New Visual Inspection Required Before Filling with Banked Nitrox 32?

[Scubatude]

I hate when shop owners ruin it for all of us. Only charging $10 for an inspection.

 

[Bigd2722]

I just picked up my tanks today. I had asked for 36%. The operator said he had to drain them a little because they didn't have 36% to begin with. No fuss, no extra charge just reasonable people doing business, reasonably. I would not go back to a shop that tried that B\S

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Either they are lying or they are incompetent. Do you want to trust them to operate the compressor and handle stuff your life depends on?

 

[macado]

I would ask for some clarification... Like others have said they're essentially lying or ignorant of accepted practices (either by choice or mistake).

Since you said your tanks already have a current visual inspection sticker, is it from another local shop in the area? Do they not trust the visual inspections from other shops? What would they be doing for 10 bucks? Just another visual or a full O2 cleaning (not really needed for bank nitrox below 40%) I know it's only 10 bucks but I see no reason to pay for another VIP if the one already on your tank is perfectly valid.

But back to your questions, there is no such federal law that I'm aware of. The second question is partially true, increased oxygen content can accelerate rusting but I believe this is generally really only an issue with high O2 content. Doesn't really come into play too much with banked nitrox mixes below 40%.

 

[RJP]

The shop is lying through it's teeth. There is no federal law saying what they told you and the rust line is total Horse Crap also.

You should tell this shop that he's a liar and that you'd rather he just tell you he needs the ten bucks to pay whatever it is he needs to pay. Or that his shop policy is that he wants to inspect the tanks that he does not know. Rather than being a lying sack.

Ask him to see that law in writing. Then laugh at him and walk out. If he said it was his policy fine. But he's proven to be a liar and deserves no consideration or respect.

Banked nitrox does not even require O2 clean tanks. All you do is fill and re analyze if you have some air left in there. The 32 is going to come out somewhere under that depending on how much air is left, size of tank, how much they put in.

What LDS is this that is screwing over divers like this?

For some reason I'm picturing Jim taking on Clint Eastwood's role as Bill Munney in "Unforgiven."

"All right, I'm coming in to get my tanks filled. Any man in that shop charges me $10 for a VIP, I'm gonna shoot him. Any sumbitch tells me Federal Law says my tanks need to be O2 cleaned... I'm not only gonna kill him, but I'm gonna kill his wife... all his friends... shoot his dog... and burn his damn house down."

 

[redacted]

I think I have been to that shop. Are the owners Dewey, Cheatum and Howe?

 

[Brandon]

You'd think that with gas fills being such a contentious issue, Shops would try a bit harder to have clear, sensible policies...

 

[RJP]

You'd think that with gas fills being such a contentious issue, Shops would try a bit harder to have clear, sensible policies...

Most do. It's just that no one ever comes onto scubaboard saying "Hey guys, I went into my LDS today and got my tanks filled... no problem" so the perception is that gas fills are a contentious issue, because those are the stories you DO hear.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unfortunately, when it comes to Nitrox fills, they are the only game in town right now. I will be driving the extra 20 minutes each way to the next closest shop for future needs.

It amazes me how difficult it is to get nitrox in SoCal, considering that the profile of most of the popular dive sites are so ideally suited for it. Up here it's rare to find a shop that doesn't sell it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DENLASCUBA]

(2) that any rust in the tank would multiply out of control with the increased air, so he had to do a visual inspection on each tank.


I don’t remember ever hearing of this before. Is the Viz necessary under these conditions or is the LDS just trying to make so extra money?

If he is calling for a VIZ then maybe the tanks may have looked like they have may need a look inside as they are possibly possibly showing signs of pssible rust inside. I know you mentioned you had valid viz stickers but this LDS may have heard comments and seen work performed by them that was not so great and did not trust them. This should have been mentioned but a small possibility.