First air fill of the year

[peter_dorset]

What should you do on your first fill of the season please?

I emptied my tanks down to 75 bar at the end of the season. Tonight will be the first fill of the new season.

Tanks are in date, 02 clean Nitrox, 15L. So, should I empty them before going to LDS or is it OK just to top up to 240 Bar?

Someone told me if you empty a tank the LDS doesn’t fill them without a visual inspection is that right?

Thanks

Peter

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I normally empty the tank and do a fresh VIP. It solves the question of what to do and insures the VIP will not expire mid-season.

Most dive shops will at least want to de-valve the tank and peak inside if it is empty to ensure no water or contaminants entered. The unscrupulous or money hungry shops will charge you for a new VIP. So you need to leave 10 bar or so in the tank to keep the dive shop satisfied.

If it is a nitrox tank with some left over nitrox in it, the shop may prefer to empty it completely and dumping 10 bar is not going to be enough to delay the fill process significantly.

 

[String]

I'd be inclined to say just top up. How long have you had the other air in there?

Ive used and know of others thats used 3 months air without a topup with no issues.

That said a fill from 75 > 240 will cost the same as 0 > 240 bar so you wont save money.

Ive never heard of the last line at all certainly not in the UK and ive taken totally empty tanks (drained for demo purposes!) and had no issues filling up. Provided they didnt empty in water and get contaminated i cant see an issue. The visual and hydro inspections are governed by the regulations and stamp of last test not whether the tank was emptied. If your tank is in test, its in test.

 

[Sideband]

The real question here I think, is Air version 2004 compatible with the new 2005 upgrade? This is why I never buy new shoes. I never know if my old socks will be compatible with the new shoes.

If it is close to time to get a VIP then I'd just go ahead and do it. That way your next VIP will fall at the beginning of the season as well.

Joe

 

[Derek S]

The real question here I think, is Air version 2004 compatible with the new 2005 upgrade? This is why I never buy new shoes. I never know if my old socks will be compatible with the new shoes.

:rofl:

Yeah, imagine the horror divers felt in December of 1999 trying to figure out if their air, tanks and valves were Y2K compliant.

Actually, in all seriousness, this brings up an interesting question. How long is gas "good for" sitting in a tank? Also, are certain gasses more likely to "go bad"? I've got a 32% EANx fill that I got last week that I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to use (we're getting POUNDED by foot after foot of snow and ice), when should I call "uncle" and have the air replaced (if at all)?

 

[skeet]

I have heard that the air in a steel tank will decrease in oxygen percentage in as little as a month and the content in an aluminum will maintain a lot longer.

 

[FatCat]

I have heard that the air in a steel tank will decrease in oxygen percentage in as little as a month and the content in an aluminum will maintain a lot longer.

Mmmph. Just checked the leftovers in one of my Nitrox tanks. Still the same O2 count as two months ago.

Aluminum tanks are illegal in Belgium, so I wouldn't know...

 

[String]

I have heard that the air in a steel tank will decrease in oxygen percentage in as little as a month and the content in an aluminum will maintain a lot longer.

Thats 100% incorrect.

 

[peter_dorset]

I'd be inclined to say just top up. How long have you had the other air in there?

The air has been in for 5 months.

Thanks for the info, think I will just get a top up fill.

Peter

 

[skeet]

I cant find the threads but it was here on the board. There was referance to the o2 being used up in some kind of process inside the steel tank.