Where to get air in Madison?

[John H. Moore]

Refused to fill because I did not have a c-card with me (didn't expect to dive today... just got the offer the same day the tank arrived ... and my other gear has been living in my trunk lately anyway).

Refused to fill even with one of their own DM candidates standing right there saying "hey, I'm diving with this guy tonight, will you fill his tank please?"

And, yes, I realize that the guy was technically correct in refusing to fill my tank.

Meanwhile the guy doing the tank filling wanted me to eddy test my steel tank*, and later he asked me how to tell what the fill pressure was on the tank.

Same shop where I was told a couple months ago that in summer the water temp at depth is usually low 50's and everyone then dives in 3/2 wetsuits. I think they were trying to unload their stock of 3/2 suits. I may not know a whole lot about diving in Wisconsin, but I've been diving in the low 50s (temp) for nine years now and you don't do it in 3/2 wetsuits.

The tank is the newer PST 120 cubic foot tank, nomenclature is "E7-120". It's very similar to the old HP120. Fill pressure is 3442 PSI and it's a smidge lighter.

The 130s (I think that's an E8-130, right? ... don't have my PST spec sheet with me) is tempting just for even more gas, but I've never liked the beast-like LP tanks. Too freakin' heavy!!

Still, you'll have loads of gas to enjoy!!

John

*if it's not clear to anyone, eddy testing is for ALUMINUM tanks; more specifically older aluminum tanks which might possibly be made with the 6351 alloy. To make it simpler, all aluminum tanks get eddy testing ("VIP Plus") but it's mostly the 6351 tanks which are the real concern.

But, heck, it's too much to expect a DIVE shop employee to even know that VIP Plus's are for ALUMINUM tanks, eh?

Grrrrrr.