Any one have experience diving with carbon fiber tanks

[Z Gear]

I was getting my tanks filled at my LDS when I noticed a couple of smaller strange looking tanks I have not seen before. They were already filled and when I picked one up I couldn't believe how incredibly light it was compared to the Aluminum 80.

I don't know anything about these kind of tanks, but for sure I would like to get one for my wife (favorite dive buddy) if is superior to the other two options.

Does any one have any experience with this kind of tank. Was it worth the investment.

 

[Yoyodyne-88]

Were you looking at firefighter SCBA tanks? Although I think Luxfer made a fiber wrap 105 for scuba.

They have a specifically limited service lifetime, and can easily be condemned for slight external damage or chemical exposure etc.

Yes, much lighter. But then you'd probably just have to carry more lead.

 

[spectrum]

What Yoyodyne-88 said...

Hi cost, High mantenance and highly buoyant so you end up carry the lead to sink them.

The only use I can think of is a situation where you need to bring a lot of compressed gas and weight is restricted. The payload would be lighter with the same lead per diver sinking each cylinder.

Pete

 

[knotical]

Typical composite/wrap (e.g. SCBA) cylinders are not approved for scuba. See for example:
Underwater use of Luxfer full-wrap Type 3 carbon composite cylinders - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide
My understanding is that exposure to water under pressure (e.g. at depth), can force water through the wrap to the very thin metal cylinder liner, causing corrosion, and/or damage the wrap itself.

However there have been some wrap/composite cylinders made specifically for scuba. See for example:
L6X® Hoop-wrap cylinder specifications - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide
These cylinders have the same 15-year life limit as SCBA and require additional procedures during annual visual inspection to assess the composite material.

 

[Z Gear]

Typical composite/wrap (e.g. SCBA) cylinders are not approved for scuba. See for example:
Underwater use of Luxfer full-wrap Type 3 carbon composite cylinders - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide
My understanding is that exposure to water under pressure (e.g. at depth), can force water through the wrap to the very thin metal cylinder liner, causing corrosion, and/or damage the wrap itself.

However there have been some wrap/composite cylinders made specifically for scuba. See for example:
L6X® Hoop-wrap cylinder specifications - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide

I guess after thinking about it. The lighter more buoyant tank would have to be compensated by adding more weight and thus cancelling the one benefit, which interested me in the first place.

 

[Peter69_56]

Typical composite/wrap (e.g. SCBA) cylinders are not approved for scuba. See for example:
Underwater use of Luxfer full-wrap Type 3 carbon composite cylinders - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide
My understanding is that exposure to water under pressure (e.g. at depth), can force water through the wrap to the very thin metal cylinder liner, causing corrosion, and/or damage the wrap itself.

However there have been some wrap/composite cylinders made specifically for scuba. See for example:
L6X® Hoop-wrap cylinder specifications - Luxfer: Setting The Standard Worldwide
These cylinders have the same 15-year life limit as SCBA and require additional procedures during annual visual inspection to assess the composite material.

My understanding was the same. Also the salt water penetrates the fibres and attacks the aluminium neck area (from memory they have an aluminium neck built in to the composite?

 

[TN-Steve]

We have some guys that shoot big bore air rifles (not your old crossman pellet gun by any measure) and they bring in the 4500 psi fiber tanks for fills. They are ultra light, but first thing that went through all our minds was "you'd need a TON of lead to get down with these"

Might be nice for a bench air supply, something like that however.

 

[NAM001]

if they ever became used for scuba no one would have roll problems from heavy tanks.

 

[Rich Keller]

Maybe you could look at a smaller tank depending on the type of dives you are doing. For example an aluminum 30cu/ft tank will weigh about 1/3 of what an 80cu/ft tank weighs. Here is a link with specs for different size tanks. Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan

 

[Z Gear]

Maybe you could look at a smaller tank depending on the type of dives you are doing. For example an aluminum 30cu/ft tank will weigh about 1/3 of what an 80cu/ft tank weighs. Here is a link with specs for different size tanks. Scuba Cylinder Specification Chart from Huron Scuba, Ann Arbor Michigan

I can see why firefighters would use the carbon fiber cylinder, makes total sense. I suppose I should have asked who the tanks where fore but everyone was busy at the store.

As far as the smaller cylinders I don't think it would be a good option because my wife blows through air and a smaller cylinder would just make the dive extremely short.