New Tank o2 Clean?

[RMur]

I purchased a new Faber Steel 95.

I asked my LDS to perform a VIP and fill with EAN32.

They seem to insist that the tank needs to be o2 cleaned (washed) before they will fill it.

Let's assume they are using partial pressure blending (which I believe they do) - this tank is brand new from the factory with the plug still in the neck and a new valve assembly still in the box. Isn't this tank O2 ready?

Or is my LDS just trying to wring a few extra bucks out of my for the o2 cleaning?

[skdvr]

It needs to be cleaned....

Check out this thread
Question on O2 Cleaning

So unless the tank has a sticker on it that says it is ready for O2 service it needs to be cleaned. Even if it had that sticker I would still want to clean it...

Phil

[FishFood]

No LDS is going to push O2 cleaning on a tank unless it really needs it. Too much of a hassle...(assuming they do it correctly)

[RMur]

Sounds like I may be paranoid. I've had some bad experiences with LDSs although not with the shop with which I am currently working.

If the tank NEEDS to be o2 washed - no problem.

Here is another question that occurs to me on this matter however.

After the tank is o2 cleaned - how do I maintain the o2 clean status as I have the tank filled at other venues?

I'm thinking about when I take the tank and have it filled with air? What should I be looking for to maintain the o2 status?

[ScaredSilly]

Originally Posted by RMur

After the tank is o2 cleaned - how do I maintain the o2 clean status as I have the tank filled at other venues?

I'm thinking about when I take the tank and have it filled with air? What should I be looking for to maintain the o2 status?

You have it filled with O2 compatible air - Mod Grade E air.

If that is not possible then the question is how clean is the air be put in it? If from a really good shop you might be able to put many fills before having to reclean your cylinder. With another shop you might want to reclean it immediately.

[skdvr]

Yes as stated to maintain your O2 clean you should fill it with Modified Grade "E" air, some shops call it O2 compatible air.

Now just because the air is not certified Modified Grade "E" does not mean that if you get a fill that the tank is automatically NOT O2 clean anymore. It really depends on how unclean the air is. The air is supposed to be Grade "E" for regular scuba air, so hopefully it is at least that clean, and most shops with Grade "E" air actually meet the standards for Modified Grade "E" it is just that they did not pay the extra for that test. So realistically you could get fills with regular scuba air and not void your O2 cleaning, BUT you are not the one taking the chance in filling your tanks. So if your LDS finds out that you got a fill from an air source other than Modified Grade "E" they will probably pull the sticker and want to clean it again. In all seriousness though just because you get a fill or two from some place with Grade "E" does not mean that the tank will blow up on the next O2 fill. Unless that air going into your tank was very contaminated. Now if you are filling all the time from someplace without Modified Grade "E" air then the contaminants will build up over time, as they will with getting Nitrox fills. It will just be faster if you are not using O2 compatible air.

Personally if I am getting lots and lots of air fills on my tanks that are O2 clean, I will not go a whole year without cleaning them again. I might do it at 8 or 9 months instead of 12.

It is a little confusing but hopefully that helps out a little...

Phil

[RMur]

Thanks for the info guys - Modified Grade E sounds like what I should look for.

On an unrelated matter - the shop called and indicated that they were OK with the tank from the factory for o2. Maybe they are not using partial pressure blending after all.

[mike_s]

Originally Posted by RMur

I purchased a new Faber Steel 95.

I asked my LDS to perform a VIP and fill with EAN32.

They seem to insist that the tank needs to be o2 cleaned (washed) before they will fill it.

Let's assume they are using partial pressure blending (which I believe they do) - this tank is brand new from the factory with the plug still in the neck and a new valve assembly still in the box. Isn't this tank O2 ready?

Or is my LDS just trying to wring a few extra bucks out of my for the o2 cleaning?

I've got an email from the sales manager of Blue Steel, the US Distributor of Faber tanks that states that all Faber tanks come from the factory o2 clean. (Please read on before believing this....)

I've also gotten in 4 Faber tanks that had powder in them and several more that had grease in the threads. BTW... these also had the the plastic plug in the threads also. The plug only seals the tank. If it was dirty before hand then all they did is preserve the "filth".

This right here to me is proof that you can't be sure of any tank manufacturer that says their tank is clean.

A tank is only clean if you yourself (or a LDS you trust) has cleaned it using a standarized procedure.


So, your LDS has prob run into the same issues I have before, several times. There is a reason they are wanting to o2 clean it (for partial pressure filling). If you've seen the brand-new-tanks-with-plastic-plug-tanks that I have that were dirty, then you'd agree. (And I guarentee you that I haven't seen as many as other folks have).


so bottom line is that don't trust any new ank, regardless if there is a sticker on it that says it's o2 clean, regardless of brand.

[RMur]

Thanks for the warning Mike.

The LDS is performing a visual. Would they notice a problem like powder or grease during that inspection? (In which case I expect they would perform the 02 cleaning).

[skdvr]

Originally Posted by RMur

Thanks for the warning Mike.

The LDS is performing a visual. Would they notice a problem like powder or grease during that inspection? (In which case I expect they would perform the 02 cleaning).

Yes they would notice that type of stuff on the Vis. Well they should notice that type of stuff on the Vis anyway.

Phil