If you’re an avid scuba diver and love exploring the ocean depths, I’m sure you would know how vital your diving tank is to you as a survival tool—running into tank complications while underwater could be catastrophic and put you in life and death situations.
To avoid such problems, it’s best to conduct periodic inspections of your scuba diving tank. Apart from the recommended annual inspection and servicing of your equipment, it is also essential to keep in mind necessary government regulations regarding these inspections and to not just get your tanks inspected but your BCD and regulator mouthpiece as well.
Want to learn about scuba cylinders and the best ways to inspect them? Keep reading on!
Why Do You Need The Recommended Annual Service?
Scuba tanks are complicated instruments with dozens of intricate parts which allow it to perform well. When these parts, such as rings and rubber valve seals, are exposed to salty, corrosive seawater, they can loosen up and cause leakages in the tank.
Metallic bearings and bolts can also get damaged, eroded, or wear down over time, leading to reduced structural integrity. Thus in the early 1950s, divers all around agreed that an annual checkup of the equipment should suffice to ensure the proper working of their equipment.
Why Do Divers Often Avoid This Service?
While it is true that diving equipment has changed and improved a lot since the 1950s and now uses better quality industrial parts that last much longer than a year, divers should still get their equipment checked annually.
The main reason divers avoid this annual servicing is that they see the servicing business as a money-making scheme and a yearly charge that is not really needed. But when it comes to life and death situations, we recommend that you ensure that your equipment is regularly serviced.
Are There Any Government Regulations?
When talking about inspecting your scuba equipment, it is important to keep in mind your local government regulations to ensure that you are not breaking any laws. Although most governments do not require a visual inspection, hydrostatic inspections, where the equipment is submerged and exposed to various water pressures to test its integrity, are highly mandated.
In the US for example, annual visual inspections are not mandated by the USA DOT (Department of Transportation); hydrostatic inspections are mandated to be carried out every five years and can land you in serious legal trouble if not done so.
In the European Union, visual inspections are mandated every 2.5 years, while hydrostatic tests are to be conducted every five years, while in Australia, hydrostatic testing has to be done on the cylinders every twelve months. Be sure to check your local laws to see how often your inspections are mandated.
What Parts Need Inspection?
A scuba cylinder is linked to many other parts, and all these parts require timely inspection for the gear to do its job properly.
Before reading on, watch this video for more detail
What Is The Regulator?
The regulator is one of the most crucial parts of your dive gear; it transports the oxygen in the tanks to your mouth via a mouthpiece as needed and thus should be taken care of and serviced appropriately. The dozens of intricate parts and bolts that make up the mouthpiece mean that they should only be serviced by a licensed professional.
How To Inspect The Regulator?
The regulator is taken apart piece by piece, which is checked for wear and tear. The ring fittings are changed out regardless, and the rest of the parts are cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner, after which it is tested for real case uses like inhalation effort, resistance while exhaling, and the interstage pressure.
Although inspections are regulated differently according to your local laws, it is a rule of thumb to get it checked out every 80-100 dives for faults and should be immediately inspected if you feel any sort of resistance or issues while on a dive. It is good to take precautions rather than wait for the scheduled inspection by the equipment provider.
What Is The BCD?
The buoyancy control device, or the BCD, is another integral component that makes up your scuba gear. Many divers often overlook the BCD as it only helps you control your weight under pressure but also affects the pressure at which your scuba tank pumps air.
How Is A BCD Inspected?
A BCD inspection usually involves complete disassembly and assessment of parts for damage, followed by reassembly and a comprehensive leak test. The BCD should usually be serviced as intrusted by the manufacturer, but it is usually a good idea to get it inspected and serviced alongside your mouthpiece regulator, as this would save both time and money on your trips to the service provider, as well as ensure that it is always in a top-notch condition.
Why Should You Get Your Tank Inspected?
Apart from being the biggest member of your scuba diving gear, the tank is also the most important part of your equipment, as it stores the very gas you will be breathing underwater. It is hence very important that you get it inspected on time and never skip out on inspections.
How Is A Tank Inspected?
A visual inspection of the tanks includes checking for external corrosion and dents on the metal, as well as checking for cracking to ensure that your tank does not fall short of its expected life period. This is usually followed by a hydrostatic test where the tank is pressurized to more than its maximum rated pressure and checked for its strength.
In Conclusion
To recap, it is recommended to get your mouthpiece regulator, BCD, and tank valve serviced annually and to get your tank serviced at least every three years.
If you’re renting your equipment, always make sure it has undergone timely inspection and servicing so that you can have a fun and safe time exploring the ocean depths!
