Observation On Luxfer Tanks...

[Compressor]

Its is obvious that many people on SB miss the Worthington tanks for many of their + characteristics. I have 4 LP85s and they are my favorite tanks. It is also interesting (at least to me) that Luxfer does NOT make steel scuba tanks. They make AL tanks as we all know and also L6X® Hoop-wrap SCUBA cylinder which is a 4,350-psi (300-bar) hoop-wrapped composite scuba cylinders. I have not see the latter anywhere in the US.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Its is obvious that many people on SB miss the Worthington tanks for many of their + characteristics. I have 4 LP85s and they are my favorite tanks. It is also interesting (at least to me) that Luxfer does NOT make steel scuba tanks. They make AL tanks as we all know and also L6X® Hoop-wrap SCUBA cylinder which is a 4,350-psi (300-bar) hoop-wrapped composite scuba cylinders. I have not see the latter anywhere in the US.

I doubt these will ever be common in the US. Hard to get fills (anywhere except my fill station ) and these tanks have a finite life after which they are required to be removed from service. Just not very appealing.

Tobin

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The DOT specifies the following re-qualification periods:

Hoop-wrapped (aluminum) —every 3 years (15 year life)
Fully wrapped fiberglass—every 3 years (15 year life)
Fully wrapped Kevlar—every 3 years (15 year life)
Fully wrapped carbon fiber—every 5 years (15 year life)

This means a hydro test every 3 years rather than every 5 years, and it means you don't even have a very good wind chime after 15 years. Between the short re-qualification period and the limited life span, you really don't want to pay full price for a hoop wrapped aluminum tank that is more than about 6 months old.

Also, hoop wrapped scuba tanks have to be condemned if the epoxy surface of the tank is damaged to the point the fibers of the wrap are exposed. Consequently, if you are a wreck or cave diver, a hooped wrapped tank might not be for you. Even without those activities if someone dings your tank bad enough to penetrate the epoxy resin over the wrap, it's now no longer serviceable.

In the event you can't get a 4350 psi fill and the full 106 cu ft, you'll find you have only 73 cu ft at 3000 psi, 80 cu ft at 3300 psi, 87 cu ft at 3600 psi and 97 cu ft at 4000 psi.

I don't see them catching on in a big way anytime soon.

In scuba tanks, hoop wrapping the tank doesn't make much sense as buoyancy is a consideration - if you make it lighter, you just have to add more weight to get neutral - and you can still have trim issues.

Hoop wrapped tanks make sense for fire department SCBA bottles where weight matters and buoyancy does not - and where the department will pick up the tab replacing them every 15 years or if they are damaged. Fire departments also have a habit of slamming air into tanks in about 45 seconds, which tends to limit the life of aluminum SCBA tanks anyway, so the 15 year life limit of a hoop wrapped tank isn't a factor as a good percentage of aluminum SCBA tanks are out of service at the 15 year mark anyway.

 

[Compressor]

Awesome reply DA Aquamaster. Luxfer places the composite tanks under the scuba section of their website.

 

[scubafanatic]

Also, hoop wrapped scuba tanks have to be condemned if the epoxy surface of the tank is damaged to the point the fibers of the wrap are exposed.

Wouldn't the tank be ruined after the very 1st required 3 yr hydro when the hydro stamp punches through the epoxy surface ?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

They use a sticker to mark the tank after hydro when it's a wrapped tank - they don't stamp it.

 

[tbone1004]

you can't stamp epoxy resins anyway, they'll just fracture. They might be under the scuba section, but that could be globally, or for the rescue teams where they can double as scba bottles, used as O2 ccr bottles for the military, etc etc. Not going to see much use in the recreational community.

Tobin, most of the cave country compressors have their banks filled that high, thanking God for the third stages limiting that pressure coming in when they're filling regular aluminums though.... ;-)

 

[cool_hardware52]

you can't stamp epoxy resins anyway, they'll just fracture. They might be under the scuba section, but that could be globally, or for the rescue teams where they can double as scba bottles, used as O2 ccr bottles for the military, etc etc. Not going to see much use in the recreational community.

Tobin, most of the cave country compressors have their banks filled that high, thanking God for the third stages limiting that pressure coming in when they're filling regular aluminums though.... ;-)

My compressor pumps to about 5200 and my haskel will reach 7000. I have gas banked at ~6500. Makes for easy transfills if it's warm out and I don't want to run the pumps. Spent a bit of time yesterday filling doubles with 18/45 and stages with 21/35 and never had to run a pump. Love those 6K bank bottles. They hold a lot of gas.....

Tobin

 

[Compressor]

My compressor pumps to about 5200 and my haskel will reach 7000. I have gas banked at ~6500. Makes for easy transfills if it's warm out and I don't want to run the pumps. Spent a bit of time yesterday filling doubles with 18/45 and stages with 21/35 and never had to run a pump. Love those 6K bank bottles. They hold a lot of gas.....

Tobin

Incredible. Lots of gas.