failing at the 20 year mark for the user to break even.

After 20 years haven't you got your moneys' worth, $10 - $20/ year. If you put your money into a new tank instead of a hydro & VIP, then you have a Brand New Tank instead of a flower box.

What is it you do to older tanks that you fail to do for newer tanks?

Older anything is almost always harder to work on and takes special care, just ask any doctor!

LDSs with your attitude should make customers think twice about where they want to take their business.

We have passed the 25 year milestone @ 8000' in the Rocky Mountains.

I think that we have passed the test!

BTW, I have some tanks approaching 20 years, if you are interested.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have some steels approaching 50 and others that just hit or are about to hit 40. Just passes hydro. Why would I want to replace them. And I hope at 20 bucks a fill for 2 cu ft they are getting trimix.fills.

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[beaverdivers]

No, just pure Rocky Mountain Air. Would you like some?

 

[DandyDon]

Why $20 to fill a 2 cuft. cylinder...??

 

[bluejaykaren]

I have had only 1 shop refuse to fill my older tanks,they are not made of the bad alloy. That one is in Riviera Beach. I was thinking "What idiots" when I left there. If I had not known better then I could have ditched 3 perfectly good tanks before I found out the truth. I would have been over the top furious if that had happened. The last hydro was 3 months before and I had them filled at 2 different shops since then.After thinking about it I can see their point. It might be safer to have your employees remember a year instead of the alloy info. I still think a chart on the wall by the refill station would do the trick if you had not so educated employees. Of course you can't make them look at. I sure wouldn't trust them to answer any technical questions about anything else. It really lowered my opinion of their expertise. I had used my tanks for a couple of days diving the Blue Heron and then had to rent tanks from the dive shop for the boat dives. I didn't know they wouldn't fill them till after I made the reservation for the boat dives. I can't fault them if that is what it takes for them to make sure the wrong one doesn't get filled, maybe they feel it is an absolute way to keep their employees safe but I will try a different shop next time. Its cheaper then buying new tanks.

 

[wedivebc]

Why $20 to fill a 2 cuft. cylinder...??

Because you also have to provide a $0.25 rupture disk.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'm not that gullible. Avalanche bags? I'm guessing that is something used to rescue people in some way. If so I'd fill them for free as a public service. Seems immoral to charge that much for so little if it saves someone's life.
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[dmoore19]

An avalance bag is a bag that can be inflated to produce a pocket of space around their head so a person who is trapped in an avalanche has a better chance of survival. Most back country skiers and a lot of snowmobilers have them if they have any sense, along with shovels, beacons and folding probes. Some back country ski trip promoters require them. Some consider them standard equipment.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm not that gullible. Avalanche bags? I'm guessing that is something used to rescue people in some way. If so I'd fill them for free as a public service. Seems immoral to charge that much for so little if it saves someone's life.
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From Science Behind Avalanche 'Air Bag' Saves Skier : NPR

February 20, 2012
Three skiers died in an avalanche over the weekend in Washington state. A fourth skier was caught in the snow slide, but survived thanks to an airbag she deployed from her backpack.