Faber/XS Scuba

[jdcpa]

Okay folks, it is now my time to show my stupidity.

I am reasonably new to Scuba and I have always dove with
AL80's. I decided I wanted more bottom time and bought steel HP 100's.

I trusted the comments from the LDS and I bought them new (unused) at my LDS. In reading the top of the bottle I can see that the markings indicate that it was made by Faber in Italy. I also see a marking below that for XS Scuba. It also looks like there is a date of 04, which I am assuming means they were manufactured in 2004.

In the little research I have done, it appears that Worthington makes the steel tanks for XS Scuba. Is it possible that Faber was making tanks for XS Scuba in 2004?

I am just trying to figure out exactly what I have and the value to see if I got a reasonable deal, which I assume I did. Befire everyone asks, $300 including vis, nitrox fill, tax, valve, boot, etc.

Good tanks? Bad tanks? Comments?

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[dannobee]

Does it look like this one? Price is about right. I have two of them, they're decent. And heavy enough to drop some weight off of your belt.


http://tdl.divebiz.net/index.php?ma...id=653&zenid=b7ac93239a5689cc3c153f35c9dac14e

 

[jdcpa]

Yes, that looks like them.

They do seem heavy. So much so, I dropped all of my weight (12 pounds) on my first dive with them. Makes me a little nervous to do that so I am going to try and add four pounds in the front and see how that goes. Balance things out a little.

Thanks.

 

[Tagerisatroll]

Seems like an Ok price on HP steel to me, I just had a question are you guys actually paying for Visual inspections on new tanks when you buy them from your LDS I've seen this in a couple of posts. Or are you just saying the price included the Visual inspection, because if the dive shop is selling the tank at lower price then dinging you for visual thats well... I'd freak out it's brand new tank, and if it could fail a visual before the first fill what are they doing selling it?

Sorry didn't mean to get side tracked.

To answer your question XS scuba is just a brand name the manufacture stamped on the top of the tank Faber actutally built the tanks, and XS Scuba labled them and sold them as their own. Odds are you are exactly right in 2004 Faber was building the tanks for them and then they switched to Worthington.

 

[evil_xander]

Good tanks? Bad tanks? Comments?

Faber motto is: If it's steel, it must be Faber. I think this should be enough.

On the more serious side, I'm not sure you can buy any other steel tank in Europe other then Faber. They are excellent tanks, perhaps a bit on the heavy side, and need some user care/maintenance, but should last you quite long if properly taken care of.

Be careful not to get any scratches that are too deep (should you get some, clean it up, dry the scratch and cover it with anticorosive paint or similar protection, but don't put too much, as you want to see if rust will form beneath it and create a bulb), remove the plastic/rubber bottom every month or so (depending on how frequent you dive in salt water) to clean it up from any salt left over and check for possible rust and that's pretty much it. Or, you could just rinse it every time and leave everything else to the shop that does your fills.

Also, keep it stored in an upwards position, as it is thicker on the bottom then on the sides, so should there be any moisture in it, it will gather on the bottom to form a corrosion.

They say a tank that has been filled 30+ times will 100% have some moisture in it. I'll see for myself when the time comes, as I have one but not yet filled 30 times.

 

[Leadking]

In the little research I have done, it appears that Worthington makes the steel tanks for XS Scuba. Is it possible that Faber was making tanks for XS Scuba in 2004?

I Thanks for the assistance.

XS Scuba, Sea Pearls, and OMS all distributed Faber cylinders in 2004. Faber decided to end their distributor arrangements in early 2004 and XS and Sea Pearls worked with Worthington Cylinders to develop the current line of hot dipped galvanized SCUBA cylinders.

Lee
www.seapearls.com

 

[pescador775]

The Faber tank is heavy as all get out. However, being made of old fashioned stuff, 3AA steel, the side walls are thick and strong. Unlikely to ever fail hydro. The inside of the tank is phosphated and will resist minor flash rust.

 

[aquaoren]

Faber motto is: If it's steel, it must be Faber. I think this should be enough.

On the more serious side, I'm not sure you can buy any other steel tank in Europe other then Faber.

Beside Faber in Italy, there are more steel tank producer in Europe.
Germany: Mannesmann and Apolda.
France: Roth.
Austria: Heiser.
There may be more...