Going from AL 80s to AL100s! What should I expect?

[spectrum]

It's a miserable turd of a cylinder.

DA Aquamaster tabulated a lot of good reference numbers.

You can also run a comparison against the example here and perhaps include the HP-100 in the mix too.

If it's a gift and you like lugging weight or just need to stride off a boat they may not be the end of the world but there's nothing elegant about an AL100.

Pete

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Wow, that is brutal. My HP-130 (lots of gas) is only 1lb heavier and is still 1" shorter and yet has LOTS more gas.

So it looks like the C100 is basically the same weight, same diameter, and the same length as the HP-130. Yet has 30% less gas and ends up 2.2lb + vs 2lb -. What is the point of this tank? Serious question not trying to start a fight.

It might have made sense when first introduced, but there are far better choices now.

One of the regulars I used to dive with used AL100s because he was a bit of an admitted air hog and needed the extra gas to stay with AL 80 and steel 72 equipped buddies. One day on the boat he was discussing getting another one with the local dive shop owner. I suggested he get a tank like mine instead and he said while he'd love to have a small tank like that he really needed 100 cu ft. When I explained the X7-100 was a 100 cu ft tank and was not only small but only weighed 33 pounds, he suddenly got extremely interested.

I suspect it's mostly a lack of awareness of better options that keeps the AL 100 selling at all.

 

[rhwestfall]

I suspect it's mostly a lack of awareness of better options that keeps the AL 100 selling at all.

or $$$$......

 

[The Chairman]

My favorite tank, is the one sitting on a dive boat full of air or NitrOx! I get the feeling that this is a tank provided by a local charter you use. If so, no worries. Take off 4 pounds from whatever you used with an AL80 and have fun! You'll have a bit longer bottom time so mind your PDC and avoid going into Deco.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

My favorite tank, is the one sitting on a dive boat full of air or NitrOx! I get the feeling that this is a tank provided by a local charter you use. If so, no worries. Take off 4 pounds from whatever you used with an AL80 and have fun! You'll have a bit longer bottom time so mind your PDC and avoid going into Deco.

Yap! Its the tank on the dive boat. They only have AL 80s or 100s. My personal fav is HP 100 which a lot of dive boats do not have. If I was to ever buy a tank it would be this one.

 

[The Chairman]

Then go with the bigger tank and HAVE FUN. If you don't like it, go back to the 80s. It might be a pig of a tank, but it's not far to the water and most ladders just aren't that difficult.

Again, my favorite tank is the full one on the dive boat that I DON'T HAVE TO FUSS WITH.

 

[OldNSalty]

What NetDoc said. I am NOT a tall person but I have put in many dives with AL100s and found it manageable. To me the extra gas was worth the bother of an 8" diameter and a lot of weight on something that was a little too long.

 

[JohnN]

I love HP 100s. Unfortunately the charterboat does not carry them.

I'm diving in Roatan the week after next and the operator there also has AL100's. Their 'reason' was that their air had salt in it and would corrode the inside of steel tanks.

I'm not at all convinced by this, but it is what it is, its all boat diving, and this seems like a good post-dive, beer question :cool2:

 

[Agility]

Their 'reason' was that their air had salt in it and would corrode the inside of steel tanks.

I wonder what else their "air" has in it

 

[Graeme Tolton]

My experience with Roatan is that they have no idea what anything does to the insides of their tanks. I was there 3 years ago and many of the tanks used had been out of hydro for 10-15 years, almost all leaking from the neck o-rings.