How to Refill a SCUBA Tank
You finally bought your own SCUBA tanks, now what? How do you refill a SCUBA tank? Let’s discuss some important steps to ensure a safe fill of air for your next dive.
Visual Inspection
The first thing to do before refilling a tank is to make sure it is within inspection dates. Tank inspections are for the safety of the filler and you as the diver. A visual inspection sticker is on every tank and lists the date the test was performed. Every year SCUBA tanks require a visual inspection. A certified inspector will release all of the air from your tank, unscrew the tank valve, and have a look inside for any cracks, rust, or corrosion.
If your tank passes this inspection, it will have a sticker attached to the tank with the date of the inspection. At this point, your tank will be refilled as part of the process. If your tank fails the inspection, it will be decommissioned and no longer able to be used.
Hydrostatic Inspection
Another test that a refill station will look for on your tank is a hydrostat test date. This is usually done every 5 years. A tank is drained of air and filled with water to test for expansion and leaks. Again, this is a pass or fail test. If it passes, the dates are stamped into the tank. If the tank fails this test, it is decommissioned.