VIP / Fill

[aviator8]

Hydro 38 at my shop vip 25 with fill. My previous shop charged me a 35 vip when I brought my tank back with 200psi. I fired them.

 

[Saniflush]

Understanding that I am not learned in the art of tank inspection, I am going to ask a dumb question. What pressure (or lack thereof) constitutes an empty tank? Is there a standard for this?

 

[rhwestfall]

Understanding that I am not learned in the art of tank inspection, I am going to ask a dumb question. What pressure (or lack thereof) constitutes an empty tank? Is there a standard for this?

crack the valve and it expels air...

 

[Saniflush]

crack the valve and it expels air...

Ok, going under that definition is it normal to crack the valve before you have put a fill whip on it? I haven't ever seen it done but maybe that is because it wasn't a freshly hydro'd tank.

 

[tr3a]

When I bring mine in I usually crack the valve myself as well as making sure my reserve levers are down (most of my cylinders are old).

 

[Wookie]

Ok, going under that definition is it normal to crack the valve before you have put a fill whip on it? I haven't ever seen it done but maybe that is because it wasn't a freshly hydro'd tank.

A proper fill includes cracking the valve to expel any water in the valve (and on the face) as well as cracking the whip to expel any water that may be in the whip end. These tiny droplets of water likely result in 90% of water damage in cylinders, but you’ll only see it in the very best trained shops and fill stations.

Additionally, it takes tank pressure to seat the o-ring between the yoke and valve face.

 

[Zef]

At this side of the world there are many.
View attachment 549075
this is a bigger one with 200 and 300 bar fills and air and nitrox. There are a lot of them that only offer 200bar air.

for nitrox you do need coins from a dive shop, they check your C-card. Air is possible with money.

Is that the fill station near the bridge in Zeeland Netherlands?

-Z

 

[Hickdive]

How did the shop that inspected them test for leaks if not by filling them?

 

[Saniflush]

A proper fill includes cracking the valve to expel any water in the valve (and on the face) as well as cracking the whip to expel any water that may be in the whip end. These tiny droplets of water likely result in 90% of water damage in cylinders, but you’ll only see it in the very best trained shops and fill stations.

Additionally, it takes tank pressure to seat the o-ring between the yoke and valve face.

Thank you for the information. That makes perfect sense. I can say I have never really looked that closely when getting tanks filled so it's possible that it was happening and I have just been missing that detail. Will look for it from now on when I have the opportunity.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Really grateful for everyone's responses.

Upon looking at the tanks (there's a few stickers) I see that the VIP sticker is just a generic sticker from XS Scuba. No number or dive shop on it (it does look brand new and has 10/19 punched on it). Leads me to believe that an actual VIP might not have been done. I would assume that the proper way to do a vip is to at least add some psi so moisture can't get into the tank, but that's just an assumption?

Plan now is to get a proper VIP and fill from a shop....just maybe not THAT shop.

Always learning.....