Recently reviewed the scuba cylinder visual inspection information and previously we stated that a cylinder needs to be visually tested at least once a year. The actual figure, as you may be aware are aware in the UK should be 2.5 years.
In general a visual inspections of cylinders are dictated by local laws and the idc guide equipment theory notes previously didn’t point that out well enough. So it has now been changed. Its important to note that this PADI IDC Guide isn’t designed just for the UK market but for the International market and PADI give the same International direction in their dive theory questions and answers,. So this question, on visual inspection frequency for scuba cylinders, should it turn up, in your PADI IDC or IE exams should be answered with ‘yearly or as dictated by local laws’.
For your information the whole equipment section is currently under review by a Course Director, as always we constantly revise and update the notes in response to new guidelines from PADI
So a visual inspection is dictated by local laws for the specific country, every year as with the PADI guidelines The U.S. Department of Transportation rules require an annual visual inspection of all scuba tanks which compares against the UK that requires a Visual Inspection (every 2.5 years)
But we would ask? what if the tank was used at a dive centre?
how many times would it have been filled in six months? now those are the key questions
IDC Guide Advice: As a minimum a visual inspection should be conducted annually, especially if the tank is in constant use.