VIP / Fill

[Bob DBF]

And this is the right way. Or, the hydroing/VIPing shop should have filled the damn tank.

The hydro outfit I used used to fill, but when their compressor broke down and they couldn't justify replacing it because the dive shops took the business they had historically. They put VIP stickers on as part of the hydro, but once they started charging for the sticker and didn't fill, I had my local shop do both instead.

It's crazy....I WANT to give the shop my business, but not if every time I go in there I feel like they pull out the lube. This isn't the first time I've felt like "really"?

Time to look for a new shop.



Bob

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I am well aware of "Empty? We need to do a VIP." If there is a recent inspection, simply popping the valve, and a quick peek usually is not charged. That being said, "you said used set of hp100's" - is this manifold doubles? If so, your cost could also include taking them apart, and reassembly (shops here will charge for that on top of a visual). Yeah, it sucks whoever did the prior work failed to put some air in them....

No doubles. Just plain jane single XS Scuba 100's

Time to look for a new shop.
Bob

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. 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......

 

[Scuba-74]

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.

That definitely is a bit high; my LDS charges $19 for a viz with fill. But I think what's unreasonable is what the first shop did. Put valve on a tank and not fill? What sense does that make? They knew they'd create problems for someone in the future...

 

[rhwestfall]

sorry....

 

[Wookie]

Spend $44 on this transfill whip. Scuba to Scuba tank Refill Station rated at 3660 psi Max with 34" Fill whip | eBay Then, rent a tank and dump 1000 into each tank, voila, no more empty tanks.

 

[-JD-]

@rob.mwpropane If you decide to go up to Dutch this weekend, I'm not far from the 476 interchange where it changes to toll and you can easily continue up to the next interchange to get on there. I have a transfill whip and plenty of tanks you can bump off of. Sorry, but I won't be at Dutch to do it there. Hit me up in our PMs if you decide to come up.

When you told me before that they hadn't filled them, I assumed that they had just put a few hundred psi in to hold them. Just stupid on the part of the VIPing shop ...

 

[rob.mwpropane]

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? Understood about opening and making sure no moisture was inside, rust, etc. But how in depth do they really go with a vip? How "in depth" do you guys go? Are you getting a light and just doing a spot check, or are you more thorough?

If I had to guess, I would bet the 20 year old kid at the LDS would have spent all of ~ 30 seconds looking inside the tanks.

 

[Wookie]

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? Understood about opening and making sure no moisture was inside, rust, etc. But how in depth do they really go with a vip? How "in depth" do you guys go? Are you getting a light and just doing a spot check, or are you more thorough?

If I had to guess, I would bet the 20 year old kid at the LDS would have spent all of ~ 30 seconds looking inside the tanks.

That 20-30 seconds is all he needs in there. In that time, he will know if water was introduced, if there is a need to spend more time looking, and he can check the neck for deformities (especially with aluminum). I always fight with dive shops to not introduce water into my steel cylinders, and for my own peace of mind, I want them looked in every year.

I am certified and qualified to look in my own. My wife is the tank inspector at the LDS, so it's not as big a deal for me as it is for you.

 

[aviator8]

If it just passed vip assuming it was done correctly at most you might have some flash rust. Personally I’d tumble it out. The real risk is not viping yearly and having an accumulation that results in pitting over time. If I did not see rust and you are careful about not introducing moisture personally I’d put it back together and fill.

 

[Tribal]

Don’t you have fill “vendingmachines”? Put some change in, get them filled and next time you go for a fill at the lds they won’t be empty.