Help Me Solve My Weighty Problem

[DiveDaddyDale]

Hello Fellow Bubblers;

The situation; I decided to upgrade from my vest bcd to a bp/w rig. My first attempt was an Oxycheck 18lb bladder, a DSS SS plate (6.6lbs) with an AL80 tank.

With this setup, in my 3mm steamer with no weights I was comfortable in the water but I wanted to gain more dive time and so I got a SS100 tank and tried it out. It was immediately apparent that I was over weighted and I had difficulty swimming my rig up without a fair amount of air in the wing. Once on the surface, I could tread water enough to keep my head out of the water, but could not have done it for long in even moderate seas.

I returned the DSS SS plate and put on the DSS Kydex plate at 2.2lbs

Well, putting on the Kydex plate threw my buoyancy, trim and balance so off that even after 10 dives I could not achieve stability horizontally or vertically. I was flailing my arms and using my jazz hands just to avoid rolling over, tank down in the water. I could not hover or even swim straight without rolling to once side or over onto my back. In addition, I was less over weighted, but the lack of stability was very tiring and discouraging (this is supposed to be fun, right?).

So I put the DSS SS plate back on and again, upgraded the wing to a 25lb, trim and buoyancy were fine with no weights when using the AL80, and while I am much more stable with the SS plate than I was with the Kydex, I am back to being over weighted when using the SS100.

Some buddies have suggested I upgrade to a 38lb (or even more) wing. I don't want to have to wear a 5mm suit as I dive mostly in Texas lakes and it can be very, very warm (105 today in DFW).

I really want to use the SS tank to get the extra dive time but have no idea how to lighten myself or my rig any further.

Suggestions?

 

[-hh]

Sounds like the real problem is that the SS100 tank is too negative. Consider swapping it out for an AL100?

-hh

 

[spectrum]

Help me out , what is an SS100?

 

[Glenn08]

I use a buoyancy tank to trim my twin 50's. I wear them valves-down and weight makes me feel off balance, The tank is a 12 inch piece of 4 inch PVC pipe with clear lexan end caps so that I can check for water leaking in. It is mounted low near the valves. I added lead to my weight belt to compensate. Now my rig, and me in my wetsuit, are closer to neutral.

 

[DiveDaddyDale]

Help me out , what is an SS100?

i am referring to a Stainless Steel HP 100 tank. Tank has a -11 lbs buoyancy when full at 3400 PSI, and a -4lb buoyancy at 500 PSI.

---------- Post added August 9th, 2013 at 10:25 PM ----------

Yes the SS HP 100 is negative, but I have read that the AL100 is a train wreck and also does not hold anywhere near the 3450 cf of air that the HP100 holds.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I used to dive CSSP all the time with a steel HP130, a 35lbs wing, no weights, wearing a shorty, and had no problems (BCD not BP&W). Was I over weighted for fresh water? Absolutely, but a couple of shots in the bladder and back to neutral. Since then I have quit playing around and went back to the AL80. I found using the same standard equipment you are likely to see on a trip, and working on my skills, preferable to throwing money at trying to extend my bottom times.

Using a steel back plate with a steel 100 will probably always result in you being negative in fresh water with your current setup. If you are intent on diving larger volume steel tanks, then you should probably consider a higher lift wing to compensate. From a safety standpoint you are also diving with no ditchable weight, so more lift seem in order. Your rescuers will thank you!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

My suggestion is to just chill out and dive. That will reduce your air consumption and before you know it you will get an hour out of a plain old AL80 with ease.

If you can dive an AL80 with steel plate and no lead, then the HP100 is too heavy. The problem you have is even with the bigger wing, your ballast is ABOVE your center of mass, so you are unstable. And all your weight if fixed so you cannot adjust trim. In cold water with 20-30lbs of total ballast, the -11lb tank is not a problem. In warm water with no other ballast, the placement of that -11lbs sucks.

 

[Gill]

Stainless Steel HP 100 tank.

Steel scuba tanks are not stainless steel. Has something to do with stainless steel not allowing for flex which is needed during air fills due to expansion and contraction from the pressure change.

 

[kmurray719]

---------- Post added August 9th, 2013 at 10:25 PM ----------

[/COLOR]Yes the SS HP 100 is negative, but I have read that the AL100 is a train wreck and also does not hold anywhere near the 3450 cf of air that the HP100 holds.

Train wreck or not, a full AL 100 has the same amount of air as a full HP 100.....100 cubic feet. The capacity of a tank is not directly related to the rated fill pressure.

 

[gizmo1972]

sorry i have to agree with GRUMPY OLD GUY insted of buying all this gear CHILL !!! go dive have fun relax and get used to the 80 way of life !
or simply go the whole 9 yards TWIN 80 job done nice n stable and the whole redundency situation is all solved !!!