double10 Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Hi all, got myself a scuba tank on ebay but it is out of test, seeing as I paid £60 for the tank and then need to spend another £50 odd on hose etc, I'm trying to find the cheapest place in East Sussex to get it tested. One place said £60-£80 to get it done, one in brighton said £55, but in Eastbourne it's £36, is that about the cheapest I'm likely to find? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Not totally sure but don't know if it needs to be tested as your not using it for scuba diving? I may be in correct and would some one correct me if I am! I've had mine years and Neva had a test of any kind, just take to shop and get it filled no questions asked bout a test! Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Some places who fill them will refuse if it's not in test! Don't know if this is jus scuba centres though ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Yeah see your point, a suba center would prob want a test, take mine to local gun shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Note : my wife is a qualified IDEST cylinder tester, dive instructor, and fully qualified to do air/nitrox/trimix fills for divers. She works in a dive shop. All this comes from her : Any centre (whether dive shop or gunshop) that will fill when out of test is in breach of their insurance. If something goes wrong (cylinder explodes, and it does happen on occasion), then the cylinder basically turns into something similar to a bomb casing. Shrapnel, in other words. Last case that I heard of where a cylinder failed (while being filled) one person lost an arm, their dog was killed by the shrapnel. For cylinders that are suitable to be used for diving (the valve, whether a contents gauge is built into the valve, etc) the cylinder requires a visual inspection every 30 months, and a hydrostatic (pressure) test every 60 months. For cylinders that are NOT suitable for diving, only the hydrostatic inspection (5 yrs, 60 months). The shop she works at charges £38 including parts, BUT please note that some of the pillar valves are now obsolete, and service parts are not available for them. In those cases, a new valve is required, which pushes the price up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Not totally sure but don't know if it needs to be tested as your not using it for scuba diving? I may be in correct and would some one correct me if I am! I've had mine years and Neva had a test of any kind, just take to shop and get it filled no questions asked bout a test! Hope this helps! You are essentially storing a bomb in your house , I would not use a untested bottle , any corrosion is going to be from the inside out and you will not know until its too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 From BSAC (note, different to BASC !) http://www.bsac.org/news.56.htm Now, that's a cylinder used for diving, I'll agree. And it may have been abused (decanting into another pony cylinder or DSMB filler) which could have introduced water. But you don't want to be anywhere near something like that if it fails. The other area where failure occurs is in the valve/neck thread area. This is caused by filling over the cylinder rated pressure (some are 200 bar, most are 232 bar, some are 300 bar). Basically, if you overfill (especially repeatedly) then the thread gets 'stretched' and can fail catastrophically. Even though that is very unlikely, when you come to the cylinder test time the expansion in the thread might be enough to cause the cylinder to fail the test. Result : cylinder scrapped (if it fails, then by law it MUST be destroyed before being given back to you - usually this is done by cutting the cylinder up, or grinding out the thread so a valve cannot be refitted. Not totally sure but don't know if it needs to be tested as your not using it for scuba diving? I may be in correct and would some one correct me if I am! I've had mine years and Neva had a test of any kind, just take to shop and get it filled no questions asked bout a test! Hope this helps! Do remember this : your car tyres are usually at 2 to 2.5 bar pressure. A tyre failing is a fairly heft 'whump'. Now consider a steel cylinder failing with 100 times the pressure inside it. Still happy to have 'no questions asked' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therealchucknorris Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Yep, test every five years for the surface only ones. Pays to shop around - £8 price difference between the two main places in Swindon (£31 vs £39). That and the more expensive one made up some story about people not wanting to test them and he probably wouldn't do it. Made my decision really easy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam1e Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 I don't recall what I paid for my test and refill around a year ago, but I had 2 dive shop companies in the Gloucestershire area try and tell me that my genuine Webley and Scott 3 bar tank was a cheap Chinese copy and they didn't have the "right" thread adapters to test it. And also, it was "dangerous"!! I could smell B.S, so after taking some advice, I took it to "Scoobaboosta" in Warwick. He told me they were talking C---! The tank passed its test and I got my refill.... Just a bit of general advice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaikat Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 Not sure if this is an option, but heard of people filling them by an air compressor themselves. Anybody seen or done this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 Note : my wife is a qualified IDEST cylinder tester, dive instructor, and fully qualified to do air/nitrox/trimix fills for divers. She works in a dive shop. All this comes from her : Any centre (whether dive shop or gunshop) that will fill when out of test is in breach of their insurance. If something goes wrong (cylinder explodes, and it does happen on occasion), then the cylinder basically turns into something similar to a bomb casing. Shrapnel, in other words. Last case that I heard of where a cylinder failed (while being filled) one person lost an arm, their dog was killed by the shrapnel. For cylinders that are suitable to be used for diving (the valve, whether a contents gauge is built into the valve, etc) the cylinder requires a visual inspection every 30 months, and a hydrostatic (pressure) test every 60 months. For cylinders that are NOT suitable for diving, only the hydrostatic inspection (5 yrs, 60 months). The shop she works at charges £38 including parts, BUT please note that some of the pillar valves are now obsolete, and service parts are not available for them. In those cases, a new valve is required, which pushes the price up. Absolutely. If the cylinder arrived totally empty, I'd have it examined internally before getting it tested. It's more than likely that the 'test centre' would insist upon doing it anyway particularly as it was out of date - the last charge date will (should) be marked. There is good reason why any cylinder is never normally fully discharged. Not sure if this is an option, but heard of people filling them by an air compressor themselves. Anybody seen or done this? Complete with plenty of moisture laden air no doubt. Crass stupidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincs1963 Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 Absolutely. If the cylinder arrived totally empty, I'd have it examined internally before getting it tested. It's more than likely that the 'test centre' would insist upon doing it anyway particularly as it was out of date - the last charge date will (should) be marked. There is good reason why any cylinder is never normally fully discharged. Complete with plenty of moisture laden air no doubt. Crass stupidity. Not mention your normal workshop air compressor maxes out at about 150 psi. A compressor to fill to diving/shooting pressures is very specialized and expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double10 Posted May 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 ok so £36 is about right, thanks for the answers ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted May 25, 2014 Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 Give http://www.oceanviewdiving.co.uk/ a shout, they are who I use and never had issue with them yet, can't remember what a test costs though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theskyfox Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 Hi, Just my two cents....I've got a 300bar 12 litre bottle. All cylinders need to be "in test" for them to be filled. I understand that the test is the same for both regardless of actual real world use. The biggest variable is the type of valve you have fitted - Surface only valves require the cylinder to be inspected and tested once every 5 years, the underwater ones every 2 years. My local dive shop (where I get mine filled) charges about £50 for testing and sends it off to a separate test facility (which takes about a week). Simply put if it passes you get the bottle back. If it doesn't...they can't give it back to you and scrap it. Personally I wouldn't buy a tank that is out of test because if it fails the test you could end up parted from your money and the test cost! -Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 Hi, Just my two cents....I've got a 300bar 12 litre bottle. All cylinders need to be "in test" for them to be filled. I understand that the test is the same for both regardless of actual real world use. The biggest variable is the type of valve you have fitted - Surface only valves require the cylinder to be inspected and tested once every 5 years, the underwater ones every 2 years. My local dive shop (where I get mine filled) charges about £50 for testing and sends it off to a separate test facility (which takes about a week). Simply put if it passes you get the bottle back. If it doesn't...they can't give it back to you and scrap it. Personally I wouldn't buy a tank that is out of test because if it fails the test you could end up parted from your money and the test cost! -Andrew The only thing wrong is that cylinders for diving are a visual inspection (internal and external, with servicing of the pillar valve) every 2.5 years, not 2 years. All cylinders are the full hydrostatic test every 5 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggybert Posted June 1, 2014 Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 Hi Double10 Could you let me know the name of the place in Eastbourne that can perform the tests? Cheers Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double10 Posted June 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) Dive machine I think they're called ^^ probably in yellow pages or google them Edited June 1, 2014 by double10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
den5008 Posted June 1, 2014 Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) Hi, Just my two cents....I've got a 300bar 12 litre bottle. All cylinders need to be "in test" for them to be filled. I understand that the test is the same for both regardless of actual real world use. The biggest variable is the type of valve you have fitted - Surface only valves require the cylinder to be inspected and tested once every 5 years, the underwater ones every 2 years. My local dive shop (where I get mine filled) charges about £50 for testing and sends it off to a separate test facility (which takes about a week). Simply put if it passes you get the bottle back. If it doesn't...they can't give it back to you and scrap it. Personally I wouldn't buy a tank that is out of test because if it fails the test you could end up parted from your money and the test cost! -Andrew Andrew were abouts in Essex do you get yours filled.I have a 3 litre and 7 litre bottle both 300 bar,but the shop were I use to get them filled at Adventures in Diving in chelmsford has gone and the dive shops down my way only do 232 bar. atb Den Edited June 1, 2014 by den5008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lees Posted June 1, 2014 Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 There is good reason why any cylinder is never normally fully discharged. Why's that? We fully empty and refill a pair of cylinders once or twice a week, they are composite not steel though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted June 1, 2014 Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 Andrew were abouts in Essex do you get yours filled.I have a 3 litre and 7 litre bottle both 300 bar,but the shop were I use to get them filled at Adventures in Diving in chelmsford has gone and the dive shops down my way only do 232 bar. atb Den Theres 2 dive centre places in Basildon on one of the industrial estates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
den5008 Posted June 1, 2014 Report Share Posted June 1, 2014 Cheers Taxi ,I'll have to look into it. Den Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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