Aluminum bigger than 80?

[Jimmer]

Aluminum 100's are huge awful things. An hp 119 or 130 is only 2 or 3 pounds heavier, the same diameter, and actually shorter, and will give you a lot more gas.

 

[vladimir]

I'm guessing there is probably a thread that mentions this, but I'm apparently not very good at the search function (is there any way to skip to the page in a very long thread that actually has the key words you searched? Sorry, another topic, I know...)

Yes. Once you get your initial search results, look at the lower of the two red bars towards the top of the page, where it says, for example:

Search: keyword(s): Aluminum tank

Click on the word "Search" for a new search page that allows you to search by user name (a great feature once you know who you want to listen to), date, sub-forum, etc. On the bottom you can choose to display either "threads" or "posts".

Or do a site-specific Google search:

Aluminum tank site:ww.scubaboard.com

Add a "w" in there.

 

[scubafanatic]

I hate AL100s. To me they have every bad quality; heavy, bulky, and floaty. I'd never buy one.

I honestly don't think AL100's are THAT bad! Here's why:

It's easier to get a 3300 psi fill than a 3500 psi fill. (AL 100's are full @ 3300 psi and HP steels are full @ 3500 psi.)

AL tanks withstand salt water exposure/corrosion better than steels, that's why if you travel to dive (ocean) you will most likely encounter AL, not steel tanks, in a rental/trip situation. (plus AL is cheaper, at least AL 80's are)

Bottom line, if you travel to ocean dive (fly), and want the biggest capacity tank you can reasonably expect to be able to obtain, often an AL 100 is it...period!

BTW, I'm a big fan of steel tanks ( 2 twinsets, 9 'singles'....a mix of both LP and HP steels) and so far only own (1) AL 80 and a couple of AL 'pony' bottles, so if I can drive to dive, and can use my personal tanks, I'll use steel, but when I travel (fly) to dive, I have to be flexible and deal with whatever larger-capacity tanks are available on site...sometimes it's steel, sometimes AL.

I most recently used AL 100's for a week of diving in Cozumel 08/2010, did 17 of my 20 total dives that week on AL 100's, with absolutely no problems, and was glad to have access to them.

I'll admit I've been diving for 10 yrs now, have pretty much dove every conceivable type/capacity of single tank out there many times, so I'm WAY past the stage where I have to worry about dialing in my weighting/trim when I switch between different tank types, it's pretty much invisible to me now, there's no meaningful impact to me while diving between an AL80 vs an AL 100.

I will suggest that a 'lady' should probably rent/test dive an AL 100 before purchase, the average woman will likely find the tank a bit bulkier/longer than ideal for them.

BTW, if anyone ever dives an AL 100 on the Turks & Caicos Explorer liveaboard, you have ME to thank for it...I'M the one who talked the boat into buying a pair of them to add to their fleet!

 

[VooDooGasMan]

384, buy more tanks if it is just the time to fill, even if you get a deal on smaller Al's 63 or 50, shallow lake dive and after time you will have plenty fo a dive.






Happy Diving

 

[compton384]

"buying more tanks" really isn't a great solution. I don't just have unlimited resources and also, the more tanks, the more space you need to store them.

 

[kanonfodr]

Looking at your dive count, I would suggest just going diving more and getting more comfortable in the water. When I started diving I hated AL80s for their "limited" capacity, but now that I've got a lot more dives in an AL80 is no big deal if it is all I can get, most recreational profiles can be safely accomplished with ~80 cu ft of gas.

Having said that, if you really feel the need for more gas but don't want to purchase more tanks (although it's very reasonable to be able to purchase 2 AL80s for the price of a single HP100, even used tanks) I personally would go with something like a HP100. Then you get ~20% more total gas, while dropping 6 lbs of ballast so your total land weight actually drops by a few pounds, depending on tanks, from AL80s.

If you feel you really need gobs of gas, HP130s will fit the bill nicely, although they are heavier on land than the AL80s by a margin, they beat out slinging an AL40 and staging it. They also trim very well for most divers and can be a bit more stable when using a BP/W due to spreading out the taco effect versus a 7.25" tank. I have never tried that heavy of a tank with a standard recreational BCD so I can't comment on stability with that setup.

Peace,
Greg

 

[spectrum]

"buying more tanks" really isn't a great solution. I don't just have unlimited resources and also, the more tanks, the more space you need to store them.

In the end it comes down to what will be comfortable for YOU to handle in your activity. All of the larger cylinders will dive just fine once you find a weight configuration and will last "forever", especially in fresh water.

I and perhaps some of the other steel advocates are looking at keeping divers comfortable getting in and out of the water. In some cases it can mean do or can not do.

If you're not going to fret a few extra pounds and your outings don't include significant hikes in gear then snatch up whatever you can get a good deal on. It can be that simple.

Pete

 

[compton384]

There will be no hikes for the diving I have in mind.. we have a cottage and a boat right on the lake we want to dive. My problem is that there are no dive shops for fills less than an hour away- so a 2 hour round trip to get air, I'd like to get the most air- and dive time, out of them.

 

[Doc Harry]

Aluminum 100's are huge awful things. An hp 119 or 130 is only 2 or 3 pounds heavier, the same diameter, and actually shorter, and will give you a lot more gas.

And the steel cylinder will cost quite a bit more....

AL tanks may not be the best choice, but they are CHEAPER and they don't rust.

AL100 ~ $200
HP100 ~ $370

 

[Jimmer]

And the steel cylinder will cost quite a bit more....

AL tanks may not be the best choice, but they are CHEAPER and they don't rust.

AL100 ~ $200
HP100 ~ $370

Can't argue with you on that point. But steel tanks show up used a lot, Al 100's are pretty rare used, at least around here.