VIP / Fill

[BlueTrin]

Wow! Suba regulations (and possibly laws of physics ) in Europe must be completely different than those in the US.

Here, LDS checks the hydro stamp before filling a tank, because otherwise it can blow the place up! Apparently not a concern in Europe, unless those machines are capable of scanning the hydro stamp.

It depends of the country (Europe is not a country, laws can be different from country to country inside the EU) Also I suspect that if you would go to a shop they would check as well the dates as they could injure themselves.

But I guess if you fill at a self service, you are the one in danger ...

 

[rhwestfall]

But I guess if you fill at a self service, you are the one in danger ...

Sadly, we Americans can't accept the self accountability part of that...

 

[oly5050user]

Good day all, not coming to complain, hoping to learn.

I just bought a used set of HP100's for a pretty good deal. Drove up and got them. The shop the seller took them to did a fresh hydro / vis, but did not fill the tanks? So now I'm thinking, no big deal, I'll get them filled. I got my wife to take them to my LDS today. He say's he needs to do a vis because they're empty.....ok how much. $20 for the vis (even though it's clear as day it was just done 2 days ago) and another $12 for the fill.

$32/tank.....does that seem reasonable? A total of $64 for 2 freshly hydro'd tanks?

I know it's an expensive hobby, but dang.....maybe I'm just cheap?

I declined to have it done.

Here a visual is $15, includes an air fill.

 

[abnfrog]

or take a course and do it yourself .....then pop 300 psi in it from a full tank and viola your done

 

[rhwestfall]

Here a visual is $15, includes an air fill.

Although as a consumer I love the price, as a certified inspector, I cringe at the price when compared to the required tasks and the scope of the work. On top of that is the air, knowing the cost to produce it (I also own and maintain a personal compressor). Something isn't right.... One has to assume corners are cut somewhere....

They say air is a lost leader, made up for elsewhere, but darn, that is really cheap...

 

[abnfrog]

yep sometimes people don't see the COST to do that service

 

[Marie13]

DRIS charges $25 for VIP and a fill. The shop close by my office (Gor Air Scuba) where I get air fills charges $16 for VIP and a fill. Turn around is often the same day for the latter. Took my VIP class in August, but I’m just getting my tools now.

 

[Bob DBF]

Believe me, I'm looking. The 2 that are closest just don't fit. 1st shop got mad (like she wouldn't talk to me mad) that I bought anything outside of her shop. This is shop 2, which seems like every time I go in there they nickel and dime me to death.....on everything.

Two different ways for an LDS to punish you for buying outside the shop. My shop is nice to everyone, and sometimes it pays off, as I will buy there if the price difference isn't huge, assuming he has what I want, since he is focused on vacation divers there is a lot have to find elsewhere.

I'm sure they're good shops if you have a million dollars and are ok being narrow minded to only dive what they sell, but that's not me......

They are not good regardless, because they want you to buy what they have rather than what you want, the money is secondary.

You get vip done yearly, hydro every 5 years....how important is the vip? If a hydro takes a tank to 5/3 working pressure (vague statement I know) what good would a vip do in between?

The mandatory DOT viz is a part of the hydro, and in any other industry that's all you need untill the next hydro in five years. The scuba industry standard Viz is yearly and the hydro viz dosen't count anymore, it used to be that you didn't need a sticker the first year after hydro. The VIP was instituted to reduce scuba tank failures back when getting moisture, and rust in the tank, was more prevelent than it is now in the US. Due to better quality air quality from compressors, and not completely emptying a tank on a dive as the SPG came into widespread use, the introduction of water into scuba tanks has decreased markedly. It was good idea at the time, but has turned into more of a profit center than a safety measure now.

I have some tanks I transfill to that don't have a VIP, but I do keep them in hydro and regularly pull the valve and check the condition of the tank myself, just to make sure nothing bad is happening, .



Bob

 

[oly5050user]

Although as a consumer I love the price, as a certified inspector, I cringe at the price when compared to the required tasks and the scope of the work. On top of that is the air, knowing the cost to produce it (I also own and maintain a personal compressor). Something isn't right.... One has to assume corners are cut somewhere....

They say air is a lost leader, made up for elsewhere, but darn, that is really cheap...

Done correctly and with new tank o ring and valve o ring . And still some people complain

 

[azstinger11]

Our local dive shop does Hydros in house, VIP+Fill (air) = $11 it's glorious. $20 Hydro on LPs/AL tanks, $30 for HP tanks.

San Diego Divers for life!