Northwest Dive Club

Lately the shops around me have started to consistently give me really lazy fills. I'm dropping off the tanks to be filled over a 24 hour period, so I'm not asking for a rush fill. This is starting to frustrate me as I'm usually bringing in two HP100s that each have 800-1000PSI and getting 2900-3100 fills after they cool to ambient (~60F). And I'm walking out the door with two marks on my card or a ~$17 bill.

I really wish we had a place like Amigos in Florida. Is there a shop out there that charges by the cu-ft? Or a place that can at least get me to ~3500 consistently?

Why is this such a chronic problem? You'd think the shops would get a clue. Tank fills are their most consistent and common interaction with the established customer. Inconsistent and poor fills don't give a good impression, especially as costs go up.

Go visit my good pal Doug at Underwater Sports in Bellevue! He always gives the best fills!

Evergreen Dive Service in Everett has been giving me consistently good fills. Even when I ask for EAN30 in a twinset of steel 72s they come back at 2400 psi and within a tenth or so of 30%.
They now get all of my business for filling tanks.


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If short fills are becoming a consistent problem, start checking your tanks with a pressure checker before accepting them. Point out any short fills and ask that they be remedied before you pay for them. I generally check any tank I don't fill myself as a standard practice before I leave the shop.

It's a good way to ensure that you're not disappointed when you gear up at your dive site. It should also send a message to the shop that you haven't been satisfied with recent fills, or at least provide an opening for you to start a dialogue regarding the issue while you wait for them to top off your tanks.

Probably not an option, but I've had good service at Exotic Acquatics on Bainbridge. I had one fill that was low at 2600 (tank is 3000 psi), brought it to their attention after, and the next fill was free.

Tacoma Scuba has always filled mine to exactly 3442psi on the dot, cant say enough good about them.

Thank you all for the recommendations.

mpenders wrote:If short fills are becoming a consistent problem, start checking your tanks with a pressure checker before accepting them. Point out any short fills and ask that they be remedied before you pay for them. I generally check any tank I don't fill myself as a standard practice before I leave the shop.

It's a good way to ensure that you're not disappointed when you gear up at your dive site. It should also send a message to the shop that you haven't been satisfied with recent fills, or at least provide an opening for you to start a dialogue regarding the issue while you wait for them to top off your tanks.

For my regular shop, I already do this most of the time. I carry my own pressure checker. I have been exceedingly communicative as well as patient and try to be both direct and courteous about the short fills. I also try to set expectations, such as "No rush on this fill, I would greatly appreciate a nice cold fill". I'm trying to be as patient as a can, but it stings when they mark off two fills on my card every time and I'm starting to dread the constant babysitting I have do over this situation.

I'll probably continue the feedback process with my current shop, as all of the suggestions are great but pretty far off for me. Maybe I'll put my gas blending cert to use and consider getting a compressor and booster. I know they are not cost effective, but it would be nice not to have this high-maintenance chore of babysitting my fills.

Edit: Although, I'll definitely try Bellevue since its near my work and see how that goes.

doubtingGunnel wrote:Thank you all for the recommendations.

mpenders wrote:If short fills are becoming a consistent problem, start checking your tanks with a pressure checker before accepting them. Point out any short fills and ask that they be remedied before you pay for them. I generally check any tank I don't fill myself as a standard practice before I leave the shop.

It's a good way to ensure that you're not disappointed when you gear up at your dive site. It should also send a message to the shop that you haven't been satisfied with recent fills, or at least provide an opening for you to start a dialogue regarding the issue while you wait for them to top off your tanks.

For my regular shop, I already do this most of the time. I carry my own pressure checker. I have been exceedingly communicative as well as patient and try to be both direct and courteous about the short fills. I also try to set expectations, such as "No rush on this fill, I would greatly appreciate a nice cold fill". I'm trying to be as patient as a can, but it stings when they mark off two fills on my card every time and I'm starting to dread the constant babysitting I have do over this situation.

I'll probably continue the feedback process with my current shop, as all of the suggestions are great but pretty far off for me. Maybe I'll put my gas blending cert to use and consider getting a compressor and booster. I know they are not cost effective, but it would be nice not to have this high-maintenance chore of babysitting my fills.

Edit: Although, I'll definitely try Bellevue since its near my work and see how that goes.

Amen! I constantly get crap fills from ______, you name it. I have tried 3-4 shops. Honestly, I don't think they give a rip. Every time I take in a LP95 with a plus rating, I have to get out the whiteboard for a quick math lesson. Super frustrating. I just started modifying my dives to accommodate short fills. I am tired of checking, teaching, babysitting, etc. I will say that I can get good fills from certain individuals, but if they are not at the shop, another short fill. I never mention anything on the board because I don't want a lesson in liability and "higher fills shorten the life of the tank" rhetoric.

Wow, that felt good. Thanks for the thread :-)

" I never mention anything on the board because I don't want a lesson in liability and "higher fills shorten the life of the tank" rhetoric. "

You've made me a bit paranoid now. To be absolutely clear: I am not suggesting that my tanks be overfilled or filled quickly. I do expect my tanks to filled to their rated operating pressure at ambient temperature. I realize that my require a top off after sits overnight, but that little effort is greatly appreciated and will get me into the shop on a consistent basis.

i always get craptastic fills... i dont think there is a shop in the puget sound that can fill a tank... and Evergreen is the worst shop for a fill , I avoid them..
i suggest if you want a good fill , then bring a gauge and babysit them.. the more you ride them and vocalize it in the shop , the more they will get the point ..

H20doctor wrote:i dont think there is a shop in the puget sound that can fill a tank...

+1 Doug

YellowEye wrote:

H20doctor wrote:i dont think there is a shop in the puget sound that can fill a tank...

+1 Doug

Hey , my name Is LEGEND ..

Here is the solution to all Our problems !!!

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/spo/5917211091.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50hz-300bar-Hig ... SwnbZYHDzX

... or just do like I do and get bigger tanks ...

Funny story from back when Wally was a partner at Tacoma Scuba (my shop of choice for many excellent reasons). Those of you who knew Wally will get the humor.

I've had an arrangement with the shop for monthly fills since they were first opened about 12 years ago. And one day I'm in the shop picking up some tanks and noticed a pattern ... so I decided to speak up.

Me: Hey Wally ... how come all my LP tanks are coming back with fantastic fills, but all my HP tanks are coming back 200-300 psi short?

Wally: Hey Bob ... how much gas do you usually come back with at the end of a dive?

Me: Oh, maybe 1000-1200 psi.

Wally: Then what the f**k are you complaining about?

... I loved that guy ... he had such a way of getting right to the point ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I miss Wally, he was a trip. The most ADD person I've ever met. But he never sugar coated, just the facts.

As per fills, if you expect the max fill, you have to give the shop time to fill, cool, and fill again (thats what tacoma does). AS I recall, pretty sure Josh lets tanks sit at least 12 hours to cool after first fill.

Tacoma Scuba and TLSea have been good to me. If short they will always go top off no questions asked.

Agreed with ScubaJess and YellowEye! Doug at UWsports in Bellevue always gives me great fills. I've never had a problem or gotten shorted. Highly recommended if your on the Eastside.

For years, literally years I've had great results from Lake City Lighthouse. But, it all depends on WHO is filling the tanks. They have a new manager, seems like a good guy, so we'll see. Right now, I'm checking again.

fmerkel wrote:For years, literally years I've had great results from Lake City Lighthouse. But, it all depends on WHO is filling the tanks. They have a new manager, seems like a good guy, so we'll see. Right now, I'm checking again.

fritz , i saw your post over on scuba Board .. quite the headache .. seems the seattle store has had 2 major Issues with the compressor and have switched the system 2x now .. the last stint was due to filters being used up and the systems shuts down after so many Hrs running..
Now Tim is Gone , which really sucks , cause i love Tim and He is such a cool Guy and great store employee ... The new Guy Harry Hired , some dive instructor / course Director has been rubbing me the wrong way also when he talks ..
Any way sorry to hear about the Nitrox issue , seems pretty silly as there is No agency to monitor or set standards for dive shops , and How they run Nitrox systems ...

I love my toy compressor

Yes, having your own compressor is the trick pony, and a booster for tri mix.

Regarding Doug at UWS Bellevue: Sure, he gets all the credit, but we all know it's Mary Winn who really does the work.
Okay, seriously, I get great fills from all three people there at Bellevue.

H20doctor wrote:

fmerkel wrote:For years, literally years I've had great results from Lake City Lighthouse. But, it all depends on WHO is filling the tanks. They have a new manager, seems like a good guy, so we'll see. Right now, I'm checking again.

fritz , i saw your post over on scuba Board .. quite the headache .. seems the seattle store has had 2 major Issues with the compressor and have switched the system 2x now .. the last stint was due to filters being used up and the systems shuts down after so many Hrs running..
Now Tim is Gone , which really sucks , cause i love Tim and He is such a cool Guy and great store employee ... The new Guy Harry Hired , some dive instructor / course Director has been rubbing me the wrong way also when he talks ..
Any way sorry to hear about the Nitrox issue , seems pretty silly as there is No agency to monitor or set standards for dive shops , and How they run Nitrox systems ...

If you believe Arly Buchanan at Tacoma LH there is an agency, PSI-PCI. He started this as a result of a refresher course at DEMA when my NITROX tanks were sent there due to the compressor being out of commission waiting for filters.

I think Frank may be good for the shop, but he's not Tim. Right now he's caught in this NITROX mess himself. He takes awhile to warm up.

johndo88 wrote:Regarding Doug at UWS Bellevue: Sure, he gets all the credit, but we all know it's Mary Winn who really does the work.
Okay, seriously, I get great fills from all three people there at Bellevue.

I saw your doubles last week at Bellevue Underwater Sports what kind of manifold are you running on those?