O2 Tank in Ottawa

[pufferfish]

GTADiver once bubbled...
Vital air will sell you the stuff if you are a certified blender as will praxair, BOC and all the other guys. The only problem people will have filling Jumbo D's from the DAN kits are that they have green tops. In Canada and all the rest of the world (excluding our neighbours to the south) oxygen bottles have white tops. Any respectable outfit will suggest the top be painted white prior to filling. Prescriptions are not required even though technically oxygen is a drug. For hydros try Superior Safety on Bently. There is no need to pay the middle man to send it in for you.

Dive shop vs praxair fill of a d-cylinder......... guess which one does the nitrogen purge first, then seals the orifice and then puts the entire cylinder into a sealed plastic bag to prevent contaminants from getting on the valve?

Does the average dive shop have the proper fill whip to fill a Jumbo D? I know on mine the tank valve on the Jumbo D looks a lot different than the one on my scuba tank.

Hey Doppler what is 8.5 cu. m in cu. ft or litres for us metrically challenged please. I don't imagine that O2 tank is too portable for taking to a remote dive site is it?

 

[Kevin R]

I've personally never had a problem with vitalaire either, just passing on what I've been told by a local diver setting up his station this year. Lino was great, he knew every diver in Eastern Ont. who was buying gas from him by name, and was always willing to go the extra step if you needed something in a hurry. At one point he was willing to procure He from Thunder Bay and have it shipped to Ottawa for me when it was hard to get in town. I just hope the level of service doesn't change as he will be a tough act to follow in my books. So far this year I've been dealing with Frank and he is also doing a great job.

Kevin

 

[Doppler]

pufferfish once bubbled...


Hey Doppler what is 8.5 cu. m in cu. ft or litres for us metrically challenged please. I don't imagine that O2 tank is too portable for taking to a remote dive site is it?

Well Puffer, it's about 224 cubic feet... I'm a bit challenged in many areas and non-metric stuff is one of them... The cylinder is sometimes called a T cylinder I believe. It's about 1.6 meters tall... whoops. It's about 5 feet tall and 9 or 10 inches in diameter... too big for a pony bottle!

Hope that helps.

 

[pufferfish]

Just curious what the dive shops charge to fill a Jumbo D (or per cu. ft) with O2?

After speaking with Vitalaire today and hearing what they want to charge me to fill my tank I may be looking for another option.
They are moving next month to the switch in/out programs like you do with the propane BBQ tanks. They own the tank and just loan it too you and of course they look after the hydro. Cost per fill will be $40.

As far as getting a DAN Jumbo D filled you will have to get the green top changed to white (if they do it $100) and then you will pay $105 for a fill if you want to keep your tank. If you are willing to switch in (ie. they become owner of your tank) then the fill will be $40.

Now I see Fill Express in Florida will fill DAN O2 tanks for free. Any dive shops in Ontario this progressive yet?

www.fillexpress.com

 

[DPVDiver]

Usually around 30 cents per cubic foot and there are at least two shops in Ottawa that can fill them. I really like the idea of filling emergency tanks for free though. I just wish a DAN type setup was a bit cheaper so it could be available for more recreatinal divers.

 

[pufferfish]

DPVDiver once bubbled...
Usually around 30 cents per cubic foot and there are at least two shops in Ottawa that can fill them. I really like the idea of filling emergency tanks for free though. I just wish a DAN type setup was a bit cheaper so it could be available for more recreatinal divers.

Thanks DPV. So a Jumbo D is 23 cu. ft which is about $7 for a fill and Vitalaire wants $40 to switch out my tank. Hmmm that looks like a no brainer.

As far shops offering free O2 fills while a great idea, how about we get them testing our air properly first

 

[divemed06]

Vitale Air recommended that I bring my O2 tank to Davidson Fire Extinguishers on Percy street. 10$ for a Hydro vs. 80$ at Vital air (because their hydro is in New Brunswick). Davidson's also hydro scuba tanks (cost is per weight of the tanks so I'm assuming about 30$ for an alu80).

 

[DPVDiver]

Check the threads on the tank before you take it there, I have seen at least a dozen scuba tanks come back from there with major damage to the threads, enough to fail them at vis. We had to start putting notes on the tanks that said "THREAD OK" so they would be careful. I don't really reccommend these guys.

You will also need it O2 cleaned when you get it back. Think of this expense too. Usually around $50 from the local dive shop.

Does the $80 from Vital Aire include O2 Cleaning and a O2 fill?

Check it out.

DPV

 

[Kevin R]

Is this after you add cost for the labour to do the job, cleaning solution, insurance since you are charging for the job and are now responsible for it, nitrogen to blow dry the steel tank so it does not rust, the cost for the inspection lights, and don't forget the hydro to run those lights, the glass beads to tumble the tanks, the water to mix with the cleaning solution, inspection and repair of the valve if requested or required, the list goes on, oh and heaven forbid a dive shop turns a profit like any other business.

Call around and ask the shops what the price includes. There's nothing wrong with being an informed customer.

Kevin

 

[divemed06]

The guy from vitale air told me that all I needed was the hydro and he would fill my tank? He's the one who recommended Davidson's so.....