Aluminum 80 VS. Steel 80

[om_lemonshark]

Hi all,

My husband gave me a steel 80 as a gift which I'm super excited about! So I get to stop renting!

My question is about how much can I decrease my weights by given a move from an aluminum 80 to a steel 80?

Thanks,
LemonShark

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Probably. AL80s end up being about 5 pounds buoyant at the end of the dive. Steels usually stay negative, or are lightly buoyant. It depends on the type of S80 you've got.

 

[Abratty]

LemonShark,

The best way to figure the difference out is to dive it and experiment. Tanks vary depending on manufacturer but Schlafmanko posted this link yesterday. You might find it helpful.

http://huronscuba.com/gear/cylinders.htm

Allen

 

[northcoast_diver]

http://huronscuba.com/gear/cylinders.htm

Find your old aluminum tank, by brand and size, and your new steelie, by brand and size, and compare the buoyancies.

Then adjust your weight belt for the difference.

 

[Don Burke]

Hi all,

My husband gave me a steel 80 as a gift which I'm super excited about! So I get to stop renting!

My question is about how much can I decrease my weights by given a move from an aluminum 80 to a steel 80?

Thanks,
LemonShark

There are tables listing the buoyancy of various tanks, although they are often in error.

I would take four pounds off to start and fine tune it as I went.

It is far easier to be a couple of pounds heavy than a pound light.

 

[eponym]

Lemon Shark: nice gift! When you modify your weight, be sure you're keeping enough to be neutral when your tank is down to 500 psi.

But you already knew that, I bet . . .

Bryan

 

[Jim Baldwin]

LemonShark,

I dive Pressed Steel HP 100 and 120 cu. ft. steel tanks and they are about two to four pounds negative at the end of the dive. My butt never floats like with an aluminum that is nearly five pounds positive.

My wife dives 13 lbs with an aluminum with five of those pounds in a pouch on the back of her tank. With a steel tank she will dive with about 6 to 8 pounds depending on her wetsuit.

You will truly enjoy the steel tank and be ready to drop some lead.

Jim
Louisiana