Converting fire extinguishers into SCUBA bottles

[quimby]

Intelligent or not I stand by my comment. It's nuts.....by which I mean unwise and potentially dangerous

Why? cause it is .......... thats a great answer

amazingly enough, ready-made pony bottles that won't blow up or poison you can be cheaply and conveniently obtained from a wide range of sources. Sometimes progress is a good thing.

You know if you went on about the bouyancy characteristics, the problems with corrosion, getting it filled etc. you would have done the forum proud. But no, its apparent you don't have any knowledge about the tanks and go off on a incoherent rant which is less than complementary to yourself, as well as the board. If you need information you should be able to get it here, and advice, not cute comments and rambling, think about it............

 

[BigJetDriver]

Well that was common practise in the 60's---

One other problem is getting it filled, not many dive ops would touch a bottle like that---

Bottom line, and I dove converted fire extinguishers(my first tank) and filled bunches of them, but the idea is past its usefullness. Better to hunt ebay and get a al 20,30 or what ever and just be done with it. For the money, time, and agravation afterwards, it just aint worth it.

Quimby, et al,

It was nice of you to offer the historical perspective. I fly with a guy who read a Popular Mechanics article and used it to goop up a walk-around bottle from a B-17 to dive under the ice (solo) in Michigan with in the 60's. He gets the shivers (no pun intended) when he thinks about it. So do I.

I would have to agree with Diver0001, ReefRaff, fgray, DivePartner, and mgdive. With what we have available now, this conversion is just NOT a good idea. Their phraseology was strong for a reason. They are CERTAIN it's not a good idea!

 

[BigJetDriver]

Plbtbtbt!

Steven,

So, that's what a raspberry looks like in print??

Cheers!

 

[SDAnderson]

Steven,

So, that's what a raspberry looks like in print??

Cheers!

Just indulging in a little onomatopoetry.

 

[dessaler]

ok ok
i abandon this projet...
sorry for contreverse

 

[quimby]

I would have to agree with Diver0001, ReefRaff, fgray, DivePartner, and mgdive. With what we have available now, this conversion is just NOT a good idea. Their phraseology was strong for a reason. They are CERTAIN it's not a good idea!

Just like before, you are saying it for what reason, conjecture?
Is it against DOT , local ordances what and why is it dangerous ? The point is no it isnt a good idea but people who have no idea why, and whose only reply is "heresy" should not open there mouths on what needs just a little knowledge and a reasonable explanation which is in short supply around here.
Its not difficult, just give a little intelligent reasoning not STRONG phraseology without anything to go with it but ego

It was nice of you to offer the historical perspective. I fly with a guy who read a Popular Mechanics article and used it to goop up a walk-around bottle from a B-17 to dive under the ice (solo) in Michigan with in the 60's. He gets the shivers (no pun intended) when he thinks about it. So do I.

Newbie diving under ice solo and the tank bothers you? OK....

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree with Quimby's approach. If someone wants to find out how to convert a CO2 bottle to a pony, however ill advised it may be, they will figure out how to do it and get the information from some where. I see enough of these come through the shop to know a lot of them are out there and that the idea won't go away just because we won't talk about it.

Quimby did a good job of pointing out the complexity of the conversion process and specified that home depot hardware won't cut it. He then went on to say that the odds of getting such a monstrosity filled are pretty small and that the idea has long since outlived its usefulness. I think that allows anyone who may read the thread the opportunity to make an informed and correct decision not to waste their time on the project.

The alternative is to have the person ask the question somewhere else and get bad advice. It's much better in my opinion to fully address the issue right here on Scubaboard.

I also love the "chlorine in the gene pool" comment. A very nice tongue in cheek way to get the message across and I think that this thread has room for both types of posts.

 

[DivePartner1]

If you're really looking for a way to use it I'd suggest what I did with a carbon-tet extinguisher I had years ago: drill some holes, wire it, and make it into a lamp.

 

[mgdive]

If you're really looking for a way to use it I'd suggest what I did with a carbon-tet extinguisher I had years ago: drill some holes, wire it, and make it into a lamp.

Just don't electrocute yourself to death. That would be *too* ironic.

 

[DivePartner1]

Just don't electrocute yourself to death. That would be *too* ironic.

Life is not a risk free exercise!