Would you dive with these tanks?

[Dominik_E]

I'd dive them. Simple reasoning:

a) they survived filling
b) a lot of people seem to be diving them every day

 

[Doby45]

I would dive the piss out of them!!

 

[BRT]

The only thing that would worry me is the inside could look like the outside and the rust might cause a sudden air stoppage.

 

[CT-Rich]

The five second rule applies. Drop a piece of toast and you can eat it as long as it wasn’t on the floor longer than 5 seconds. These tanks survive filling and you find it on a boat you get five seconds to decide whether you strap it and dive it or sit on the boat waiting for the sun to heat it to a failure.

Do you sit with the bomb or do you dive the bomb?

 

[northernone]

A couple missing... But no crater.

 

[lionfish-eater]

what's the purpose of the hose clamps around the neck of the tank?

 

[NAM001]

For me the outside is just a red flag to make you wonder what the inside is like. Steel tanks are not that thick if hte outside and inside is that bad you could have only 1/2 wall thickness is many areas. Probably more a filling risk than a diving risk but for me I would pass. If THE INSIDE IS LIKE THAT I WOULD NOT WANT THAT CRAP IN MY REGS.

 

[DanSinks]

it looks like the tank on the left has a lot of pitting that has been painted over. They wouldn't look so bad with a fresh coat of paint!

But seriously, in Cozemel if customers of a dive resort accept those tanks without raising questions, it's also a cause for concern.

 

[W W Meixner]

Folks...

Maximum pit depth on 3AA cylinders varies depending on whether the cylinders are high or low density steel...and by manufacturer...
You need to have taken a PSI Visual Inspection Course to be able to determine the differences...

Typical maximum wall thickness pits are between .025/.060...

If there are pits nearing the maximum depth on both the inner and outer wall surfaces...you'll end up being way over the maximum ''fail point"...

When diving ''hot beach'' destinations...I'm at the dive operators place of business two/three days ahead of planned dive(s)...if this was all the dive operator had to dive with...I'd be looking for another operator...

This is the primary reason why I never book/pay in advance...and in 20+ years have never been skunked...contrary to popular belief...these operators are never ''that'' busy...

I dove the monster wall off West Caicos two years ago...during Christmas...fabulous operator...brand new boats...full food spread included...''real food''...made arrangements two days prior to dive...I dove with a female member of the crew...and she advised that they had been on their ass all year...and were all told...no Christmas Holidays for anyone...as this is the only time in the past 12 months we've been able to ''fill the boats''...and this was one of the ''Bucket List'' sites...

There's lots of good operators out there with good gear...support the good operators...let the operators like this fall into the abyss...in my opinion how they look after their equipment...is a direct reflection on how they look after everything else...including YOU...

Do your homework...you're shopping for the best...accept less...you always get what you settle for...when they advertise ''four star''...''one and a half stars'' is usually closer to the truth...

Best...

Warren

 

[DanSinks]

Folks...

Maximum pit depth on 3AA cylinders varies depending on whether the cylinders are high or low density steel...and by manufacturer...
You need to have taken a PSI Visual Inspection Course to be able to determine the differences...

Typical maximum wall thickness pits are between .025/.060...

If there are pits nearing the maximum depth on both the inner and outer wall surfaces...you'll end up being way over the maximum ''fail point"...

When diving ''hot beach'' destinations...I'm at the dive operators place of business two/three days ahead of planned dive(s)...if this was all the dive operator had to dive with...I'd be looking for another operator...

This is the primary reason why I never book/pay in advance...and in 20+ years have never been skunked...contrary to popular belief...these operators are never ''that'' busy...

I dove the monster wall off West Caicos two years ago...during Christmas...fabulous operator...brand new boats...full food spread included...''real food''...made arrangements two days prior to dive...I dove with a female member of the crew...and she advised that they had been on their ass all year...and were all told...no Christmas Holidays for anyone...as this is the only time in the past 12 months we've been able to ''fill the boats''...and this was one of the ''Bucket List'' sites...

There's lots of good operators out there with good gear...support the good operators...let the operators like this fall into the abyss...in my opinion how they look after their equipment...is a direct reflection on how they look after everything else...including YOU...

Do your homework...you're shopping for the best...accept less...you always get what you settle for...when they advertise ''four star''...''one and a half stars'' is usually closer to the truth...

Best...

Warren

Warren's comments underscores the value of going on a dive trip organized by your local dive shop. When traveling to third world countries, some operators may have maintenance standards that are below what we expect in the U.S. and Europe etc. It's not always good economics to look for the cheapest travel deal.