Not trying to satart a war between the HP & LP crowd but if you read the last post of my other thread then you'll follow my line of questioning here....
Thanks again
Thanks again
OK, now FX-100 vs LP-95
- Thread starter Islandheart
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mike_s
Contributor
We'll. I own FX-100's and I've dove LP-95's.
both are great tanks for most people.
The FX-100 is made by Faber. For consideration, you can also get an almost the same tank in the X7-100 from Worthington. both companies make LP95's
The FX-100 and the X7-100 are both 7.25inch in diameter and are about the same height.(24-25""). A lot of people like this tank because it's really not (much) bigger than an AL80.
in comparison, the LP95's are 8" in diameter and are 23 to 24" height.
Service pressures are the big differences (along with tank wall thickness that goes with that). the LP95 is at full capacity (95cf) when it's filled to 10% above it's rated 2400psi. This fills it to 2640psi. The HP100's mentioned above are rated at 3442psi. Either way you've got about the same amount of gas.
However, you'll find some people that overfill the LP95 up over 100cf +. (There are several past threads that argue the pro's/con's on that.) If you want this, consider the LP95 over the FX-100
what tanks is best for you? I guess that depends several things. but most of it is personal preference (in my opinion).
One big deciding factor is whether or not you live in an area that you can get DEPENDABLE High Pressure fills. (meaning will they fill it to 3442psi EVERY time.) If not, then I'd suggest getting the LP tank. that way you can at least get 2400-2600 fills and still have decent amount of cubic feet per tank.
The other major difference is cost. it seems that the HP tanks cost more.
However, you can often pick up the FX-100 at "fire sales" at places like Divers Direct, etc that put them up on their email flyer for $250 or $259 or so. NOTE: these tanks often have "less than brand new" hydro dates. such as close to a year old or maybe more. (but don't let this scare you. the hydro date of most tanks in regular LDS's is a year or more). but just something to be aware of.
I prefer the finish of the Worthington tank better, but it's saving $150/tank, I'm happy with my Fabers.
both are great tanks for most people.
The FX-100 is made by Faber. For consideration, you can also get an almost the same tank in the X7-100 from Worthington. both companies make LP95's
The FX-100 and the X7-100 are both 7.25inch in diameter and are about the same height.(24-25""). A lot of people like this tank because it's really not (much) bigger than an AL80.
in comparison, the LP95's are 8" in diameter and are 23 to 24" height.
Service pressures are the big differences (along with tank wall thickness that goes with that). the LP95 is at full capacity (95cf) when it's filled to 10% above it's rated 2400psi. This fills it to 2640psi. The HP100's mentioned above are rated at 3442psi. Either way you've got about the same amount of gas.
However, you'll find some people that overfill the LP95 up over 100cf +. (There are several past threads that argue the pro's/con's on that.) If you want this, consider the LP95 over the FX-100
what tanks is best for you? I guess that depends several things. but most of it is personal preference (in my opinion).
One big deciding factor is whether or not you live in an area that you can get DEPENDABLE High Pressure fills. (meaning will they fill it to 3442psi EVERY time.) If not, then I'd suggest getting the LP tank. that way you can at least get 2400-2600 fills and still have decent amount of cubic feet per tank.
The other major difference is cost. it seems that the HP tanks cost more.
However, you can often pick up the FX-100 at "fire sales" at places like Divers Direct, etc that put them up on their email flyer for $250 or $259 or so. NOTE: these tanks often have "less than brand new" hydro dates. such as close to a year old or maybe more. (but don't let this scare you. the hydro date of most tanks in regular LDS's is a year or more). but just something to be aware of.
I prefer the finish of the Worthington tank better, but it's saving $150/tank, I'm happy with my Fabers.
Last edited:
Scared Silly
Contributor
I think the HP100s are great cylinders. I recently bought a LP95 and LP108 though. The price was too good to pass up. $250 for both plus three years on the hydro, clean inside, etc. If it were not for such a deal ...
The LP are bigger 8" vs 7.25" dia. and heavier by 3 lbs (dry and wet) but with a back plate still fine as a single cylinder.
The LP are bigger 8" vs 7.25" dia. and heavier by 3 lbs (dry and wet) but with a back plate still fine as a single cylinder.
Guy Alcala
Contributor
Unless you feel that you're likely to need to overfill your tank for much greater volume some time in the future, you have problems getting decent HP fills or you get charged extra for them, I'd go with the HP100. It's lighter, smaller (same height but 7.25") and depending on the manufacturer, maybe more negative than the LP95 (which may not be a good thing if you dive wet in warm water; then you want a tank that's slightly positive at the end of the dive, with dumpable weight). Worthington X7-100s are good tanks, 10.0lb. neg (with valve) when full and 2.5 lb. when empty. I have no experience of Faber HP 100s, but ISTR that they are 3180+ rated tanks, and why bother with that instead of a 3442 rated tank? If the new ones aren't, disregard.
The HP119 is typically similar (in the case of one manufacturer, identical) in size/weight/buoyancy to a LP95, just rated for the higher pressure. And the HP130 is about the same size as a LP104.
I've got OMS (made by Faber) LP112s, essentially the same as the older 95s except for being taller and heavier. They're big tanks, but I use them for shore diving and have pumped them up to something like 149 cu.ft. @3500 PSI when I needed to, but I prefer not doing so. The newer Fabers are less negative than these, making them poorer for my coldwater drysuit diving but maybe better for you. But for boat diving or awkward shore entries I'll use my 100s, because the difference in weight and buoyancy takes 10 lb. off me. And if you ever decided to double your tanks, a pair of 100s will be a fair amount lighter than a pair of 95s.
There have been some corrosion concerns raised about Faber painted galvanised tanks vs. hot-dipped ones made by PST and Worthington etc. I don't know what the Fabers you're looking at are; the ones I've seen recently all appear to be painted. Given the choice, I prefer hot-dipped. Any chance you can borrow one of each and see how they trim for you?
Guy
mike_s
Contributor
Faber makes two different types of HP100's now.
the 3442psi FX-100 and the 3180psi+10% HP-100.
The FX-100 is similar in characteristics of the Worthington X7-100, bu the 3180psi is a freaking boat anchor. Something like 39 pounds empty and -14 pounds negative. It might be attractive to dry suit divers who need extra negative weight on a tank, but diving it wet, you'd be pretty negative and a BC bladder failure could be catostrapic.
I've got the Fabers. they are painted. So far, no rusting issues.
however, I agree with you on prefering the hot-dipped galvanized.
bowtieman427
Guest
This may be a noob question or non issue but if you have a yoke style regulator do you have to go with a LP style tank ? I would think the FX or HP tanks would use DIN ? Please inform us this may be a consideration for OP.
mike_s
Contributor
the new 3442 psi tanks typically have a "convertible valve". It's both yoke and DIN. so you can use either the new HP 3442 psi tanks or the LP with it.. And you can use a DIN connection or a YOKE connection.
Basically, it's got a "screw in yoke" that goes into the DIN fitting. you remove it with a hex wrench.
looks like this
Guy Alcala
Contributor
My HP100s are the old Asahi Genesis 3500PSI ones. Not quite as negative as the Fabers, but 39 lb. empty with valve and boot, and 47 full. As best I can tell they're 12.5lb. neg. full with valve and boot, 5 lb. neg. empty - I've never been able to find a spec sheet for them. I'm 6', 175 lb. With my CF200X drysuit, a thinnish fleece undergarment and S/S BP I only need 4 lbs of lead in my cam band trim pockets; my OMS LP112s need 8 lb, plus weigh 44 lb. empty/52.5 lb. full. I wouldn't want to use either with a thin wetsuit, but I'm reasonably close to neutral with the 100s, the BP and a 7/5 1pc, 6/3 hood, 6.5mm boots and 5mm gloves; I might need a couple of lb. with the 112s. I've used both in freshwater with the 7/5, 3mm boots and no gloves or hood, without feeling tsignificantly overweighted. But a 3mm or skin, forget it.
Guy
Scared Silly
Contributor
Just a little more info. When HP cylinders first came out they were rated at 3500psi. They were required to have 7/8" UNF threaded valves as well as 300 bar DIN interface.
Today the mfg get around that by having the working pressure be just under that at 3442 psi. As such, the valve threads are 3/4" straight and the valves can be either yoke or DIN.
mike_s
Contributor
exactly. pretty smart on their part to make their product more accessible by more gear owners.
what the did pretty much has become the "new standard".
BTW... you can get 4000psi yokes also. but the industry just seems to shy away from using them. (can't say I blame them).
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