Should I buy this HP120 doubles setup?

[kwinter]

When the single valves were put away new, were they closed all the way? That will be the big factor in determining the condition of the seat. If the guy was smart, the valves would not have been closed, therefore no pressure on the seat.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[stuartv]

When the single valves were put away new, were they closed all the way?

I don't know.

If they were stored closed, would that be any worse for them than if they had spent the same amount of time on a tank with pressure (so, also closed)?

 

[kwinter]

I don't know.

If they were stored closed, would that be any worse for them than if they had spent the same amount of time on a tank with pressure (so, also closed)?

Probably not. But if you took them out of the bag and noticed that the knob could turn both ways, then it would not have been putting any pressure on the seat and that would have been better.

 

[TSandM]

The one question nobody has answered is whether those angled valves present an issue. I have two HP100s with the Genesis valves, and I actually rather like them. The single tank regulator (Hog) seems to sit nicely so that it doesn't ever bother the back of my head. Just be aware that, if you leave them outdoors, the valves will retain rain water and you have to open the valve a bit before you put a tank checker or regulator on the tank.

 

[tbone1004]

good point. I prefer the angled back valves, especially the offset ones for singles, but they stay capped/plugged when they are full, uncapped/unplugged when they aren't, so it makes it easy to ID which bottles are full or not and also keeps them clean after filling.

 

[stuartv]

Thanks, TSandM and tbone. Only time will tell for sure, but I reckon the angled valves should be just fine.

And I have a shopping cart full of stuff on the DGX website right now, just waiting for confirmation that all my tanks passed Hydro and VIP. The cart includes Delrin caps to go in all my DIN valves.

Incidentally, what might you recommend for marking these tanks in some way, so they are easily identified as mine? A piece of duct tape up near the valve with my name on it seems functional, but doesn't satisfy my OCD desire for neat/cool.

 

[tbone1004]

you can use the big stickers that home depot sells and just put your initials on them if you want. That's how most of the WKPP teams ID their bottles.

 

[danvolker]

Thanks, TSandM and tbone. Only time will tell for sure, but I reckon the angled valves should be just fine.

And I have a shopping cart full of stuff on the DGX website right now, just waiting for confirmation that all my tanks passed Hydro and VIP. The cart includes Delrin caps to go in all my DIN valves.

Incidentally, what might you recommend for marking these tanks in some way, so they are easily identified as mine? A piece of duct tape up near the valve with my name on it seems functional, but doesn't satisfy my OCD desire for neat/cool.

Stuart, one thing I would like to know is whether you can swim one of these tanks from the bottom of a dive, to the surface, using an empty BC/wing.....
Personally, I like using a hp 120 for dives where I am really working, swimming fast following goliaths or other large marine life.....I use the 120 with an 18 pound halcyon wing....which will get it neutral just fine.....the fact remains, I would NOT use this tank, if I could not easily swim it to the surface with no wing....I can, so I use it....But this is a tank that many divers, due to choice of fins and other factors, COULD NOT swim to the surface without their BC... To me, this is a huge mistake. If you can swim it up easily, then its a great tank--if not, you should sell it.

 

[Dhboner]

Good advice from all.

 

[stuartv]

Stuart, one thing I would like to know is whether you can swim one of these tanks from the bottom of a dive, to the surface, using an empty BC/wing.....

Dan, thank you for bringing this up. And I do mean that sincerely. I do not know the answer to your question... yet.

All my new-to-me tanks (AL30, HP100, 2 x HP120) are in for Hydro/VIP/O2 right now. When I get them back, I am planning to take the 100 and a 120 to the pool to do some work. I want to sort out exactly what weighting I need and how to distribute it. And I will attempt to determine whether I can swim a 120 up, too.

Once I sort out my weighting with my 7mm suit, what I would do is get in the pool with the full 120, no wetsuit, and the weighting for my 7mm suit. If I can swim that up and tread water to keep myself afloat, without undue difficulty, that should be a reasonable test and make up for being only 12' deep, right?

I'm 48 years old, but I'm 6' 1", 215 #, and in fairly decent shape and I do go to the pool usually 2 or more times per week to swim 1,000 yards in the morning before work. And I have, currently, Atomic Blade fins. I think I can do it.

I was in the pool last weekend doing training as part of my U-Boat Diving course. I wore my 7mm, to try and get an idea on weighting, with an HP100. I had on 4# of weights and it was definitely enough. I think it was actually too much, really. I drained that HP100 down to 55 psi before I got out and I was still able to sink myself. Unfortunately, my class didn't afford me time for experimentation, so I'll just assume 4# as worst case, for now.

From what I have found, the HP120 will be 10.3 # negative, when full. So, I would be attempting to swim up (6 # BP + 4 # weights + 2 # regs + 10 # tank =) 22 #. In real life, I might also have an additional 2 - 5 # of lights and/or reels.

Swimming up 22 # seems like a pretty much worst-case scenario. In reality, my suit won't lose ALL its buoyancy, even at 130', right? If necessary, I can also dump most of my tank air, to decrease my negative buoyancy by at least 8#, too. So, the realistic worst case is probably more like having to swim up 15 # or less. Really, probably 10 #. Right?

And if I determine that it IS too heavy for me, then do I need to sell the tanks? Or would a reasonable alternative be to always dive with an SMB that would give 30# of lift?