Join DiveBuddy.com

Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Members login here.

#51878
Scuba tank hydrostatic pressure test in Austin or San Antonio TX
Greg - 6/20/2018 8:56 AM
Category: Equipment
Replies: 8

I recently got my scuba air tanks hyrdo inspected at AAA Fire & Safety in Austin TX. They only charged $25 per tank. Local dive shops wanted $50 per tank.

Here is the contact info for AAA Fire & Safety:

512-451-4116
6700 Guadalupe
Austin, TX 78752

210-732-9754
1212 Basse Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78212
#65
TheGeekFreek - 6/20/2018 11:45 AM
Wish I coulda found a deal like that here in Ohio.. Mine going to cost 50$+Parts(5-10$)
Its also going to take 2 weeks to get it back

:(
#4083
divingbear - 6/21/2018 9:29 PM
Holly st hydros only cost me $17 in ny and I was complaining about that...you should get a groupe (dive club) together and ask for a deal for mass hydros...
#20531
Subscribed
Smithsgold - 6/22/2018 10:28 AM
Cost’s me $40 here in Northern California
#12608
Eric_R - 6/22/2018 3:32 PM
I think my LDS was $48 for Hydro, VIP, and Fill. I don’t have a problem with them making money as if they go out of business I would have to travel 60 minutes instead of 20 min.
#51878
Subscribed
Greg - 7/03/2018 11:05 AM
From Eric_R: I think my LDS was $48 for Hydro, VIP, and Fill.

$48 for all of that is pretty good deal. I paid $25 for hydro, then $20 for VIP and Fill.
#60
RN_Diver - 7/17/2018 9:34 PM
At Scuba Hut in Chico, Hydro $25, Visual Eddy $20 (if needed), VIP/VCI $20, valve service $15+parts
#2245
MDW - 11/01/2018 10:22 AM
Yeah, most areas your best bet is to find the nearest fire extinguisher company. They usually have the hydro test equipment right there already for all their own tanks (extinguishers, halon tanks, etc) so they can do SCUBA tanks easily and cheaply because they have already amortized the cost of the equipment (so the SCUBA business is just extra income). Most charge $20 to $25. SCUBA shops charge $50 because they have to send the tanks out (usually to the same fire extinguisher company) for hydro and are paying $25 for that. They want to make some profit for their effort, so they charge you $35 for the $25 hydro and their time to take it there and pick it up. Then they add $15 for the vis (even though that is already a required step in the hydro retest process) and maybe for filling (which you won’t get directly from the hydro tester).
It’s not totally unreasonable; your just paying for the extra convenience of not having to take the tanks to the hydro tester yourself and then go back to the shop for a fill after.
I go directly to Kistler O’Brien Fire Systems because it is just as close as the 2 nearest shops, they take their tanks their for hydro anyway (and I don’t have to wait the extra time for them to get my tanks there and back), and they do the hydro for $20 (Eddy Test $30 if required). With my 20+ tanks, that saves me $500 every 5 years. After they come back from hydro, I vis them myself, put on the stickers and get my fills at Dutch Springs (who also take their rental tanks to Kistler O’Brien for hydro, BTW).