Looking to buy my first tanks

[tbone1004]

oh, so the 80's have 300bar din valves, so you're either in new valves or new first stage if your wife has yoke regulators, I'd go new first stage, the Hog D1's are super cheap $180 for a first and second stage right now, can't argue with that*. 130's may have 200 bar or 300 bar din, but they won't have yoke. In Florida pretty much everything that is made of steel gets filled to 3600psi regardless of whether it is a 2400+, 3442, or 3500 * they keep 72's below 3k usually*, but good luck asking them to keep a fill to 3300psi. The biggest issue is whether you switch your regs over to DIN which is better for your personal tanks anyway.

John, all of my 72's still have their plus rating on them, and get filled to 2800 or so which is an honest 80cf. If the bottles lose their plus rating, they can get it back at next hydro which isn't terribly uncommon.

 

[JohnN]

John, all of my 72's still have their plus rating on them, and get filled to 2800 or so which is an honest 80cf. If the bottles lose their plus rating, they can get it back at next hydro which isn't terribly uncommon.

I haven't found a shop in the PNW that will overfill. Clearly things are different where you are.

 

[cool_hardware52]

My wife and I don't want to wait for vacations to the ocean to dive so we are looking to buy our first tanks for local fresh water diving.

I want steel tanks because of the bouyancy advantages. I found a steel 100cf made by Faber at a price that's not far from an aluminum tank. It's their FX series and is a high pressure tank (3442 psi) but is advertised as compatable with ALL regulators. It has a "Pro valve that is yoke and DIN compatable". Is this a yoke with a DIN adapter included or vice versa or is it some new configuration that is compatable with both? Is anyone familiar with this valve setup and are ther any negatives to this type of set up? Would it work with my AL Mikron reg(3300psi)?

Is Faber a good manufacturer? What other tanks should we look at? (steel 100's for me and 80's for my wife).

Sorry for all the questions but would like answers from someone with experience and who's not trying to sell me something.

With apologies if others have covered some or all of my points.

I like steel LP tanks for the following reasons, not all of which may apply to your circumstances. Easier to get full fills. Lots of gas if you happen to get a nice "fat" fill. Typically a bit negative when empty (not all LP tanks are however so do your homework) Makes PP nitrox fills a bit easier particularly if you are cascading in the O2 at home as the required O2 pressure will be less allowing better use of your supply gas. (not an issue if you don't dive Nitrox or have access to a booster)

If one is considering al 80's I always suggest Luxfer bottles if the diver has any plans for Tech in the future. Lux 80's make nice stages.

Keep in mind that 100 cuft of air or nitrox weighs ~7.8 lbs regardless of what the tank that holds it is made of, meaning buoyancy Swing is always a function of the volume of the gas, not the material the tank is made of.

For Warm water, and or warm fresh water buoyant al80's can be an advantage as thin suits (or no suits) and negative steel tanks can easily result in an over weighted diver.

I own a few 3442 psi steels, but usually they are in the back of the fill station covered in dust.....

Tobin

 

[tbone1004]

yeah, depends on the shop really, but most of them in the Carolinas and Florida will fill the 72's to 2800 or so, and the 2400+ bottles all the way up to 3600.

I am in the opposite side of Tobin, but the same side at the same time. I own a few 3500psi bottles from PST, but if I'm not in cave country, I only ever plan on 3300psi fills, so they get treated as 110cf for gas planning and anything extra is bonus points. In cave country it is obviously very different and I usually do banked nitrox or continuous blending, PP is only for trimix and even then I try to get the bulk of it from helium+banked nitrox or continuous blending. I love LP104's, never been a big Faber fan for the salty stuff, but I agree on the theory of LP tanks being better, I just haven't found any bottles I like better than my PST HP120's.

 

[rhwestfall]

I have taken a liking to my AL80 twinset for when the water is 75* and the wetsuit is being used.....

 

[Keith.M]

I was going to recommend used tanks as well, but I can see the cost for used is quite different from place to place.

I wouldn't pay more than $45 for a steel 72. Last tanks I bought I got a steel 72 and an AL 80 for $60.

My main tanks are PST HP 100's. I picked up a pair for $220. I didn't go for a new first stage either, I converted my first stage from yoke to DIN.

I have another matching pair of steel 80's and I paid $180 for the pair...

I say keep looking and you will get a feel for the prices and what is high and what is a good deal.