High pressure or low pressure tank

[Peter69_56]

They're nearly all over-engineered.

Seems you would take issue with my almost exclusively LP steel tank collection and my filling habits.

Aren't nearly identical tanks sold in other regulatory environments with higher fill pressures?

My interest is more curiosity. People will do what people will do, regardless of regulations and guidelines.

I am not aware in OZ of any cylinders here with overfill ratings (I could be wrong??????), regardless of the content of the cylinder

 

[Chugwhump]

My interest is more curiosity. People will do what people will do, regardless of regulations and guidelines.
I am not aware in OZ of any cylinders here with overfill ratings (I could be wrong??????), regardless of the content of the cylinder

Your neighborhood is far more neurotic than some of our neighborhoods on regulations and guidelines on this side of the western pond.
And that is OK by me.
As stated earlier, the failure rate of steel tanks in what some call "cave country" is minuscule.
I do not expect my tanks to last forever.
I buy them used, typically for a great price, and have gotten my use out of them should they fail hydro.

Chug
Has not had a tank fail hydro in 37 years of diving.

 

[Ken T]

My interest is more curiosity. People will do what people will do, regardless of regulations and guidelines.

I am not aware in OZ of any cylinders here with overfill ratings (I could be wrong??????), regardless of the content of the cylinder

My LP80's have the USA rating of 2400 psi "+" (or 2640psi)

The Transport Canada stamp is 184 bar - no plus rating, just 184 bar or 2668 psi.
So that is it's rating in Canada even if it never receives another "+" stamp via a USA hydro service.

It is not uncommon for my LDS to fill it to 200 bar and I have had it up to 220 bar when back from the shop.

 

[tbone1004]

New tanks are still being made by Faber with 2400+ as their service pressures. PST made them up until they closed the scuba division, as did Worthington.

Muddiver, have to differ with you on the buoyancy though because that is simply not true. The NEW fabers have very different buoyancy characteristics after they changed the alloy, but the common tank sizes and their empty buoyancy as follows
Faber LP85-0 new +2.3
Faber LP95 -1.2
PST LP95- -3.3
OMS LP98- 0
PST HP100- -1.3
Worth X7100- -2.5
PST LP104- -3.3
Faber LP108- -1

full list here
Scuba Cylinder Specifications from Tech Diving Limited - 928-855-9400

as you can see, most of them have pretty similar buoyancy characteristics being between neutral and about 2lbs negative with a few exceptions, hardly anything that drastic.

Also the rumor of them being the same tanks as sold under much higher pressures in Europe is also not true, the alloys and constructions are different, though the 3aa tanks *the LP ones* are very much overengineered which is why they can withstand the cave fills. Most people have that have them are getting them cheap on craigslist, bought them before HP tanks were on the market, or back when the price discrepancy was huge for HP tanks and most shops didn't have 4000psi compressors.

 

[Peter69_56]

New tanks are still being made by Faber with 2400+ as their service pressures. PST made them up until they closed the scuba division, as did Worthington.

Muddiver, have to differ with you on the buoyancy though because that is simply not true. The NEW fabers have very different buoyancy characteristics after they changed the alloy, but the common tank sizes and their empty buoyancy as follows
Faber LP85-0 new +2.3
Faber LP95 -1.2
PST LP95- -3.3
OMS LP98- 0
PST HP100- -1.3
Worth X7100- -2.5
PST LP104- -3.3
Faber LP108- -1

full list here
Scuba Cylinder Specifications from Tech Diving Limited - 928-855-9400

as you can see, most of them have pretty similar buoyancy characteristics being between neutral and about 2lbs negative with a few exceptions, hardly anything that drastic.

Also the rumor of them being the same tanks as sold under much higher pressures in Europe is also not true, the alloys and constructions are different, though the 3aa tanks *the LP ones* are very much overengineered which is why they can withstand the cave fills. Most people have that have them are getting them cheap on craigslist, bought them before HP tanks were on the market, or back when the price discrepancy was huge for HP tanks and most shops didn't have 4000psi compressors.

It would appear that manufacturers custom manufacture for specific markets, this being dependant on their pressure vessel/breathing air standards. It would seem to me at least 3 markets (if not more) US, Europe, OZ, with much of the rest of the world being either one or a mix of the previous market standards.

 

[scubadada]

As a few others have said, my favorite cylinder is also a HP steel 100. It's a little shorter than an AL80 and a little heavier. It's a little negative when empty, nearly a 4 lb difference compared to the AL80. If I were to get a short fill, say 3000 psi, I would still have 89 cu ft of gas, compared to 77.4 cu ft in an Al cylinder filled to the same pressure.

I do mostly recreational, occasional short deco, single tank diving and carry a pony. The HP 100 works out very well for my purposes.

 

[Randy g]

We have a pretty large (28-30) assortment of tanks for my better half and myself to dive with. All our steel tanks are LP with the exception of a set of mp 72s baby doubles that I built for Kate this last year and a dozen al80/40/30's.

I dive LP120 singles with H valves and a set of LP108s. Kate dives LP95 singles with H valve or her BBD's. I am going to build a couple sets of LP85s dubs later this season since they are such a great little tank.

I get 3600 fills regularly at our LDS and have stored all the tanks full for the last 7yrs that I have been living on the east coast. Never an issue with hydros.

 

[gcarter]

All this information and discussion about tanks is very confusing to me. I came across an issue last month when I went to purchase my first tank. I was looking at a Faber HP117. I went to my LDS and told them what I was looking at and asked if they could price match and they said yes. So they fixed me up with a tank that I thought was a HP117 but in fact it was a LP95. The LDS owner had no issue filling the LP95 tank to 3600# and I never looked initially at the tank to confirm it size. Well after getting home I was reading and writing down the serial number of the tank and I noticed it was a LP95. I called the LDS and told them that they sold me the wrong tank. The LDS owner told me that the LP95 would hold as much as a HP117 but I was afraid of such a large over fill. Was I wrong? Are my concerns misplaced? Can you over fill a tank rated at I think 2600# to 3600# safely? I guess I really need some reading material on the subject of tanks to really understand, any recommendation?

Thanks

You were ripped off, plain and simple - you did not get what you paid for and he made misrepresentations to you. I would get my money back and find someone reputable to deal with.

As an aside, I was diving PST HP100's and bought a Faber HP117 last summer. Love the size, the buoyancy characteristics, the way it trims. I'll be getting a second one this year.

 

[CptTightPants21]

You were ripped off, plain and simple - you did not get what you paid for and he made misrepresentations to you. I would get my money back and find someone reputable to deal with.

As an aside, I was diving PST HP100's and bought a Faber HP117 last summer. Love the size, the buoyancy characteristics, the way it trims. I'll be getting a second one this year.

I think ripped off is way too harsh here. Looking on Leisurepro, a HP117 and LP95 are the same price. Without knowing this poster or witnessing any of the conversation, I am not willing to say this is anything more than a miscommunication. If the poster really wants a 117, then the shop should allow him to exchange the lp95 or get a full refund.

I think the fact that this shop is willing to do overfills is great, and I would probably take the lp95 over the 117, but that is me.

 

[Bob DBF]

I think ripped off is way too harsh here. Looking on Leisurepro, a HP117 and LP95 are the same price. Without knowing this poster or witnessing any of the conversation, I am not willing to say this is anything more than a miscommunication. If the poster really wants a 117, then the shop should allow him to exchange the lp95 or get a full refund.

I think the fact that this shop is willing to do overfills is great, and I would probably take the lp95 over the 117, but that is me.

It may be a miscommunication and if the shop exchanges it fine, however the first shop he fills it at that won't overfill means is only has a 95 cuft fill (86 upon loosing the +) which is not good if you want and need 117. I get some slight overfills at my LDS but I don't plan on it there or elsewhere when deciding what tank to have with me on a trip.

On the other hand, Caveat emptor, when buying a tank you should know what you want and how to read the neck. I buy used tanks so this is very important, as folks sometimes don't know what they are selling, but at least I know what I am buying.



Bob
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I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.