I rent tanks and am looking to own....partly for convenience and partly to ensure I can get larger capacity without having to call around and go out of my way. My first stage is not set up for DIN. I am able to get HP fills around where I live and would be diving. The diving would be single tank in a shell dry suit with a bp/w. Some questions:
- HP w/o DIN.....will I be blowing o-rings left and right, or is it not that big a deal?
- HP, LP and fills - I understand HP tanks have to be filled at a slower rate - is this enough of an inconvenience to drive people to LP? With a LP with a + rating, does this mean you are more likely to get a fill that will settle to the "full" pressure as compared to HP if you are trying to get a mid-day fill at a shop near a dive site to do another dive? So...if you have just one tank, does that change the game in terms of what kind of tank to buy as compared to if you have enough tanks for a day of diving w/o refills ?
- Tank dimensions and trim - I assume a longer tank will have different trim characteristics than a shorter one...as in a longer tank means a longer lever pulling on the fulcrum point of where the tank is strapped to the backplate or BC. I am tall - does that automatically mean look for a longer tank? How much should diameter and length be a factor for me, and if it is a factor then what are some things I should be paying attention to in upcoming dives to help me decide? I guess an alternative questions is: since I am tall, then does that mean that a longer tank will not impart as much trim characteristics of its own?
Other things I should be considering?
- HP w/o DIN.....will I be blowing o-rings left and right, or is it not that big a deal?
- HP, LP and fills - I understand HP tanks have to be filled at a slower rate - is this enough of an inconvenience to drive people to LP? With a LP with a + rating, does this mean you are more likely to get a fill that will settle to the "full" pressure as compared to HP if you are trying to get a mid-day fill at a shop near a dive site to do another dive? So...if you have just one tank, does that change the game in terms of what kind of tank to buy as compared to if you have enough tanks for a day of diving w/o refills ?
- Tank dimensions and trim - I assume a longer tank will have different trim characteristics than a shorter one...as in a longer tank means a longer lever pulling on the fulcrum point of where the tank is strapped to the backplate or BC. I am tall - does that automatically mean look for a longer tank? How much should diameter and length be a factor for me, and if it is a factor then what are some things I should be paying attention to in upcoming dives to help me decide? I guess an alternative questions is: since I am tall, then does that mean that a longer tank will not impart as much trim characteristics of its own?
Other things I should be considering?
Then ask specific questions. Usually works best.
