Are these old tanks any good?

[Ryebrye]

These look like two AL80's - but look like they might be old and possibly bad-alloy:

Scuba Eq

If they aren't bad alloy, $50 a tank would be an ok deal (the local shop charges $50 for hydro) - but those valves also don't look very modern and I'd probably want to replace them with a din / yoke convertible valve - so that'd be another $45-$50 / tank (assuming that the threads match modern valves - which seems like a safe assumption?)

I sent the guy a message asking for better pics of the markings on them so I can see what they are. But figured I'd ask the "experts" here who might be able to tell just from looking at them

EDIT: zooming in, the yellow one appears to be an S-60 - maybe the other one is also a steel tank? If they were stored with air in them, $100 might be an ok deal... if there isn't rust under the boot :/

 

[grf88]

S 60 is a Luxfer Aluminum Tank. You need the dates to determine whether old alloy or not but being Dacor I suspect that they are.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Save your money, buy some newer tanks.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Save your money, buy some newer tanks.

This. You should be able to find used late model AL80’s for ~$100/each. In hydro and vis.

 

[oly5050user]

These look like two AL80's - but look like they might be old and possibly bad-alloy:

Scuba Eq

If they aren't bad alloy, $50 a tank would be an ok deal (the local shop charges $50 for hydro) - but those valves also don't look very modern and I'd probably want to replace them with a din / yoke convertible valve - so that'd be another $45-$50 / tank (assuming that the threads match modern valves - which seems like a safe assumption?)

I sent the guy a message asking for better pics of the markings on them so I can see what they are. But figured I'd ask the "experts" here who might be able to tell just from looking at them

EDIT: zooming in, the yellow one appears to be an S-60 - maybe the other one is also a steel tank? If they were stored with air in them, $100 might be an ok deal... if there isn't rust under the boot :/

Cost to hydro and visual a tank can be $67. What to do if it fails hydro? Add in cost of valve if you replace them can be another $60. Not a good deal. We at times sell used tanks with fresh hydro visual filled for $105. May be a good deal for $20

 

[Bob DBF]

My advice is to find used tanks that are in hydro and viz to purchase, preferably from a dive shop, until you have more knowledge and experience. It is quite easy to get a bad deal from what I have seen online. Some sellers have no idea what they are selling, and others act that way while misrepresenting their product.

As far as Al tanks, for cold water where I dive, they are more of a pita than they are worth and I won't touch an old one unless they are given to me. If you haven't done it yet, let all your relatives and friends know you are a diver looking for tanks, sometimes folks have an old tank and/or gear that is a leftover from someone in the family that gave up diving and they may want to give it to a diver they know, rather than toss it out sometime in the future.


Good luck

 

[Scared Silly]

Given the age of the other crap in the pictures, I am going to give 10:1 odds that they are made of AL-6351.

 

[rjack321]

Given the age of the other crap in the pictures, I am going to give 10:1 odds that they are made of AL-6351.

That Dacor BC is from 30yrs ago

 

[rjack321]

EDIT: zooming in, the yellow one appears to be an S-60 - maybe the other one is also a steel tank? If they were stored with air in them, $100 might be an ok deal... if there isn't rust under the boot :/

They look like the same height and diameter so its a safe assumption they are both aluminum. The S60 was made into the 1990s so in theory it could be modern aluminum. Get better pics to be sure.