How much more down time??

[9supratt4]

Another opportunity has arisen for me.....Here are my 2 opportunities:

The first opportunity is to buy a set of Steel 100 Doubles with 300 Bar manifold and straps. They are out of hydro, but are in great shape. They are looking for $500. But then I would have to buy another wing and another first stage to dive doubles.

The second opportunity is 2 Steel 100's, not as doubles, with DIN valves. They are in hydro until June 2010, just need VIP. They are looking for $300.

Now since they both have DIN valves, the cost to switch my reg is a non-issue. But I'm also thinking that I probably am not ready to dive doubles as I don't have enough experience or practice, so does it make sense to buy the doubles and seperate them to use them as 2 seperate tanks or to go with the single tanks??

 

[Scared Silly]

At this point plan to get some more time using a single cylinder.

Set 1. Who is the mfg on manifold? About the only mfg I am not a fan of is OMS manifold especially the face sealed version. You will need to buy plugs $6 each. Figure $35-$50 for hydro-VIP. So maybe $100 total.

Set 2. I bet the valves are Pro-valves which accept a donut that allows them to be used as yoke as well as DIN. Later to double them up figure $220 for bands and a manifold. Still out $$ for hydro VIP in less than a year so no different than Set 1.

At this point Set 1 is probably the best deal. I would ask the seller to guarantee they will pass hydro or your money back.

 

[WD8CDH]

Personally, I wouldn't even rule out the OMS face seal manifolds. They are the strongest against bending from abuse like lifting the tanks by the manifold. Over the years, I have seen many other manifolds damaged by bending but never an OMS manifold. Also, I have seen leaks from the barrel style manifold o-ring extrusion. The only disadvantage of the face seal is the band's center-to-center distance need to be more precisely spaced. I use both types extensivly.

 

[9supratt4]

Since I would have to buy new valves for the tanks when I take them off the manifold, wouldn't it make more sense to save that money and just buy a new manifold when I'm ready to dive doubles??

 

[WD8CDH]

Since I would have to buy new valves for the tanks when I take them off the manifold, wouldn't it make more sense to save that money and just buy a new manifold when I'm ready to dive doubles??

Most manifolds these days are made from modular valves and you would just have to remove the crossover and install plugs in the valves to use them as singles.

 

[halocline]

Another opportunity has arisen for me.....Here are my 2 opportunities:

The first opportunity is to buy a set of Steel 100 Doubles with 300 Bar manifold and straps. They are out of hydro, but are in great shape. They are looking for $500. But then I would have to buy another wing and another first stage to dive doubles.

The second opportunity is 2 Steel 100's, not as doubles, with DIN valves. They are in hydro until June 2010, just need VIP. They are looking for $300.

Now since they both have DIN valves, the cost to switch my reg is a non-issue. But I'm also thinking that I probably am not ready to dive doubles as I don't have enough experience or practice, so does it make sense to buy the doubles and seperate them to use them as 2 seperate tanks or to go with the single tanks??

You say they're in great shape, but you really don't know that until you look inside them. It's what they look like inside that matters, and the external appearance has no relationship to the inside. All it takes is one wet fill or one time having been run dry and the valves left open for moisture to get in.

You still have not said what brand tanks they are, and I'm telling you that makes a difference. Worthingtons are worth more than PST. There's nothing wrong with the PSTs, but they're not worth as much. Faber makes a couple of HP100s, the 3500 PSI tanks that weigh a ton and are something like 7-8lbs negative empty, and the FX100 that are much closer in weight and buoyancy to the galvanized PSTs and worthingtons. The faber X7s usually sell for less, and do not get the 3500PSI fabers. I have one of the X7s and I like it, but they are not galvanized and that means you have keep the paint in decent shape. The Faber paint is really tough stuff.

Tanks in hydro are always worth more than tanks out of hydro. At least $50/tank IMO due to the cost of the hydro, the PITA of taking it in, and the risk that it won't pass. HP100s do fail hydro from time to time, whether it's the fault of the tester or not. If it fails and you want to try to prove it was tested wrong, get ready for a major ordeal.

At this point it sounds like the $300 for two individual tanks in hydro is a much better deal. Besides, diving doubles is a whole different set up, and you might not like it so much. It's a lot more work on land, that's for sure. Good used manifolds are easy to find, as are bands.

With the single tanks you still have the VIP to deal with. By far the best way to buy these would be to ask to look inside with a light wand. You can see if there's rust and/or pitting. You might not be able to make the judgement about how much rust is tolerable, etc, but if you see they're really clean that takes most of the risk out, and if you see big rust spots you can walk away.

If the 2 individual tanks are worthingtons and they're clean inside, $150 each is a really good deal.

 

[9supratt4]

The 2 single tanks are Genesis Sherwood's.

 

[WD8CDH]

My opinion of 7/8" neck tanks is similar to my opinion of 6351 aluminum tanks. Their OK, but I won't go out of my way to get one.

 

[micklock]

I have some pst hp80's, original hydro 98, with the 300 bar din angled valves with 7/8 thread. I think they are Genesis, the only thing they say on the valves is made in France. The last time I took them in for hydro I had them put plugs in instead of the isolation valve, it was 10$ per plug.