Here's a dumb question...

[Ghost.Diver]

Has anyone used a different type of cylinder for diving other than an offical scuba tank? To be more specific, since I have quit trying to make my car go faster (just buy a bike, cheaper and whole lot quicker...), I have an unused Nitrous bottle. It would be a good bottle for deco or a small stage bottle, (not sure of the cf size but it is from a 10 lb system).
With proper cleaning and replacing the valve, could this be used for scuba? BTW, the tank is stamped NOS 10LB. Chances are getting it filled anywhere other than my LDS (where I've spent all my money), would be out of the question, right?

Remember, just asking; I really have no intention of diving with NOS, although, it would keep you from going deep to get narc'd....

 

[scubabunny]

First of all...I am NOT a tank expert, so take this as a grain of salt. But, I think the main concern with tanks is how strong they are. Does your tank have a DOT (Department of Transportation) stamped on it? If so, it has met the American standards for a pressurized tank. So, it SHOULD be able to be used as a pony bottle. But, it will have to be visually inspected, and maybe cleaned.

Again, I am not an expert..the best suggestion I have is to take it to your local shop, and talk to the visual inspector. And, if he has any reservations, DON'T dive with it!

As for Nitrous...how close is that to Nitrox?

 

[aquaviper]

Hi TDD

Do you have the rest of the hardware intact? If so, sell the entire nitrous set-up and purchase a new stamped, certified and blessed bottle from your LDS.

 

[Ghost.Diver]

Tank is certified CTC/DOT. Average pressure of full tank is approx 3-4,000 psi depending on temp. NOS is used mainly in two areas. One, used as a anestiec (sp?) in dental work, two (the purpose of this tank), in racing applications. NOS cannot be breathed, will cause respiratory tract damage. Now, Nitrox on the other hand might be able to be used in racing applications....EANx 40; might go really fast or make a nice fireball!!

 

[Kane(adian)]

eanx 40... probably a fireball.

After taking a look in ye olde chem text, N2O reacts with O2 to ABSORB heat. That is why it is used to race, cause you can use higher gas mixtures.

 

[Ghost.Diver]

Actually, N20 is an oxidizer which when introduced into the combustion process adds a molocule of O2 creating a higher cylinder pressure during the burn cycle to give the engine a serious increase in power.

gas mixture of N20 stays constant, two benefits of N20 are the tremendous cooling effect of injecting/releasing N20 into the engine (cooler engine, more power), and the added O2 molocule to aid in combustion.

...damn imports think they can run with a chevy v8 now...that's why there's a bike in the garage...my version of an import, either that or 468" of Chevy big block in a 69 Camaro to rattle there clear taillights and blue headlights off....anyway thats for another group...

 

[bio guy]

But just imagine how quickly you can get to you favourite dive site.
Check with the manufacturer of the tank itself, if its stamped on it. My understanding is that high pressure cylinders, whether they are automotive, medical or scuba, are all manufactured by a small number of companies (luxfer, pressed steel etc etc), they can probably tell you if it is safe to use once cleaned. It may simply be a 13 cf tank sold to an automotive company who markets it with their nitrous system, or it could be a specialty tank that is not suitable for scuba. I wonder if the thread size may also be an issue??

Cheers

 

[Divemstr13]

What do the stampings on the cylinder say ?

 

[Ghost.Diver]

Cylinder is stamped as below:

DOT/CTC 3AA 1800T
N20 10lbs

 

[Divemstr13]

Sorry can't help you with that one.