Anyone else been diving long enough to see the humor in this?

[Doc Intrepid]

Do yourself a big favor and speak to some resort owners, destination dive shops / fill stations (not the guys trying to sell you the HP tanks) and get their opinion on how likely it is that you will get a full tank on a busy summer weekend (in my neck of the woods anyways).

But I gotta say, Paul, it simply hasn't been an issue for me or the guys I dive with. First, we don't wait til the weekend to fill - we do our fills during the week in the evenings. Second, we don't take twin steels to resorts or destination dive shops. If we can't drive there, we seldom dive there. Third, you're right, on crowded weekends its tough to get a fill to 3500 in your doubles (cave country excluded), but most of the places we go don't partial pressure blend anyway - so they don't sell what we need. This is why we all own three or four sets of doubles and a buttload of 40s. You take ALL the gas and deco mix you need for the weekend with you - it simply isn't available where we dive. I can't believe this situation isn't the same for most guys diving mix in large steel sets of doubles. They all face the same things. So...the issues you're referring to aren't as big an issue as you might think for lots of guys who dive large steel sets of doubles.

I would think it might be an issue for guys diving singles, perhaps, but even then I'd think that they would get their initial fills in advance. Then, leave their tanks at the shop to be filled overnight and just pick them up in the morning. I guess that if you know about the situation in advance, most things can be planned around - whatever pressure you fill your cylinders to.

(OTOH, you can get a light fill even during off-hours as well...you've likely see that once or twice too! And OMS has always impressed me as a 'me-too' company...)

JMHO. YMMV.

Doc

 

[Soggy]

I routinely get nitrox 32% fills of 3600 psi (cold) at my shop and have received similar fills from a shop in Kingston. I have no comprehension of what you are "worried" about. If your shop doesn't give you good fills, find another shop, or plan ahead and get your fills during the week before you need them.

 

[wedivebc]

So, first of all the E8-130s are a different alloy than the LP104s. They weight 5# less than the old LP104s. Arguably this is a little meaningless since it just means another 5# on the weightbelt. But the point here is that the metal is different. They're also a different DOT rating, and I expect that the E8-130s are rated for the same number of fill cycles before failing hydro at 3442 psi as the LP104s are rated for at 2640. Sure you can crank up LP104s routinely to 3500 psi, but it'll fail hydro sooner than a E8-130.

But since the rating is 10,000 fill cycle to test pressure 4500psi (not fill pressure) they can take quite a bit of abuse.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I don't know. My garage is full of doubles filled to 3500psi with 18/45 but now that I sold my compressor I'll have to make it last since there isn't a dive shop around here who knows what 18/45 is let alone how to fill it.

 

[Leadking]

Jonnythan is right. From what I know (I just purchased 2 of em) the tanks are 120cf at 3442 psi, 104cf at 3000 psi and 90cf at 2640. From what I've also been told, they are merely the old 104cf tanks with a certified pressure rating up to 3442 psi. Seems they were a lot tougher than we originally thought. The rub here is that your old 104cf tanks, even though supposedly the exact same as the new ones, can not be filled to 3442 because they "have not been certified to those pressures". Read: lawyers and insurance companies have not given the OKEY DOKEY to do so.

This information, like a host of other information may be incorrect, and they are in fact a completely new tank....but I think not.

I will keep posting this until the end of time


I will tackle this issue again. Faber does not make a cylinder greater than 7" diameter that goes to 4000 psi for anyone in the world. The do make a version that resembles a steel 85. When you look at the manufacturers drawing and compare the weight the HP version weights 10 more pounds than our version. There is no downrated U.S. version!

E series tanks from PST and X series tanks from Worthington,while made from the same drawing dies, are made from different steel and require special testing requirements and hydro testing vs 3AA cylinders.

If you are going to post be sure of your facts!

 

[Rick Murchison]

I don't know. My garage is full of doubles filled to 3500psi with 18/45 but now that I sold my compressor I'll have to make it last since there isn't a dive shop around here who knows what 18/45 is let alone how to fill it.

I reckon you'll just have to come down for a visit, Mike.
'Specially when they finally sink the O Boat.
S

 

[dbg40]

All I can say is , I think ill dig out my old WK 72's and aqua master and go for ald f..t dip.

 

[grazie42]

HP=3400PSI?! Bah! (thats what we call lp)
HP=4500PSI=True

Just my thoughts on the matter....

 

[Leadking]

HP=3400PSI?! Bah! (thats what we call lp)
HP=4500PSI=True

Just my thoughts on the matter....

I remember in the 70's when I was using a AGA Divator from Sweden. 4500 psi and 18 lbs negative-no weight belt. The only issue was it was only 80 CF and the cylinders rusted like no other.

 

[cmalinowski]

'Specially when they finally sink the O Boat.
S

Put off again. Guess I won't be coming to p'cola for a bit longer.