fiberglass tanks!?

[Scubaroo]

How many shops do you know that can do a 4500psi fill pressure? And if they can, will it be closer to 4000psi after it cools down? Might as well buy an old steel 72.

It would severely limit the number of places you could get fills, and you would almost certainly have to leave the tanks for several hours in order to get a decent fill so they could be topped off after cooling down from the initial fill.

Not to mention the additional wear on your regulator. Mightn't be such a problem nowadays with 3500psi, but 4500psi would be a world of hurt on your reg.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I like the molded to your body idea, if you could get the bouancy problem solved, maybe by mating lead in with it somehow?

you could get super high cubes out of that sucker, and only run it at heck, even 2500 at that volume would get you tons more air.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Scubaroo once bubbled...
How many shops do you know that can do a 4500psi fill pressure?

The shop in my area is getting into the high pressure fll business a service to the paintballers in the area but charges a premium for the high pressure fills.

I agree, you are better off wth steel tanks.

For the most part most LDS's are suing 4500 psi tanks in their airbanks and cascades as 6000 psi tanks are much more expensive, so the odds of getting a good fill on a 4500 psi tanks are a little remote.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I think I'd rather go higher volume than higher pressure, 3000 psi bomb on my back is scary enough without adding 1500 psi to it, I have a potato gun that operates off of 100 psi, it can put potatoes through wood and break bricks, an unreal monster, 4500psi.... (shudders a bit at the thought).

 

[dc4bs]

I had head that the composit fiber tanks had some issues with delamination when they were used for scuba.

They were OK for SCBA because even though they do get wet from firehose spray, etc., they don't get submerged under pressure and have water forced in between the fibers.

Am I remembering wrong or have they solved the problem?

 

[FIXXERVI6]

how would that happen? the fibers should be encased in some sort of epoxy or other compound, how would water penetrate it? if water under like 100psi or pressure could get in and seperate the fibers shouldn't air at 4000 plus do the same thing? or maybe I'm just clueless

 

[GlockDiver]

I'd think SCBA tanks would get roughed up more than scuba tanks because they're exposed to extreme heat.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You remember correctly. That has been the traditonal hangup with using composite wrapped tanks for Scuba.

I have not really seen that anything has changed and the issue still remains that if a tank is dinged, scraped or otherwise damaged enough to expose the composite fibers, you will have a piece of scrap on your hands as it will not pass a VIP.

Personally, I would take a wait and see attitude to see how these tanks hold up in service before spending $400-$500 on one.

 

[TX65]

If you refer to the Luxfer data, the composite tanks they are marketing for Scuba have some nice advantages.

Based on their data, an 85 is 21.5" tall (like a Genesis 80) but weighs about 20 lbs without a valve compared to 35 lbs for the Genesis 80. The bouyancy characteristics are also nice at 1.5lbs + when empty.

These dims can provide many benefits for people who would greatly appreciate a smaller lighter package. Petite women and people who have back issues are just two groups I can think of.

As far as durability, composite tanks are used in SCBA equipment as well as LNG and CNG vehicle fuel tanks. All of those environments are much rougher on a tank then rec scuba.

As far as an LDS having issue with filling them. HP compressors operate at 4500 psi and higher. If an LDS dont want to fill them, I just take my tank filling (as well as my equipment purchases) down the street to another LDS.

Personally, I am thinking of double 85's with a manifold weighing less then 50 lbs. I would appreciate 30 lbs less on my back.

As far as cost, I am already used to buying Faber 95's which cost double what an Al80 runs so what is a little bit more spread out over say 10 years.

One final note,,,Luxfer is a rather large US company and is selling these tanks for consumers. What this means is they have tested these tanks beyond belief given the risk of being sued for loss of life if they fail.

PS - Scuba Tanks are round cylinders for ease of manufacture as a seamless extrusion.

 

[pasley]

The "firberglass SCUBA" tanks are not pure firberglass. The are AL on the outside and hoopwraped on the inside. See below LUXFER press anouncement.

October 22, 2002—After more than five years of development and testing, Luxfer Gas Cylinders has launched the first two models in the “Luxfer Limited” line, the world’s highest-pressure scuba diving cylinders—also the first composite cylinders in the scuba industry.

The new S85W (85-cubic-foot capacity) and S106 (106-cubic-foot capacity) were introduced at the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) international trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in late October.

The pressure rating for Luxfer Limited cylinders is 4,350 psi (300 bar), which offers significantly greater air capacity and diving time for scuba enthusiasts. By comparison, a standard Luxfer 80-cubic-foot scuba cylinder is rated at 3,000 psi (207 bar).

Compatible with existing diving equipment, “Luxfer Limited” cylinders are suitable for use with nitrox and oxygen-enriched diving mixtures.
Luxfer advertising is focusing on the extended diving time offered by the new cylinders. A promotional illustration shows two scuba diving partners swimming among schools of fish under the headline, “Spend more time with your friends.”

Personally, I agree with the others, at that price and given LUXFER experience with other "new" technologies, I would go stell first.