I want to make it clear from the start, that it all began with a dumb mistake on my part, so I will own the blame.
I was preparing for my annual snowbird Florida stay, and I knew my preparations had to include VIPing my tanks. (I am certified for it.) I take a couple LP steel 85s to Florida with me, and I use them for single tank NDL dives and for sidemount in caves. I started to do the VIP and realized they were due for hydro in January as well. There was not enough time to get it done before I left, but I wasn't concerned. I had gotten hydros at Scuba Tank Services in Hollywood before, and I wouldn't be diving the first week or two anyway because of recent surgery. They were always fast and thorough.
I got to Florida and discovered that Scuba Tank Services no longer exists. So I started calling around. The first place I called was Force E in Pompano Beach, and they assured me it could all be done, including oxygen cleaning and a 32% fill, in 5-7 days. That sounded just fine to me, so I left them there. When I did, I pointed out that they were Worthington Tanks, and the person on duty did not know what that meant. I explained that they needed special processing, and he put that in the notes.
After 9 days, I called, and the person on the phone said they should have been done by then. He would find out what was going on and call me back. He didn't. Three days later I called again. The person I talked to said they should have been done by then. He would check and get right back to me. He didn't.
I called again today (14 days), and I was told they were all done and ready for me. When I went in to pick them up, I immediately saw that one of the tanks did not have my valve on it. I use valves from a manifold set so that when I sidemount I have right and left hand valves with that extra extension on the side. After a bit of a search, they found the correct valve, and they started to drain the tank so they could put it on. That was when I checked the hydro stamps and saw that there was no + sign on either one.
They offered to send the tanks back to the guy who does the hydros. I asked how long that would take, and they didn't know. Could it take another two weeks? They didn't know. After two weeks, I wanted those tanks, but I also wanted that + sign. You never know when some tank filler somewhere is going to get anal about it.
So I am back to waiting for the tanks, all because I did not take care of it back home when I should have. Let that be a lesson to me.
I was preparing for my annual snowbird Florida stay, and I knew my preparations had to include VIPing my tanks. (I am certified for it.) I take a couple LP steel 85s to Florida with me, and I use them for single tank NDL dives and for sidemount in caves. I started to do the VIP and realized they were due for hydro in January as well. There was not enough time to get it done before I left, but I wasn't concerned. I had gotten hydros at Scuba Tank Services in Hollywood before, and I wouldn't be diving the first week or two anyway because of recent surgery. They were always fast and thorough.
I got to Florida and discovered that Scuba Tank Services no longer exists. So I started calling around. The first place I called was Force E in Pompano Beach, and they assured me it could all be done, including oxygen cleaning and a 32% fill, in 5-7 days. That sounded just fine to me, so I left them there. When I did, I pointed out that they were Worthington Tanks, and the person on duty did not know what that meant. I explained that they needed special processing, and he put that in the notes.
After 9 days, I called, and the person on the phone said they should have been done by then. He would find out what was going on and call me back. He didn't. Three days later I called again. The person I talked to said they should have been done by then. He would check and get right back to me. He didn't.
I called again today (14 days), and I was told they were all done and ready for me. When I went in to pick them up, I immediately saw that one of the tanks did not have my valve on it. I use valves from a manifold set so that when I sidemount I have right and left hand valves with that extra extension on the side. After a bit of a search, they found the correct valve, and they started to drain the tank so they could put it on. That was when I checked the hydro stamps and saw that there was no + sign on either one.
They offered to send the tanks back to the guy who does the hydros. I asked how long that would take, and they didn't know. Could it take another two weeks? They didn't know. After two weeks, I wanted those tanks, but I also wanted that + sign. You never know when some tank filler somewhere is going to get anal about it.
So I am back to waiting for the tanks, all because I did not take care of it back home when I should have. Let that be a lesson to me.
