Is this a good deal on Al 100?

[OldNSalty]

Aluminum 100 from 87. Last hydro was 92-last dive was 97. Still holds air. They want $100. I'm OK with Aluminum but I know that certain years had issues (I don't know what those years were). Is this a reasonable price? I know I will need to get a hydro.

 

[Dark Wolf]

Just my opinion, but you can buy a new AL 100 for about $275 if I remember right. By the time you pay the $100 for the tank mentioned, then pay for a hydro, VIP, etc. you will be over the $150 mark. If it was me and I had the the extra money, I would just get a new tank.

As far as the "bad" AL tanks go, I will have to let someone else cover that. It seems that Luxfer was the main manufacturer of those tanks, but I could be wrong. Luxfer may just stick in my mind because I have one of the affected tanks.

DW

 

[redacted]

That is probably the older metal (Luxfer) and you would likely have a hard time getting it filled just because it is pre-'90. The Al100 is quite heavy and bulky. If you nned more gas than the common Al80, I suggest you look for one of the newer steel HP100s. They are about the same empty weights as an Al80, a little shorter and a pound or so negative when empty. It might take some shopping, but think in terms of about $200 used.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Any Luxfer AL 100 manufactured prior to 8-87 will most likely be made from 6351-T6 alloy. All Catalina AL 100s and any Luxfer AL 100 made in August 1987 or later will be made from 6061-T6 alloy.

Luxfer AL 100s weigh 43 pounds with valve are 27" tall and 8" in diameter and are 3 pounds positive when empty.

Catalina AL 100s are neutral when empty but are the same size and weigh 47 pounds with valve - they are very heavy for a 100 cu ft tank.

In comparison an X7-100 3442 psi steel tank weighs 33 pounds with valve, is only 24" tall and 7.25" in diameter and is 2.5 pounds negative when empty so you may save even more weight in taking some lead off your weight belt. It is a lot less bulk and weight (10 to 15 lbs depending on tank and configuration) for the same 100 cu ft.

An X8-130 3442 psi steel tank is the same diameter as and AL 100 and weighs the same 43 pounds with valve as a Luxfer AL 100, but it is still 1.5" shorter and is 2.0 pounds negative when empty. So for the same weight as a Luxfer AL 100 you can get a shorter tank that holds another 30 cubic feet.

In short, an AL 100 is not exactly going to fly out of an LDS or the want ads so $100 is not a bad price for an in current hydro AL 100, but it is a lot for one that is out of hydro. And new, an Al 100 would cost nearly as much as a steel tank of comparable volume so I'd spent another $50 and go with a steel 100 before I'd buy a new AL 100.

 

[oxyhacker]

There's a reason you don't see many alu 100s, they just aren't real nice tanks to dive as they somehow manage to combine being too heavy with being too buoyant.

 

[Dark Wolf]

Piranha has some steel 100's for $160.

Just noticed that these tanks are not + rated. At LP, they hold 80 cubic feet. Says they are a special lightweight tank, and may not be what you are looking for. Sorry.

DW

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

That's too much money for that tank. If you we're getting a smoking deal, it might be different.

I used to have some 92s. They're the same diameter as 100s but shorter. The 8-inch diameter tanks won't fit into all boat tank racks, which can be a PITA on crowded boats.

That the tanks are close to the 1988 cutoff date for aluminum tanks means you will run into problems getting them filled on occasion, or at least you will have to spend time 'educating' people about AL tanks so you can get a fill.

Then there's the 20 year cutoff thing. Some dive shops are saying they will no longer fill AL tanks over 20 years old regardless of the alloy. So you might only get a couple more years out of a tank that old.

Not worth the trouble in my opinion...

 

[Scared Silly]

Unless it was made after 8-87 these links will be of interest:

Notice No. 94-7; Safety Advisory; High Pressure Aluminum Seamless and Aluminum Composite Hoop-Wrapped Cylinders

Hazardous Materials: Aluminum Cylinders Manufactured of Aluminum Alloy 6351-T6 Used in SCUBA, SCBA, and Oxygen Services--Revised Requalification and Use Criteria | Federal Register Environmental Documents | USEPA

If made after 8-87 it will probably still become guilty by association.

As the price. In hydro and vis an AL cylinder will sell for $75-$100. You will spend ~$35 for hydro and a vis. So the price is high. To me the cylinder is probably scrap. I would look at a steel HP100.

 

[OldNSalty]

OK, one more question then; I dive warm and usually only need between 6-8#'s with an Al 80. If I go to a steel HP 100 will I be over-weighted?

 

[Scared Silly]

An AL 80 when full is -4 while an HP100 is -8. So you can take around 4lbs off.