Can you save money with a used tank?

[SNAPDRAGON]

I'm trying to figure out if it's cost effective to buy a used tank and go through inspections. Since I don't own any tanks now I don't have a clue about inspection fees. And can anyone give me clues to problems that frequently occur with AL tanks; thinks to look for prior to buying? :cheering:

 

[ShakaZulu]

You can get a used AL80 for around $70.00, and a new one for around $105.00. Is it really worth it. If you get the new style of valve that converts from Yoke to Din, you can dive both configurations. If I had to do it all over again, I would have save my money and bought myself a HP100. Great tank if you are diving wet 7mm and BP/W setup.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The price of a hydro test varies. We charge $15.00 and that includes the VIP (a required part of the hydro) and an air fill. But we also do them on site so there is no shipping and no (other) dive shop marking up the cost or sticking the customer with the cost of a fresh VIP. I have seen hydro/VIP costs as high as $50.00.

Al tanks are normally a pretty safe bet. But older tanks made of 6351 alloy are something you may want to avoid as they will require an additional visual plus inspection and some shops will not fill them. Catalina never used this alloy so all of them are ok and Luxfer stopped using 6351 alloy around May of 1988 so anything newer than that will not require an additional visual plus inspection to check for sustained load cracks.

You also want to watch for any dings in the surface. As a rule of thumb if there are any nicks or scratch marks any deeper than 1/16" the tank is not serviceable.

New Al 80 prices around here run about $170 to maybe a low of $130 if the shop buys them by the pallet. Not many $105 tank deals this far from salt water.

So in short, if it has a recent hydro, and is priced at or under $100 a used AL 80 can be a good deal. It may also be a good deal if itis out of hydro but in good condition and hydro tests in your area are relatively cheap. (we get a lot of tanks shipped to us for hydro from CO, so I suspect rates are significantly higher there.)

 

[Stryker]

Is the initial hydro only for 1 year?

 

[dilligaf368]

Look around Tanks in Washington (Puget Sound, as opposed to the desert) are plentifull. No Alum. tanks pre '87 and it' s best to buy them with the agreement with the seller that if it doesn't pass inspection that You are not out any money.
I have bought some tanks, not alumn, I won't buy any of those but Steel tanks with the agreement that if they fail I will not be out any money. The seller usally has no problem with that. If they do have a problem with that then You know already that the tank is no good.
New tanks are for the "Designer Diver' not a "seasoned" diver. Why pay for a new tank that will end up scratched after a dive in a current. Show me a tank without a scratch and I'll show You a diver that has no time in the water, just talks about it!
B---------------------

 

[Hoosier]

Hydro lasts 5 years. VIP runs every year.

As DA Aquamaster mentioned, you can get the new tank around $130~140 including shipping from the online shop or from your LDS sale's rack

Assuming that the new tank price is $140, you have to deduct the shipping and VIP cost at first unless you pick it up locally. So, let’s figure, $30 shipping and $10 VIP is $40 (approximation)

So, your bargain for the used tank should start from $100 bucks by checking out the Hydro test date. From this point, the negotiated price is depending on how many Hydro year remains and depreciation cost. Now, it is your turns.

Of course, we are talking about only mint conditioned tank.

 

[616fun]

I'm trying to figure out if it's cost effective to buy a used tank and go through inspections. Since I don't own any tanks now I don't have a clue about inspection fees. And can anyone give me clues to problems that frequently occur with AL tanks; thinks to look for prior to buying? :cheering:

Deals are out there. I found two AL80s that we stored in someone's garage with 1000psi in them. They were made in '89 and 5 yrs outta hydro. I got them for $10 each :11:

So - $40 bucks each later for a VIP, hydro, and air fill I had two tanks. Got $100 in both of them. Just be patient. Truth of the matter is, unless I get a good buy on a tank I wouldn't own my own. $10 to rent is cheap. Heck - I gotta pay $5 to have mine filled to dive anyway. So repaying the $150-$180 a tank costs $5 at a time isn't a winning proposition. Money is better spent on other goodies.

Of course if your going to doubles then it's another story.

 

[JimC]

Hydro - the monster that eats AL tanks.

Unless you know what to look for and can take the valve off or know exactly how the tank has been treated and/or its still in hydro, don't buy used AL for much more than the value of the scrap metal. AL tanks are just to iffy to risk it, IMHO.

Steel however, are basicaly imposible to kill and I jump ALL OVER galv, 3/4 NPT thread 72's. Last for ever, hold plenty of gas for weenney dives and just rock my face for $50 a crack.

 

[nazgul810]

$10 to rent is cheap. Heck - I gotta pay $5 to have mine filled to dive anyway. So repaying the $150-$180 a tank costs $5 at a time isn't a winning proposition. Money is better spent on other goodies.

Not if you dive every weekend. Saves you the hassle of returning them for 3 or 4 days just to come back and get the same tanks again. I did use similar logic when I had money to blow though - bought a drysuit so I could keep diving instead of some tanks.

 

[stoddu]

There are pre 1987 Aliminum tanks out there. I've got two; one Luxfer manufactured in 1980 and one US Divers (Luxfer) manufactured in 1985. They've been sitting in my garage for about 18 years until I recently took up diving again. Both tanks passed visual and hydro without requiring a tumble.