GREGG , A REAL LONG WINDED LOOK AT TANK VISUALS INSPECTION’S AND HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SELF,YOUR WALLET $$$, YOUR LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT,WHAT THE BIG BOYS DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW!
I Agree and second Divebudy Chi! SCUBA TANK INSPECTION IS A REAL HOT TOPIC OF MINE! GET A COOL DRINK READ ON AND ENJOY! THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION AS TO MY RESEARCH AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH,AND NOT ANY ONE (1) AGENCY BASHING!
PSI is a cash cow generator for dive shops, That’s why tons of other agency giants are now in it including PADI!!!and thats got PSI MAD!!! REAL MAD! THEY( PSI ) say the big boys stole their course outlines!
although they may have got a few bad alloy tanks out of service & never really proven off the market!!! and many more great AL tanks destroyed for no reason! because a few fools and notice I say a few cave filled, OVER FILLED some tanks,kept them in over heated Florida cars changing the metallurgical structure and yes BOOM in a shop a tanks may of blown up? was this due to faulty tank? or the fool filling them never relay proven do the research!!!!!
OK I spent a entire half day on the phone not long back trying to get a straight answer JUST ONE! from the Acting president owner ?? of the certifying tank agency PSI he is a BEAUTY! Straight answer never!!~! but ask a question it will be followed by another convoluted question but no answer and he is really protective of his agency! They have been in court more than Perry Mason! They get sued and sue others!!!!!
Probably sue me next BRING IT ON BABY!!! Id love it!! I have more crap on supposedly Certified PSI Instructors and their BULL SHIT SERVICE TECHNIQUES! AND WAYS THEY ARE TRAINED TO RIP FOLKS OFF!! ok not rip off but empty their wallets IMO!!! remember PSI they train & only trains! what their inspector dose has nothing to do with PSI NOTHING AT ALL!! I got guys with PSI stickers that have not attended any classes in years!! slapping PSI stickers on FIRE DEPARTMENT EQUIPMENT! GUYS AND GALS THAT ARE TRYING TO PROTECT YOU AND ME! WITH THEIR LIVES! I call in and report this and get oh well?? we are a training agency and that’s about it no enforcement?? of what any one dose?? Ok back to the phone call,,
I filtered threw some of his BS on my phone call and and came back with why PSI is in existence and one is money! THEY GENERATE BIG MONEY[ 1. for PSI, 2.Next for the gang of gypsy instructors thru out the country pushing this money generating BS this is the layer effect as I think the training instructors are sub contractors not actual agents for PSI as if a layer of protection between the teacher and the students,TO dive shops that are in a dying industry! its on the same line as realities as rel estate home flipping,get rich schemes, so on and so on. diving is dying due to lack of advertising, movies on it, and shows for younger generations to gain interest! And to see the machines of Certification cert giants take the money but put none back go figure! oopps back to tank inspection!
The beginning was way back with a few cold beers in some Florida dive shop damp,musty back room as I think a few good Old boys were trying to figure how they could have fun in the sun and still generate some cash in slow times after bug season or tourist season! and wham salt water in scuba tanks was bad and we can make some money on it!! That was the start,next a tank blows up! BAD,BAD,BAD!!!! NO ONE EVER DID NO WHY! Bad alloy??? Past Over fill’s,fast fill’s,bad treatment of tank ? tank inspection was born!!! This was my take on my conversation and research only!!IMO
OK back to the fact’s Guys and gal’s NO SCUBA TANK NONE!!! STEEL ,AL OR OTHERWISE needs a VIP by any one this is PER D.O.T. regulations And they are the only players The boy’s with the big balls! Pardon the pun! in the compressed gas,tank business Regulation & Manufacturing and transportation of said tanks! The fact are all on line and are pages and sub chapters and links and more crap and law lingual - bingo NO ONE has a enough time to read and all they do is take facts from industries like lets say L.P. gas - CGA a trade association what bite do they have? THEY MAKE NO FEDERAL LAWS!
If you like to learn the truth go to your local TANK HYDRO shop as in Fire suppression equipment dealer and equipment or tank Hydro shop , Get your hydro.s done here and save big money v.s the local LDS trying to rip you off more!!!! or Compressed Gases company i.e. welding gasses and OXYGEN dealer, I have 100% O-2 tanks filled regularly as on our dive boat it seems like the cob webs get cleaned out more than the advanced Deco use!! with a hydro only! Welding gas acetylene,CO-2,Helium,NO VISUAL STICKER! JUST 5 FIVE YEAR HYDRO’s HMM[ Lets think 100% O-2 can make just about any thing burn! no visual sticker!! WERE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!! NOT!!!!!!! The main reason the compressed gas dealers of America are not letting any inspection certification agency on their turf! THE D.O.T. IS THE STANDARD REGULATING AGENCY! THAT’S IT! ENOUGH SAID! As they have a great track record!And make their money the old fashion way the earn it!
Now what do you do or better what can you do? ? a educated person is a smarter consumer beat these grease balls devils at their own game! some basic ideas or tips ! DON’T TAKE MY WORD ON THIS!
1. a dive shop can refuse to fill your scuba tank with a out of date hydro yes go to a hydro shop and get it hydro-ed!
2. A dive shop can not fill or will not fill your tank because its dose not have a current VIP yes, ways around this well many ways to skin a cat! I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS!!! BUT KNOW OF MANY MANY Divers get around this and they do naughty things! 1. one go on ebay buy a generic book of VIP STICKERS by the book and fill em out? seems to be common practice even with past inspectors not updating their training but certifying tanks as inspected and then doing shotty over priced service work! THIS PISSES ME OFF BIG TIME! I think you can tell!, cant find em on Ebay this week! go to some of the major online scuba direct suppliers the ones that’s sell generic regulator rebuild kits and off brand repair parts to the general public or just print your own ! It seems like the agency don’t really care!
3. GO to your local LDS IF YOU THINK YOU CAN TRUST!, mark down all your serial No#s FIRST!and tag each tank with a tag and sticker stating NO OTHER WORK THAN A VISUAL BE PREFORMED! BEFORE OTHER WORK CAN BEGIN YOU MUST CALL! This one keeps them honest or more honest! next you will have less of a chance with tank tumbling or other service B.S. a major source of income for service at LDS shops as this is taught for generating income by the tank inspection training agency’s
4. Learn about your tanks steel or aluminum, treat them kind bleed them down to less than # 200 lbs not much more if you don’t use them in a long period’s!store them in a cool climate controlled area not in your garage subject to major temperature changes. do not keep them in your trunk on hot day’s ! Make sure to rinse in fresh water (after you dive salt water) your tank valve & after regulator removal and crack your valve after each use and prior to filling EVERY TIME!!!If your shop dose not crack a valve for a second prior to a fill move on to another shop or re train the attendant! This is a Major & Common cause of water infiltration into a compressed gas tank!
5. Feel free to take a lookski into your tanks prior to taking them to your LOCAL,[ TRUSTWORTHY, LDS!!! well how do you do that simple again your not going to die got it! its not rocket science its not brain surgery! I consider my self a mental midget and I figured this out! you need to bleed your tanks down SLOW ,REAL SLOW! so first go diving that"s fun right! getting ripped off year after year that’s just not fun right! ok use some air, next in a safe area! like your work shop or garage in a semi clean area take and lightly crack your tank valve REAL SLOW DRAIN OF AIR!! unlike dive shops in a hurry can and I have personally seen this way too many times crack a tank wide open NOT GOOD! compressed air at 3000 #LBS can do a lot of nasty things, next bleeding a tank fast causes the tank to condensate and in steel tanks this can cause rust! and rust causes the shop to tumble your tank and after each tumble your tank needs to have a hydro and after your tank is filled with water it flash rust’s and after the hydro you need a Visual but due to the flash rust the Tank inspector needs to do a tumble OK you see the gimmick it never ends if you go by the rules the guys made to keep us safe from these naughty tanks!
after Airs bleed’s down now get a proper size wrench many guys and dive shops just use the LARGE universal wrench aka adjustable and some carpet to lay tank down between your legs and and give it a crack remember righty tighty and lefty loosie!
6. how can you see in your tank?? its all dark and I am scared! its easy and cheap!! with the advent of cheap LED bulbs you can buy them so cheap on ebay in a strip like plastic rope or a string or stick you can insert and light that tank like time square Cool! cost’s $10 a mirror on ebay or at home depot $4 bucks to look at the neck and threads.
7. a whip?? to keep every one honest! buy one on ebay $100 bucks best item every diver needs to own! crack a few pounds back in your personally inspected scuba tank prior to service! this is a great way to ferret out the RAT’S!
8. My favorite is video !! O- BOY dose this piss off the NAUGHTY ,NAUGHTY Dive shops! I have and sell this cool video camera set up! less [$50 bucks that I scroll across your/ my tank serial No# prior to insertion and then on your computer laptop you have a real time video of the condition in side your tank as it has its own built in light and a time & date stamped just in case you need to get real serious as in a court case !
In closing I personally do not condone NOT/NON trained service of any scuba equipment including tanks or any other life support equipment unless your properly trained! or falsifying or altering any agency’s forms or paper work! that said it could be some one else’s life or some one else who or whom could be injured! not only yours!
BUT if you fill your own tanks like many of us do with air we have had tested we understand the truth of tanks and what service they need and thoughts on how to protect your investment. The facts that are written above only my opinion and may not be facts