Faber 7L in United States

[CWC]

I am planning to put together a set of tiny doubles. I have been planning to use LP 50s, but then I stumbled across Faber 7L 230 bar cylinders. They are very similar in size to the 50s, but look to have better buoyancy characteristics (less actual weight but more negative in-water). However, they don’t seem to be available in the United States. Does anyone know if there’s a way to get them here? If I was able to get a European company to ship them to me, would I be able to get them hydro’ed without the DOT stamp?

 

[grantctobin]

If I was able to get a European company to ship them to me, would I be able to get them hydro’ed without the DOT stamp?

No. It is unlikely you will be able to find a shop to fill them, which can be resolved by having your own fill station. There is also some chance that you can find a facility that will test euro cylinders but not stamp them, but that likely requires a personal relationship and for them to have the correct thread adaptors.

TL : DR go with 50s

 

[happy-diver]

They come in 3/4

 

[Nbaldus]

Faber also makes a hp 300bar version of the 7l it is a 70 cf. I have look at info on them. But it looks like they may have been discontinued. These tanks would have been great for double or sidemount.

 

[rjack321]

I am planning to put together a set of tiny doubles. I have been planning to use LP 50s, but then I stumbled across Faber 7L 230 bar cylinders. They are very similar in size to the 50s, but look to have better buoyancy characteristics (less actual weight but more negative in-water). However, they don’t seem to be available in the United States. Does anyone know if there’s a way to get them here? If I was able to get a European company to ship them to me, would I be able to get them hydro’ed without the DOT stamp?

You can get them hydroed - in theory - but only for reexport purposes.
They can't be hydro stamped
They can't be commercially filled
They will have M25 valve threads (which are dangerously easy to mix up with 3/4")

The monumental hassles will far outweigh their minuscule in-water improvements, just get the 50s

 

[ModelsxB]

Faber also makes a hp 300bar version of the 7l it is a 70 cf. I have look at info on them. But it looks like they may have been discontinued. These tanks would have been great for double or sidemount.

Those sound exactly like my dream tank. Currently in the market for a set of LP50 doubles, but I would love to have access to just 15% more gas in a similar form factor.

 

[Nbaldus]

You can get them hydroed - in theory - but only for reexport purposes.
They can't be hydro stamped
They can't be commercially filled
They will have M25 valve threads (which are dangerously easy to mix up with 3/4")

The monumental hassles will far outweigh their minuscule in-water improvements, just get the 50s

This is wrong I did the research and posted it here Advice Needed on Newly Acquired Faber Steel Tanks with Unfamiliar Markings

Also faber makes these with US thread type if you can get ahold of them from Australia.

 

[rjack321]

This is wrong I did the research and posted it here Advice Needed on Newly Acquired Faber Steel Tanks with Unfamiliar Markings

Also faber makes these with US thread type if you can get ahold of them from Australia.

You are dealing with scuba tank monkeys your chances of getting a UN cylinder filled is zero. Also the OP doesnt say what cylinders they actually have except they dont have DOT stamps

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Faber also makes a hp 300bar version of the 7l it is a 70 cf. I have look at info on them. But it looks like they may have been discontinued. These tanks would have been great for double or sidemount.

The OP posted in 2023, but on todays posts on the 300 bar 7's: twin 7l 300 bar are by far my favorite tanks.

300 bar (4350 psi) tanks are very negatively buoyant, and in a drysuit with double 7L 300's and a steel plate I don't need a weight belt.

On surface the twin 7's weigh as much as a single 15l 230 ('120 cf'), and the lead belt that goes with that single tank: so you're swapping lead for more air and redundancy. The twins also trim out very nicely, and here in Australia I have no problems getting 300 bar air and nitrox fills - as long as I give them time to top up.

As far as I'm aware Faber is still making them, but in occasional batches.

On the OP post, for what its worth: Twin 7l 230's (~55 cuft) are a very lightweight set up, but if they are not DOT stamped you're going to need your own compressor. No harm asking your local shops about hydro and fills: but I guarantee their answer will be 'no', even if the US should recognize the ISO 9809-1 standard in theory.

For my American friends: here's a picture of a twin 7l 300 bar (with a 12l 230/100 cf and 15l/120 cf for scale) - this is as close as you will ever get to seeing these magnificent 300 bar tanks in real life

Cheers
Rohan.

 

[happy-diver]