Faber tanks-what size are these?

[armedrios]

Hello ,I am new here and going to start out with a tank question. I was recently given 2 faber tanks,they are older but seem in ok shape and am trying to figure out what they are in terms of 72s,80s,100s etc. and also what they may be worth. I know that they are lp 2400s manufactured in 1987 but thats the extent of my knowledge, the numbers on them are as follows ----DOT 3AA 2400 87/9008 178 M8303 FABER ITALY. The only difference in these numbers on the 2 tanks are 1 has the 178 and the other is 185. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks, Mike After doing some reading on this site it seems the stats of the tank may help, the approximate measurments are----- 24" high and 25" around---hope this helps

 

[rstofer]

The Faber LP-95 is 8" diameter (25" circumference) and 23.8" tall not including the valve.

Two things are certain: 1) the tank is a Faber and 2) it is LP

If it really contains 95 cf of air at 2640 psi (2400 + 10%) then its weight should increase by just under 8#. My chart shows it as 7.125# So, fill it and weigh it.

I would bet that the DOT 3AA 2400 87 means that at 2400 psi, the tank contains 87 cf which, with a 10% overfil, would come out to 95 cf.

All in, I'm guessing they are LP-95s.

Richard

 

[armedrios]

Thanks, any idea of an approximate value on these or would you know how i could find out, Mike

 

[rstofer]

Buying or selling?

I see an individual is selling one for $200 - search Google for Faber LP 95

A brand new XS Scuba LP 95 sells for $310

XS Scuba Low Pressure 95

The LP 95 is 4# heavier than my Worthington HP 100 and is 1.3# more buoyant so, to me, the tank isn't worth more than $100. Maybe $150 if is has current hydro. But that's just me and I can't come up with a reason to own an LP tank other than the old LP 72s (and that's just for the pool). OK, there's one reason: I'm more likely to get a full fill on a boat with an LP tank.

Now, the cave divers may have great interest in the tank. Maybe this is the kind of tank they like to overfill. I wouldn't know.

Richard

 

[armedrios]

i am going to be selling them more than likely, trying to get an approximate value and then i will advertise them, if i get enough interest i will have them hydro'd, vis. tested and then sell them.

 

[Gombessa]

Do you have a picture of the tank neck with the markings? That would help out, though an LP95 does sound reasonable.

Some people prefer HP tanks, others prefer LP. I'm able to get healthy fills on my LPs, and as such generally prefer them over HPs. That also lets me compare LP and HP tanks not by rated pressure, but rather at similar pressure and dimensions. Thus, on any given day my LP80s are roughly equivalent to HP100s, and LP95s to HP120s. Either way, $175-200 is a fair price for a good condition LP95, maybe a little less out of hydro.

 

[rstofer]

They're going to be worth more with current hydro and viz. More than the cost of doing the service.

Buying a tank that hasn't been recently viz'd is a risky proposition. Without hydro is another problem. As a buyer, I would wonder whether the tanks were junk and pay accordingly. In fact, I wouldn't even make an offer unless it was an old LP 72. I did buy one w/o current hydro and viz but from someone I knew.

Now, a tank with current hydro, a current '+' rating, a current viz and even an O2 clean sticker tells me the tank is ready to go. I don't have to spend any time thinking about the downside. But I would want to see the paperwork.

Richard

 

[armedrios]

Like I said, if it seems that they are worth ,from what i am getting in the $200 range, i will have all the inspections done before i sell them, as a diver myself i would not want to sell a defective tank to anyone. I have already talked to my shop about price and i have no problem doing them if it seems i will have no problem selling them. I will get a picture of the neck markings on asap, though with the specs shown it seems right, also i found an empty weight of 37 pounds on a faber 95 with a +7.5 pound when full. The tank weighs right around 45 pounds right now so if it is full that would be the 37 + 8 so a 95 would make sense.

 

[Gombessa]

Like I said, if it seems that they are worth ,from what i am getting in the $200 range, i will have all the inspections done before i sell them, as a diver myself i would not want to sell a defective tank to anyone. I have already talked to my shop about price and i have no problem doing them if it seems i will have no problem selling them

Steel tanks are pretty tough, as long as they've been stored with gas in them and not abused, they'll more likely than not outlive all of us. I've purchased 10 steel LP tanks in the last year, all out of viz/hydro. None have had any problems getting plus ratings.

If you do sell (or if you buy) an out-of-hydro tank, it's normal practice (and I would insist) that the seller agree ahead of time to give a full refund if the tank fails hydro and is condemned. Getting the hydro done before you sell obviously gets rid of this wrinkle, and is also saving your buyer a lot of inconvenience.

Good luck with the sale.

 

[SandyRobinson]

Now, the cave divers may have great interest in the tank. Maybe this is the kind of tank they like to overfill. I wouldn't know.

Richard

The LP Faber 95 is a popular tank for cave divers. Seems like a set of used double 95s may sell between 500 and 600 but that would include bands and a manifold. Check the equipment exchange sections in The Deco Stop and Cavern, Cave and Overhead Diving Around the World. I would think you could get 150+ for them assuming they have some time on the hydro and VIP.