Showing your card...

[Genesis]

have one major problem with transfilling - those little tanks that go on the guns are only rated to 2000 psi or so, and a transfill from an AL80 is downright dangerous without significant care (and gauges!)

Note that those tanks do NOT have burst disks. The first notice you get of an overfill is a BOOM!

I have some friends who paintball, and they are also divers. I have pointed out the danger to them, but many of them use a cheapie $20 adapter that has no overpressure protection nor any gauge to do the transfill, and start with a full 3000 psi tank.

Some day one of these guys is going to blow himself up. I'm sure as hell not filling his tank.

 

[SueMermaid]

Only once have I gotten fills or stepped onto a dive boat without showing my c-card. I must travel with a responsible crowd! When I went out on a dive boat in Javea, Spain, they just asked me how many dives I had, but I never showed them my certification. Otherwise, even with my regular shop, I flash my badge every time.
I have been asked by every dive operation how many dives I have, but never have been asked to show my log. I have heard a lot of people say they have been required to show their logs. My log is like a diary, I don't want anyone reading it!

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

GratefulDiver once bubbled...
One of my LDS's has this on their web site.

********************

We will fill tanks if:

You are a certified diver or a paintballer (requires signed release)

- Your hydro date is current

- Your visual is current

- Your cylinder has all current legal stamp markings

- It has sufficient pressure in it to read on a pressure gauge. If there is no pressure we are required to complete a visual inspection.

-Nitrox tanks will be filled for Nitrox Certified Divers only. The diver is responsible for verifying O2 percentage and logging it in our logbook.

*****************

What he said!

Bob

 

[missileman62]

For what it's worth....my thoughts....

I don't own my own tanks, and I have had to show my card prior to paying for diving. However, I did not have my own gear at the time and was diving in Hawaii. I got the feeling the dive operator wanted to know about what level I was at before taking me to the boat. Might also be due to the large amount of folk walking in off the street thinking that going diving is just like renting a jet ski or going sky diving etc.

If the LDS does not check for C-cards what do you think the chances are that the "fill monkey" checks for a current VIS sticker or if your tanks are in hydro? It then stands to reason that this trend seems to come from the classic case of "supply vs demand".

I would propose that the fault rests with the collective "Us=Divers" Since we are the customers supplying the $$ for whatever gas we desire, why don't we demand higher standards from our LDS's? IF we put this in demand I would expect to see a change in the standard operating attitude we are all talking about here....a lack of concern for basic safety.

As for those that paint ball I would suspect that most have not ever concidered the effects of misuse of air. Again since they are not hearing or getting any training in the use of HP air systems or filling it would stand to reason in my mind that they feel they are doing nothing wrong.

How do you think? Since we are all here casting the "first stone's" is it us divers that have created this situation that stinks of foul air we all must breath?

Missileman

 

[MikeFerrara]

missileman62 once bubbled...

If the LDS does not check for C-cards what do you think the chances are that the "fill monkey" checks for a current VIS sticker or if your tanks are in hydro? It then stands to reason that this trend seems to come from the classic case of "supply vs demand".

Cecking the condition of the tank and for current visual and hydro has direct bearing on the safety of the person oporating the fill station. If the tank is out, it's also an oportunity for an additional sale. My guess is that most check.
And BTW, around here, most fill monkeys own the shop so their not likely to risk blowing it up for a $5 fill.

 

[cyklon_300]

ran into a guy at the beach near the Na Pali trailhead who had a Toyota pickup full of dive gear...he was offering single tank shore dives for $25.

My buddy and I wanted to dive, but our cards were in the condo on the other side of the island. We told the guy we were experienced divers, but he wasn't buying it...

He finally said if we could gear up with no problems and without coaching each other, he'd rent us gear.

Badda boom, badda bing...3 minutes later we're standing there in full kit, ready to roll...had a nice reef dive and saw my first sharks...

 

[flw]

Although I've been asked for a card abroad, I've never yet had to produce a card in the UK, either on a boat or for a shop - nor do the gas company care why I want cylinders shipped from Aberdeen.
In the UK, neither the shop nor boat is responsible if you decide to jump in on a dive you aren't qualified for, which is the way it should be - having said that there aren't DM's either, and generally only 12 divers which makes a difference.

 

[missileman62]

and it is not only a chance for another sale...but a chance to impress upon the customer that safety around Mike's shop comes first. I don't know Mike and haven't been in Ind. in like 6 years. I have seen how it is here in Japan, and can only guess what it is like in other places with less regulations, I am still a "babe in the woods" when it comes to fill station regulations and HP air....so maybe our beef should not be if the LDS checks for c-cards but vis insp date and hydro date. Mike can't expect us all to honestly think that at every fill station only the owner does the filling...eventually that job will get left to someone with a strong back...hopefully that person will share the views of Mike and not want to fill just anything for $5.

I would think that most LDS would want to see what kind of card I am carrying in the attempt of selling me the next one....lol!

I really don't see how if you see my card or not determines how carefully I will actually use the fill I just paid for. Thanks for your comments Mike....the "fill monkey" comment could have been a bit over the top.

Missileman

 

[diverbrian]

As I dive Nitrox, many of the fill stations outside of my shop want my card number in the nitrox log. As I am not someone with a two digit number, I sometimes have to pull out my C-Card just to refresh my memory on the card number.

I really don't mind having to use my card for what it was intended for. Every charter that does advanced dives has wanted to see my card as well (or have the shop DM vouch for the fact that I am an AOW with sufficient experience for the dive that I intend to do). I use it more often for that purpose than for gas fills.

 

[Hallmac]

Genesis once bubbled...
have one major problem with transfilling - those little tanks that go on the guns are only rated to 2000 psi or so, and a transfill from an AL80 is downright dangerous without significant care (and gauges!)

Most of the tanks are 3000 to 4500 PSI todays trend are the carbon fiber wrapped tanks and 4500 PSI is slowly becoming the standard

Note that those tanks do NOT have burst disks. The first notice you get of an overfill is a BOOM!

Every tank I have seen is equipped with a burst disk. They are in the regulator that screws in to the tank.

I don't know about the area you are in but I have yet to see a compressed gas cylinder for paint ball around here that is rated under 3000. Some of them have to be Hydro tested every three years as compared to scuba.

Just info!

Hallmac