Hydrotesting in Switzerland, WTF.

[Sebek]

I guess this more of a complaint and maybe lets you guys know how good you have it to live in countries where everything doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Some people were making interesting comments when I said buying some PVC and drilling holes in it was more expensive than just buying an Apeks hose retainer. Or that buying a dry-break Quick-connect fitting for a P-valve would cost around $20US each here.

I recently joined a dive club in Switzerland and they advertised some prices for the mandatory visual/pressure testing of cylinders. Pressure testing is every 5 years and visual testing ever 2.5 years.

Visual inspection and cleaning of a twinset costs almost 400CHF. Pressure testing and cleaning would cost 460CHF.

That is bloody insane. I know tech diving is expensive but when you're essentially forced to buy a new twinset every 5 years that's something else.

I googled some prices and from what I could find the same thing in Germany would cost maybe 120Euros. In Australia (also high labour cost country), it would cost around AUD$120.

Goddamnit Switzerland.

I got my twin 12L vis'd in TSK Zurich for 160 IIRC. But I also did bands/valve disassembly/reassembly myself and didn't need a fill, so you can do it for less. And even that felt steep - according to the price list, a vis should be 35CHF/tank, but apparently they never get just the tank and the lady behind the counter was super confused how to bill just the vis check.

 

[Sebs]

I got my twin 12L vis'd in TSK Zurich for 160 IIRC. But I also did bands/valve disassembly/reassembly myself and didn't need a fill, so you can do it for less. And even that felt steep - according to the price list, a vis should be 35CHF/tank, but apparently they never get just the tank and the lady behind the counter was super confused how to bill just the vis check.

No way was it 160. Their website even says 130 per bottle and then another 95 for the manifold.

I think the 35/bottle vis is just for them to look at a bottle. They make a distinction between the government mandated one (which is 130/bottle).

 

[PietroT]

Did you make the test through a shop or did you go directly to the Swiss Safety Center lab? As far as I remember, dealing directly with the lab is cheaper, especially if you have more than 1 tank to test.

 

[Mudbags]

Look at it this way

You're paying 460CHF ($690 AUD) every 5 years. Down here in backwards-land our tanks are done every year so over a 5 year period we pay (5 x $120) = $600 AUD.

Might make you feel a bit better about the total maintenance cost... or it might not!

Either way 460CHF is bonkers

 

[TJ95]

Ah nice. And you don't have issues with getting fills?

No problems so far. My stage has just been filled by a shop last week without any problem

 

[Diego_C]

Hi All,

I don't know where do you live in Switzerland, but I just did a vis and 2 hydros in the north-west area, directly with the gas provider company. I did not pay yet, but the official prices from the company are 109 CHF for hydro and 64 CHF for vis.
I serviced the valve myself, for the parts price we cannot blame the Country, neither the shop, I assume.

My local shop, would charge almost the same price, but I went myself because I need the tanks next week, which was not compatible with the shop schedule.

Apart from that I agree that in Switzerland everything is overpriced, but it goes along with the salaries.

Cheers.