Where to get VIP stickers

[guruboy]

Nitrox Visual Inspection Stickers

 

[oly5050user]

And this is based on what?

There is no equivalent to the yearly VIP outside of the SCUBA business that I'm aware of. If there was a real problem, wouldn't you expect reports of welding/compressed gas cylinders exploding?

Welding compressed gas cylinders do not go underwater where there is a chance of someone letting it go empty and water can get in. Using a generic sticker just so that not to pay a LDS the $15 , that usually includes a fill, is reason why responsible stores do not accept generic stickers. With included air fill a visual works out to $8. here in this area of NY.If this a problem to someone that they feel it is too expensive for their safety, the fill station operator safety, ensuring tank interior is dry, having o ring replaced and threads lubricated so that the valve does not become bonded to the tank itself, then maybe diving is too expensive for you.

 

[JohnnyC]

Well, since technically a VIP is only good for the time between the inspector spinning the valve back on and putting gas in it, they're not actually doing much to protect anybody.....

I picked up some from Leisure Pro when I needed some real quick and they've worked out fine.

 

[fmerkel]

And this is based on what?

There is no equivalent to the yearly VIP outside of the SCUBA business that I'm aware of. If there was a real problem, wouldn't you expect reports of welding/compressed gas cylinders exploding?

Those tanks don't get taken into saltwater on a routine basis....occasionally by divers that are less than careful. When I did the PSI course a shop guy taking the class brought 2 AL tanks that were in the dive stable. We condemned them both. One had ~ 1 1/2 cups of AL-oxide in it. The other had screwed up threads. These tanks were less than a year since their last VIP.....assuming it was a legitimate VIP. I've inspected steel tanks that had half cup of frank water in the bottom.

Exploding tanks don't kill divers, they kill shop employees. It does happen, possibly more often than you think.

 

[2airishuman]

Well, that went off the rails quickly. I'm not going to fight it, so here goes...

I've read divers get them on Amazon and use them to bypass the VIP fees each year without actually doing a VIP. It puts Dive Shops at risk but the diver saved $25 so what does he or she care?

That's a problem, I guess, but that's not what I'm here for. I inspect my cylinders.

There is no equivalent to the yearly VIP outside of the SCUBA business that I'm aware of. If there was a real problem, wouldn't you expect reports of welding/compressed gas cylinders exploding?

VIPs came to be in the 1970s after a couple of accidents -- yes, involving exploding cylinders -- that were in hydro but had substantial internal corrosion from salt water ingress. Enough so that the cylinder wall failed at normal fill pressures.

Using a generic sticker just so that not to pay a LDS the $15 , that usually includes a fill, is reason why responsible stores do not accept generic stickers. With included air fill a visual works out to $8. here in this area of NY.If this a problem to someone that they feel it is too expensive for their safety, the fill station operator safety, ensuring tank interior is dry, having o ring replaced and threads lubricated so that the valve does not become bonded to the tank itself, then maybe diving is too expensive for you.

I would like to make few things extremely clear because I believe that may have been directed, in part, at me.

I have approximately 25 cylinders. That includes 4 twinsets, around 6 HP120s, one MP95, around 6 LP72s, 5 stage/pony cylinders, two cylinders that I use for maintenance purposes. And 3 SCBA cylinders. That's for me and two of my kids who dive. We shore dive, and we go to places like Lake Pactola and Lake Ore-be-gone where there is no LDS within reasonable driving distance, so we have to be self sufficient for a weekend of dives.

If I pay my LDS to do the VIPs, that's $200 a year, every year. The LDS I've been using for fills lately isn't comfortable with twinsets. They're not a tech shop. If I take my twinsets there for VIP, I have to take them apart and put them together myself. If I'm going to do that I might as well inspect them myself. When I inspect my own cylinders, I take notes and can look back the following year and observe whether there are changes or just the same level of, say, flash rust that was present in prior years. That's valuable data and it helps me know whether I'm getting good dry fills, which unfortunately is not "always." I don't get that from someone I pay for a VIP. I know what kind of lube is on the threads and I know that no one has cared enough to replace my good Viton neck o-rings with cheap Chinese crap.

My local dive shops understand where I'm coming from on this and would like me to come work for them, which I have politely declined. I am not doing this primarily to save money and I am not compromising my safety, not mine nor anyone else's.

Those tanks don't get taken into saltwater on a routine basis....occasionally by divers that are less than careful. When I did the PSI course a shop guy taking the class brought 2 AL tanks that were in the dive stable. We condemned them both. One had ~ 1 1/2 cups of AL-oxide in it. The other had screwed up threads. These tanks were less than a year since their last VIP.....assuming it was a legitimate VIP. I've inspected steel tanks that had half cup of frank water in the bottom.

Exploding tanks don't kill divers, they kill shop employees. It does happen, possibly more often than you think.

I agree that corrosion is a problem and VIPs are a good thing.

I have not been able to find any recent accidents involving exploding SCUBA cylinders except for: those involving oxygen fires, 6351 alloy before the current inspection rules were put in place, or accidents in overseas jurisdictions that lack effective regulatory oversight. I would challenge you to find incidents or even statistics.

That said, what little data there is shows that the risk of explosion is just as great while the cylinder is in use as at the time of fill.

 

[northernone]

Cost savings is a small factor compared to the peace of mind that results from caring for my own equipment. Some others feel the same way... a rusty tank clogging a first stage is a fairly serious consideration and motivates me to peek inside regularly regardless of the industry trend suggesting an annual, if my tanks have been borrowed by someone who may have flooded one by accident.

I'm fairly certain this thread isn't about the reasons not to do an inspection or the risks real or imagined, but rather a trained, responsible diver looking for help finding a product source.

 

[horsediver1]

2-air I know exactly where your at. I have been trained to do visuals myself for years and use my own compressor. However every once in a while I need a LDS to fill when travelling. Go to Ebay and punch in Scuba visual inspection sticker and you will find a pretty decent selection. No where in your post did you indicate you were just going to slap on a sticker, but do the visual, Anyway I hope this helps about 15 bucks for 20 stickers.

 

[horsediver1]

I forgot to mention on some of the ebay stickers depending which ones as it appears you have tried, I had to warm the stickers with a hair dryer to get them to stick Might want to try that trick especially the red ones.

 

[JohnN]

Well, that went off the rails quickly. I'm not going to fight it, so here goes...

Yes it certainly did. . .

It's 2.5 years between VIP's in the EU, Norway is 3 years for the first and 2 years thereafter, AU is a visual and Hydro every year.

This looks like a solution looking for a problem.

And for the record, from my first post, my LDS does partial pressure EAN fills and I do a visual every 12 months on those cylinders.

 

[NAM001]

Have you tried this?: Stickers & Forms : PSI Cylinders, Professional Scuba Inspectors

He is not going to get them from PSI unless youare a PSI inspector that is current in their files.