cold water divers I need your input.

[froginmgl]

I am sure you heard this before new tank buyer living in MI starting to wreck dive this summer. Dosen't want to rent anymore because I Liiiiiiikkeeee the option to just take off with my own gear and not worry about getting it back on time like a rented DVD. I can easiely go w/ Al for cost but then some say steel what about this tank I found on scuba toys? http://scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=AL80N I like these guys anyway. When are you opening a store in the Great lakes area Joe & Larry? Summers are great up here

 

[Rick Inman]

IMO, for me, the more weight I can get on my back, the better.

 

[Web Monkey]

I've been very happy with my Faber Steel LP 95's.

Great tanks, and because they're LP, I can always get a great fill.

If you plan on diving for a while, a steel tank will outlast you. Almuminum tanks have a shorter lifetime before they fail hydro or VIP, so buying aluminum may be a false economy.

Also, if you dive dry, the steel tanks are more negative, so you need less lead.

Terry

I am sure you heard this before new tank buyer living in MI starting to wreck dive this summer. Dosen't want to rent anymore because I Liiiiiiikkeeee the option to just take off with my own gear and not worry about getting it back on time like a rented DVD. I can easiely go w/ Al for cost but then some say steel what about this tank I found on scuba toys? http://scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=AL80N I like these guys anyway. When are you opening a store in the Great lakes area Joe & Larry? Summers are great up here

 

[froginmgl]

Terry what does that mean? "great fill" I have heard that before.

 

[spectrum]

You can seelect any steel cylinder you want but IMO steel is the way to go for cold water diving in particular. This old post of mine lays it on the line:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1191538&postcount=16

Pete

 

[froginmgl]

:monkeydan eyes opened thank you! Man I love this web!!! I can't help it I love that damb monkey

 

[dannobee]

I'll agree that a big steel tank would probably be better. In this case, having gas is a good thing, and steel helps you take some weight off of your belt. Joel at techdivinglimited.com runs some specials on steel tanks. Have a look. With LP tanks the "great fill" means that some people are willing to overfill them-over the 2640psi "+" rating. Sometimes WAY overfilled.

If you do end up with some Al80 tanks, you could always keep them for stage bottles when you start doing that kind of diving.

 

[Jim Ernst]

steel tanks!!! imop the only way too go steel!!

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Also, if you dive dry, the steel tanks are more negative, so you need less lead.

Terry

Steel tanks are more negative. Even if you dive wet.

If you're going to dive cold water, get steel tanks.

 

[Web Monkey]

Terry what does that mean? "great fill" I have heard that before.

Filling a tank requires that the shop has at least as much pressure as the tank is supposed to hold. Some shops don't always have 3000 + PSI available, depending on their compressor capacity, how busy they are, time of day, etc., but there's an excellent chance you can get 2400 or 2640 PSI. It also requires that they fill it slow enough that the tank doesn't heat up.

I'm not sure if it's because of the lower pressure or the fill rate or because it's steel instead of aluminum, or because the walls are thinner, but the steel tanks don't seem to get as hot during fills, which means you won't lose as much pressure when it cools off.

Terry