Is it Worth it to Upgrade from lp 95 to hp 100?

[Locus]

I've been using some lp 95's for single tank, and after a long process of fiddling with weight I seem to be trimming them out pretty well. They are fabers, made in '85 but still in good shape.

I've got a line on a worthington hp 100, relatively recently made, in hydro and vis for $300 or maybe a bit under. Seems like a low-risk buy since they are popular and I can always resell, but I'm curious if those with more experience would have any thoughts on this, and whether the differences between 100's and 95's are pronounced enough to warrant the expense of switching.

 

[Scared Silly]

For $300 I would not bother. For $200 I would think about it. Plus remember if you add a little extra in your LP95 ya got more gas than the HP100.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What scared said at the end. Personally I would not consider going from an lp95 to a hp 100 an upgrade. Unless you can be 100% certain that you will get an honest 3442 fill every time. Even then I'd not see it as a big enough deal to switch for more than $200. And that would be high since you can often find good used lp95's for less.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[nimoh]

I agree with the others.

LP95 filled to 2800psi has 100ft3 of gas, and generally banks are at 3500 so overfills on HP tanks are not nearly as common as underfills.

However, if the place you fill your tanks won't do overfills, then the HP100s are a few pounds lighter when carrying them around on dry land and will of course have a little more gas when filled to rated capacity, but these advantages (IMHO) fall a little short of being an "upgrade"

 

[eelnoraa]

$300 is not a deal for a used HP100.

 

[JohnN]

$300 is not a deal for a used HP100.

FWIW, the going price up here in (not-so-rainy) Portland is about $200. . . (recent hydro and new visual)

 

[Steve_C]

Dive both and see if you notice a difference. Some of us dwarfs like shorter tanks. Prefer my HP100 to other longer tanks I have tried.

 

[danvolker]

I'd be more worried about the HP tank being more negative.....and if so, it becoming a problem on deeper dives in thick wetsuits..

I'd stick with the lp 95 and potentially getting it jacked ( higher pressure fill) if you have a special need for more duration on a dive than the norm with this tank. I used to have some lp 120's....you could jack one and make it a 170 cu ft tank as often as needed....

The other unfortunate issue with heavier tanks ( includes the lp 120--even though this is way more positive than most HP100's)--a heavy steel tank will roll the diver over, if they are hovering over a reef, or in a wreck penetration...when you are trying to be motionless, and no longer have the stabilizing action of your fins while swimming, a heavy steel tank becomes a lever that is trying to roll you over to the right, or to the left. If you never, ever stop and hover, this is potentially not a big deal...do much hovering and it can be very annoying.

 

[JohnN]

I'd be more worried about the HP tank being more negative.....and if so, it becoming a problem on deeper dives in thick wetsuits..

Huh? Without knowing the exact manufacturer of both tanks. Here is what I see from the XS scuba site XS Scuba Worthington Steel Cylinder Specifications:

HP100 Buoyancy Empty: -2.5 lbs
Buoyancy Full: -10.0 lbs
Weight empty: 33.1 lbs

LP95: Buoyancy Empty: -3.0 lbs
Buoyancy Full: -10.1 lbs
Weight empty: 41.9 lbs


For me, the 7+ lbs difference in weight would be significant, but not enough to spend the extra $200-300 if I already had the LP95

---------------------------------------------edit------------------------------------------------------
Ooops just re-read the OP's post.

Faber LP95 and Worthington HP100

So for the Faber95:
Buoyancy empty: -1.2 lbs
Buoyancy full: -8.3 lbs
Weight empty: 37.2 lbs

I still don't see a big difference. . . you're clearly not going to die because of the ~ 2 lb difference if you had to swim up a full tank, but still not worth the $$ to change

 

[Steve_C]

-a heavy steel tank will roll the diver over, if they are hovering over a reef, or in a wreck penetration...when you are trying to be motionless, and no longer have the stabilizing action of your fins while swimming, a heavy steel tank becomes a lever that is trying to roll you over to the right, or to the left. If you never, ever stop and hover, this is potentially not a big deal...do much hovering and it can be very annoying.

I hover a lot and I have never seen the roll issue. Perhaps the fact that I have integrated weights which tends to put the weight below my center of gravity makes a difference but it is a nonissue for me. Slung pony also might be a factor but it is not there for all dives. Just the deeper ones.

A backplate would move the center of gravity higher so that could be a factor too. I have a conventional BCD.