Denied Air Fill Due to Not Safe Air Cert

[DiveLvr]

Has anyone been denied an air fill (or EAD fill) because he tank wasn't certifide as "Safe Air" clean. Safe Air is a certification of a higher level (and more expensive) of cleaning the tank, valve, and o ring of hydocarbons to ensure the tank won't catch fire during filling. Has anyone ever heard of a tank catching fire during a fill?

DiveLvr

 

[Web Monkey]

Has anyone been denied an air fill (or EAD fill) because he tank wasn't certifide as "Safe Air" clean. Safe Air is a certification of a higher level (and more expensive) of cleaning the tank, valve, and o ring of hydocarbons to ensure the tank won't catch fire during filling. Has anyone ever heard of a tank catching fire during a fill?

DiveLvr

I have no idea what "safe air" is, however if the shop fills using a method called "partial pressure blending" where they dump in 100% O2, then top off with air, they require that your tank and valve be "O2 Clean" which reduces the risk of fire and explosion when filling your tank.

If your tank is "O2 Clean" and the shop's air isn't, they should refuse to fill your tank because they may contaminate it.

If your tank is not "O2 Clean" and the shop does partial pressure blending, they'll refuse to fill it with Nitrox because they don't want to risk a disaster.

Terry

 

[mikemill]

I have no idea what "safe air" is

Safe air is air at a quality that won't contaminant an O2 clean tank.

Only reason I can think they'd refuse to fill it with safe air is if the tank isn't O2 clean they might be concerned the tank could contaminant their system.

 

[scubafanatic]

As already mentioned, there are different methods of filling tanks with NITROX, in my area some shops use partial pressure filling (requiring O2 clean tanks) and others use a membrane system or 'bank' (in giant gas storage tanks, pre mixed common NITROX blends like EAN32). I just get mine filled at the pre-banked/membrane shops as it's too much work/$ to keep my tanks O2 clean.

 

[scubamama5]

2nd what "Web Monkey" said...

To go a bit further..
I do know a filler who was injured..burns on his torso..and privates. OUCH ..Was a long time healing...yet it could have been worse, much worse..if he wasn't able to shut down quickly.

A reputable shop should refuse to fill you O2 clean tank...but did they?? Just where has that tank been??
If you have a tank..and we can't verify O2 clean status.

I'll lend you one.

Same price as a nitrox fill.

 

[jvevea]

I have no idea what "safe air" is...
Terry

The term "SafeAir" is American Nitrox Divers International's (ANDI) registered trademark for nitrox blends (including 21%) mixed with oxygen compatible air. ANDI asserts that their standards for air purity are higher than those of other agencies. My guess is that the shop was an ANDI shop and was trying to sell you some expensive stickers. I can't see any way that properly O2 cleaned tanks (without the SafeAir sticker) would filter back into the mixing system to contaminate their equipment.

The ANDI Enriched Air Mixtures manual, which is pretty good in many respects, is full of cute little phrases like "Remember, it may be Nitrox but if is not ANDI, it's not SafeAir." (The typo is theirs, not mine.) Kind of reminds me of a textbook for an X-ray technician training course I was involved in printing many years ago, which had a cartoon character called the Rad Man, who was always popping up saying things like "Remember, the gonads you save may be your own!"

 

[fnfalman]

I take my tanks to shops that use membrane systems. Easy peasy.

 

[Thalassamania]

Any time someone denies you a fill and talks about "safe air" there is a simple drill that you must execute. Put your hand over your wallet and exit the premises as quickly as you can safety ... and never go back.

 

[deepstops]

The term "SafeAir" is American Nitrox Divers International's (ANDI) registered trademark for nitrox blends (including 21%) mixed with oxygen compatible air. ANDI asserts that their standards for air purity are higher than those of other agencies. My guess is that the shop was an ANDI shop and was trying to sell you some expensive stickers. I can't see any way that properly O2 cleaned tanks (without the SafeAir sticker) would filter back into the mixing system to contaminate their equipment.

The ANDI Enriched Air Mixtures manual, which is pretty good in many respects, is full of cute little phrases like "Remember, it may be Nitrox but if is not ANDI, it's not SafeAir." (The typo is theirs, not mine.)

ANDI also requires O2 cleaning for any mixtures above 23.5%.
What is SafeAir?

 

[Scott L]

Has anyone been denied an air fill (or EAD fill) because he tank wasn't certifide as "Safe Air" clean. Safe Air is a certification of a higher level (and more expensive) of cleaning the tank, valve, and o ring of hydocarbons to ensure the tank won't catch fire during filling. Has anyone ever heard of a tank catching fire during a fill?

DiveLvr

Ask them to show you their compressor air quality report and maintenance log...