Spare Air Bottles- Mini's

[grassyknoll]

Actually, the initial acquisition of a spare air is cheaper than the comperable acquisition of a small pony.
Spare-Air 3000 3.0 Kit, Yellow from LeisurePro.com And then there are a couple other small advantages of the spare air but none of them are UW. Fills are free

Not to split the hair too finely but, I don't see how the fills are free. You are using an adapter to fill off a full size tank yes? So unless you got your tank filled free at least a few cents worth of gas are siphoned off to the SA. Also, IMHO a pony is a better and more cost effective deal, first, you can shop around and get a reg and tank for close to the SA price, you will then have a reg that you can use elswhere as well. Also, some shops such as Sports Chalet give you free fills on pony tanks if you buy through them. You may have more versatility with a pony and reg than just the SA.

 

[ClayJar]

Do These Bottles Have To Be Hydro Tested And Vip'ed Like Normal Cylinders?

Yes, but I should explain.

The VIP isn't a regulation for anything but the 6351 alloy (which the Spare Air cylinder is not), and that's only at hydro time. It *is* standard operating procedure for what seems to be the *vast* majority of fill stations to require a visual within one year of the current date. If you have a Spare Air filled at a fill station, you'll need a visual. If you transfill from your own cylinder or run your own compressor, you don't need to require a visual.

The hydro, on the other hand, has a little complication thrown in that you *should* run into. In order to pass visual inspection, the cylinder must have a current (i.e. within five years, assuming this is the US) valid hydro stamping, so you must have a current hydro for every case where you'd need a current visual. Additionally, there are regulations covering cylinder handling (as a pressurized cylinder is classified as "hazardous material"). The hazmat regs don't apply to an individual transfilling or using their own compressor, but anyone handling your cylinder in a commercial environment is required to follow the regs.

Even if they're going to be lax on the visual, they are required to follow the hydro regs. Of course, if you're not asking anyone to fill the cylinder for you, why does that matter? Well, that little regulator attached to the cylinder needs to be serviced every once in a while, eh? In the course of that service, at some point the cylinder will need to be pressurized, and once it has more than a very low pressure in it (140psi, if my morning brain remembers the regs correctly), it comes under the hazmat regs and therefore must have a current hydro in order to be lawfully handled.

So, if you're ever going to get fills from a fill station, you need a current hydro and visual as the operators customarily require it, and if you're ever going to have the regulator serviced, you need a current hydro, as regulations require it. If you always fill yourself and never get the regulator serviced (or do it yourself, if you're qualified), you don't need a hydro or visual, but in my humble opinion, it seems a good idea to at least have the hydros for your own safety.

I guess that should just about cover it, eh?

 

[Tim Greaves]

I'd say that if you have to make a 15 second emergency ascent from 100' you shouldn't be diving.

Terry

Very true, but the question was asked by someone..

 

[eandiver]

Shouldn't this thread be along side the "I'd like to see a scuba tank explode" in the DIR forum?

 

[ianr33]

I'd say that if you have to make a 15 second emergency ascent from 100' you shouldn't be diving.

Terry

And I'd say that if you ever do that there is a good chance you will not be diving in the future.

 

[Captain12Pk]

"It's absolutely perfect if you want to run out of air twice on the same dive".
AWESOME ... I haven't laughed that good all day. Thanks...