Nitrox fills

[jasondbaker]

We ran into a problem this weekend trying to get air fills at a dive shop.

The problem was that my dive buddy was trying to get air fills in tanks with the green nitrox stickers. The dive shop would not put air in the tank because doing so would apparently violate DOT regulations. He would only put nitrox (22-40%) in the tanks. My argument was that the shop could put air in the tank and then just put 21% or AIR on the contents label. I was quoted a DOT regulation -- but that regulation was very open to interpretation.

I have found that some shops in MN will not put nitrox in a tank unless the tank has the fat green nitrox sticker. Some shops just want to see a small nitrox contents label on the tank. And some shops frankly don't care -- they just label the tank with o2%, MOD, and date on duct tape.

This is the first time I have encountered a shop in MN that would not put air into a tank with the nitrox sticker. He would only put air in if the sticker was removed.

I have probably been to 90% of the shops in MN. Is this dive shop right and every other shop in MN wrong?

[DanL]

Was it the SHOP, or the particular INDIVIDUAL in the shop?
Perhaps the shop owner would like a chance to state the shop policy.

[jasondbaker]

Dan, it was both. I was told this was a DOT requirement and therefore it was shop policy.

[LKunze]

I've checked with a couple shops in town and both of them told me that they have not heard of this "regulation". BTW if nobody guessed...I was the one "denied" airfills. : I went to the other shop and got my fills with no problems.

[beeger]

Which shop? Is there a site online where we can read that DOT regulation? I'm curious ... this seems like complete insanity.

[jasondbaker]

It was at Tri-State Diving outside of Detroit Lakes. Gary, the owner, told me his shop was a hydro facility and that he provided training for other shop owners in the state regarding these issues. He quoted DOT, OSHA, etc requirements. He actually showed me the DOT regulation in a book but I don't remember how to find it.

The DOT regulation didn't specifically say "you cannot put air in a tank with a nitrox sticker". It was more generic --something like "the tank must be labled for the gas that you put into it".

His interpretation was that if the tank had a green nitrox sticker it must have nitrox in it or the sticker must be removed. His divers all had separate tanks for nitrox and air.

I really don't know what the right answer is. Maybe he is right and every other shop is bending the rules. Or, maybe he is taking a very strict interpretation of that regulation. I am looking for a definitive answer.

[LKunze]

Exactly...sounds like that's what the "O2% content" sticker is for not the large band "Enriched Air Nitrox" sticker.

His divers all had separate tanks for nitrox and air.

Sounds like a good way to sell more tanks. :

That would suck if you had to go out and buy all new tanks just to use nitrox. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be using nitrox at all if that were the case.

[Gramps]

That's why the duct tape approach with the mix, date, MOD and blender written on it makes sense to me. Easy on, easy off.

I would have said fine, gimme a 22% fill. And by the way, may I borrow a razor knife to remove this damn sticker?

[LKunze]

Problem with that is that many shops won't give you a nitrox fill unless you have the big $8.00 band nitrox sticker though. I realize some shops will but many will not. Personally I'd rather just see a removable content sticker. Seems sufficient to me. :

[chrisw]

That's why the duct tape approach with the mix, date, MOD and blender written on it makes sense to me. Easy
on, easy off.

what is MOD?