Anyone know what brand and age this tank is?

[oly5050user]

Hey scubaboard!
I need your help identifying this cylinder.
My LDS won't fill cylinders over 25 years so I want to make sure this is a worthy purchase.

What's the Date of Birth of this metal air tube?
Is it even an 80 like the seller claims?
The cylinder has been full of air for an undetermined amount of time. If I've done my research correctly, that shouldn't be an issue as long as it passes the hydro, which on this cylinder was last done in may 2011.
And finally, is it worth the CAD$95 he's selling for?

Thanks for your time community of scubaboard


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By the time you spend $$ purchase it , to hydro test ($40) get visual inspection ($15- $20) you could of purchased a new tank that would be O2 clean ready for nitrox

 

[abnfrog]

well its up to the owner .........and saying most shops is un informed ....... phone and ask I know of 2 in Toronto that will

 

[grf88]

For $189.00 US he can buy a new tank with a convertible valve with fresh hydro and VIP. As I said in the second post it is worth scrap value despite it's legal status which is irrelevant if most shops won't fill it. A 45 year old, bad alloy tank is not worth owning.

 

[tursiops]

Y'all are concerned and arguing about the metal. It doesn't matter what YOUR risk-tolerance is, the tank is too old for HIS shop on the west coast to fill it, even if some in Toronto or wherever will.
Case closed; for the OP this is just scrap.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hey scubaboard!
I need your help identifying this cylinder.
My LDS won't fill cylinders over 25 years so I want to make sure this is a worthy purchase.

What's the Date of Birth of this metal air tube?
Is it even an 80 like the seller claims?
The cylinder has been full of air for an undetermined amount of time. If I've done my research correctly, that shouldn't be an issue as long as it passes the hydro, which on this cylinder was last done in may 2011.
And finally, is it worth the CAD$95 he's selling for?

Thanks for your time community of scubaboard


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View attachment 585512

SK...

From what's showing in the photos...3000 LB. working pressure...looks like new in 10/73...re-hydro'd 03/09...brand USD...U S Divers...probably manufactured for USD by Luxfer...

Not worth the cost to VIP/O2 Clean/re-hydro...usually $50/$50/$50...

Because of its age and the fact is it likely suspect 6351-T6 AL alloy...getting it filled may be problematic...consider it scrap...

If during Inspection Plus (Eddy Current test)...it is determined that neck is cracked the cylinder is automatically no longer serviceable...and you're out $95...

New 3AL 80 with Pro-valve c/w VIP from DGX under $200 USD...a far better investment...

W...

 

[Skoock]

You guys are great. Thank you for all this info, definitely understanding what a used 80 is actually worth once you do all the testing and what not.
Follow up question!

So when I bought all my dive gear I was basically given a steel HP 119 for free.
I would love to have a second tank so when I take a day off work to go diving I could go for 2 dives.

Would you guys recommend selling the HP119 for 2 AL80's
OR
Buck up and buy another HP119

 

[grf88]

You guys are great. Thank you for all this info, definitely understanding what a used 80 is actually worth once you do all the testing and what not.
Follow up question!

So when I bought all my dive gear I was basically given a steel HP 119 for free.
I would love to have a second tank so when I take a day off work to go diving I could go for 2 dives.

Would you guys recommend selling the HP119 for 2 AL80's
OR
Buck up and buy another HP119

For diving in your area stick with steel as it will allow you to reduce the lead you need. I am used to steel and when I dove Comox last year they only had Al 80's and it wasn't fun with all the lead I needed. If you are already used to steel I don't think you will be happy with aluminum tanks.

 

[2airishuman]

So when I bought all my dive gear I was basically given a steel HP 119 for free.
I would love to have a second tank so when I take a day off work to go diving I could go for 2 dives.

Steel is good. I have maybe 25 steel cylinders and one aluminum one (a 19 cubic foot pony cylinder).

HP119 (or HP117 as Faber calls essentially identical cylinders) cylinders are great if you are OK handling the weight and bulk. I use HP120s which weigh the same and they are heavy -- but -- it's great having the extra air.

While there is something to be said for having identical cylinders, you may find that an HP100 is a better overall choice for your second cylinder.

Much depends on your body size and to some degree it depends on the kind of diving you do.

If you shore dive:

* An HP117 will allow you to make longer dives. In shallow conditions you might get 75 minutes or more plus a reasonable reserve. This is important particularly if the shore access is quite a distance away from what you want to see or in situations where you want to make a circle around a lake or a little bay or whatever.
* Shore diving into deeper water your NDL will be limiting on air but you will have a larger reserve that you can use at the surface
* If you are diving with someone else then that person's air supply may limit your overall dive duration making the extra air you are carrying less useful
* You may find that you prefer one long dive on a 117 to two shorter dives on an AL80

If you mainly dive from a dive boat:

* on shallow dives you will be limited by the "slightly less than an hour" time that nearly all boats set as the maximum time in the water and the extra air (beyond 100 cf for most people) you have won't help
* on deeper dives if you are diving air then in most cases your NDL will be limiting and the extra air won't help (again beyond 100 cf for most people)
* on deeper dives with nitrox then the extra gas will let you stay down longer, again, your buddy must also be able to match you for this to be useful

 

[Skoock]

Steel is good. I have maybe 25 steel cylinders and one aluminum one (a 19 cubic foot pony cylinder).

HP119 (or HP117 as Faber calls essentially identical cylinders) cylinders are great if you are OK handling the weight and bulk. I use HP120s which weigh the same and they are heavy -- but -- it's great having the extra air.

While there is something to be said for having identical cylinders, you may find that an HP100 is a better overall choice for your second cylinder.

Much depends on your body size and to some degree it depends on the kind of diving you do.

If you shore dive:

* An HP117 will allow you to make longer dives. In shallow conditions you might get 75 minutes or more plus a reasonable reserve. This is important particularly if the shore access is quite a distance away from what you want to see or in situations where you want to make a circle around a lake or a little bay or whatever.
* Shore diving into deeper water your NDL will be limiting on air but you will have a larger reserve that you can use at the surface
* If you are diving with someone else then that person's air supply may limit your overall dive duration making the extra air you are carrying less useful
* You may find that you prefer one long dive on a 117 to two shorter dives on an AL80

If you mainly dive from a dive boat:

* on shallow dives you will be limited by the "slightly less than an hour" time that nearly all boats set as the maximum time in the water and the extra air (beyond 100 cf for most people) you have won't help
* on deeper dives if you are diving air then in most cases your NDL will be limiting and the extra air won't help (again beyond 100 cf for most people)
* on deeper dives with nitrox then the extra gas will let you stay down longer, again, your buddy must also be able to match you for this to be useful

HP 100 sounds the way I should be going then. I mostly do and will be doing shore dives, sometimes with decent surface swims to the site but not anything extreme.
Most people I go with are using AL80's so I thought like you said, it might just be a waste of air and weight to always lug around.
I'm 5'8" 170lbs so the 100 sounds a bit better of a choice for weight too.

 

[grf88]

I agree that HP 100's are great tanks. For me they work well for back-mount single, back-mount doubles and side mount.