hydro & vis on a brand new tank

[aowdiver07]

Someone told me that if you buy a brand new tank (which I have never done, always used) that I won,t need a hydro or vis inspection until after a year. I disagreed with this. My problem is that I want to buy a new pony bottle online because of my budget(LDS is a killer) I don't mind spending an extra couple of $$ for the small stuff but when I can save 60-100 bucks, hey, I'm no Donald Trump and this hobby can get pricey. True or not?

[WV Diver]

The hydro on a new tank will be good for 5 years, no problem. The VIP is another story. Depends on your LDS and if they want to honor the VIP sticker on it or not. Some will and some won't. The ones that won't charge you to do a VIP in their shop. It's a racket but nothing you can do about it. If you think your LDS may be one of these types then you may have a problem getting your tank filled. If you live in an area where Dive shops are scarce it could be a real big problem.

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by WV Diver

The hydro on a new tank will be good for 5 years, no problem. The VIP is another story. Depends on your LDS and if they want to honor the VIP sticker on it or not. Some will and some won't. The ones that won't charge you to do a VIP in their shop. It's a racket but nothing you can do about it. If you think your LDS may be one of these types then you may have a problem getting your tank filled. If you live in an area where Dive shops are scarce it could be a real big problem.

I don't know where he is posting from, but I have never had anyone question the VIP on my tanks.. could be because I am such a nice guy... could be the instructor thing... could be I don't like doing business with jerks.

I do, however, have a VIP sticker, even on a brand new tank... I figure the $4 I pay for it is worth not having the discussion with some of the less than sharp people out there.

[in_cavediver]

First, the hydro is good for 5 years after manufacture. Depending on the age of the tank, you may get 3-4-5 years out of it. Some shops will sell 'old' new tanks that have set in inventory unused for a few years for a large discount since they only have a couple years left on the factory hydro.

As for VIP's, as others have said, its a local thing. There is no law requiring them and the standards are all over the board about it. Some will say since its empty, its needs inspected. Me, well, I took and inspection class so if the valve is off, I do a quick inspection. If you go with the included sticker, be sure to put a bit of air in it so its not 'empty'. If you can't do that, you're at the mercy of the LDS.

[navyhmc]

A lot of times, the LDS includes a VIP with the price of the tank. A reputable LDS will do and inspection on a new tank before they put them out for sale as sometimes there's a bit of metal shavings in there that got missed. I can't count how many brand new tanks I had to blow out and double check before putting them out.

[CaptainRon]

I just bought a couple of tanks from ST and they did the VIP on them and included an air fill. Of course I went to the store rather than mail order.

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by aowdiver07

Someone told me that if you buy a brand new tank (which I have never done, always used) that I won,t need a hydro or vis inspection until after a year. I disagreed with this. My problem is that I want to buy a new pony bottle online because of my budget(LDS is a killer) I don't mind spending an extra couple of $$ for the small stuff but when I can save 60-100 bucks, hey, I'm no Donald Trump and this hobby can get pricey. True or not?

Bottom line: you buy from your internet source a new name brand scuba cylinder of recent manufacture....the hydro is good for 5 years....take your purchase to your LDS and have them VIP and fill it---your in business....pretty simple.

[cummings66]

A lot of times it depends on who's putting air in the tank even. I've had them say, tank is empty we must do a vis on it which also means that if a diver breathes a tank down for some reason when they return it the shop will nail them for a vis.

I think the OP is talking about buying a tank from ST's or some place like it and getting it ups'd to them. I think you can safely assume the shop will make you do a vis, if only to teach you a lesson in where to buy things.

[aowdiver07]

Originally Posted by cummings66

A lot of times it depends on who's putting air in the tank even. I've had them say, tank is empty we must do a vis on it which also means that if a diver breathes a tank down for some reason when they return it the shop will nail them for a vis.

I think the OP is talking about buying a tank from ST's or some place like it and getting it ups'd to them. I think you can safely assume the shop will make you do a vis, if only to teach you a lesson in where to buy things.

Exactly, I plan on getting it from ST but my LDS knows what I have and busts my chops for not buying from him, point is, he is way overpriced. I am affiliated witha local dive club and we have our own air bank so I'm not worried about that. So if I buy a new tank from ST it will come with a vis sticker already on it?

[terrillja]

Originally Posted by aowdiver07

Exactly, I plan on getting it from ST but my LDS knows what I have and busts my chops for not buying from him, point is, he is way overpriced. I am affiliated witha local dive club and we have our own air bank so I'm not worried about that. So if I buy a new tank from ST it will come with a vis sticker already on it?

Yes, I just got a pony for my dad, came with an ST vis sticker on it, the lds just looked at it and didn't say anything, just filled it. I know some shops will charge for a vis when the tank has under 500psi in them, some if under 250psi, some could care less. Even if my LDS charged me for a vis, the prices from st are so much better that I can handle the extra charge, ~105 for an al30 from ST, my lds wanted over 150.