What's a cave fill?

[Dive-aholic]

Alright, any of you that know me are probably wondering WTH! But it's a serious question. What is a cave fill these days? I'm still getting my tanks slow filled to 3700-3800 so they cool off to 3600. However, in this thread there is talk of some shops filling tanks to 4000+. Is this becoming standard practice in central cave country now?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I always though a cool 4,000 was a cave fill. Did it change?

 

[daniel f aleman]

Get bigger tanks.

 

[Cave Diver]

Alright, any of you that know me are probably wondering WTH! But it's a serious question. What is a cave fill these days? I'm still getting my tanks slow filled to 3700-3800 so they cool off to 3600. However, in this thread there is talk of some shops filling tanks to 4000+. Is this becoming standard practice in central cave country now?

We'd generally go to 3600 when getting tanks filled.

I have seen tanks filled 4000+ several times. Strangely enough, the highest I've ever seen a tank filled to was in the Keys, not cave country.

 

[TSandM]

I picked up rental 95s with 3900 psi in them in High Springs. Felt like I had a nuclear weapon on my back.

 

[Bob]

A normal fill for my LP 104's is 3500 PSI... almtree: Bob

 

[do it easy]

It always creeps me out when I hear the bands creaking as the tanks expand!

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

A translation:

American fill-> Rest of World

‘LP’ fill = (2400 psi/ 165 bar): an empty tank. Good reason to go abuse the tank monkey.
'LP'? fill = (3000 psi/206 bar): a weak fill - complain unless they are using a tiny compressor
‘HP’ fill = (3400 psi/ 234 bar): a normal tank fill.
‘Cave’ fill = (4000 psi/275 bar): a better than normal fill.

Hell knows what you guys would call our normal ‘high pressure’ fills (300 bar/4350 psi).

Still – when my 300 bar DIN valve pops out and takes my skull off you may all nod you head knowingly and say ‘I told him so’.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Meng_Tze]

Usually up to 3600 psi cooled, sometimes 3800. Funny thing is that 4000 psi is just 400/200 more, but is a barrier I do not feel comfortable with. It is a psychological thing I guess.

 

[ianr33]

I like 3600 'cos it makes the math easy.

That way I just turn when my tank is "full."