Steel Flexibity (130/100)

[AquaCat]

Simplify, simplify, simplify...a great concept, but in terms of steel cylinder ownership...is it really possible?

I suppose I am struggling against the impossible, but I am trying to figure out if it is possible for 2-3 steel cylinders to (safely and practically) fulfill the majority of my cylinder needs.

I find myself wondering if three X7-100s might work.

For shallow dives or even warmer water, light wetsuit dives (like Florida), they could function great as singles. Likewise, for colder, deeper NE dives (I use a drysuit) I could possibly make them independent doubles using something like Capt. Bergs' "Double Bands" .
http://www.aquaexplorers.com/double_bands.htm

I could use two 100s banded on dive 1 and then at the dive's completion swap out the most empty cylinder for the third fresh one to complete the second dive.

Of course diving independent doubles is more labor intensive and not as elegant as true doubles or even a large single...but it would fulfill the pony requirement of most NE diveboats (redundancy), give resonable amounts of gas and ultimately three E7-100s might allow for greater cylinder flexibility.

...or maybe I should just accept it and buy two E8-130s to dive as singles now (accepting that they will at times be larger than I really need for shallower dives) and pick up one or two E7-100s later as able.

I would really appreciate hearing others thoughts. Thank you!

 

[c555]

I dive in puget sound and have found that x7 100 are good for basically any recreational diving. I haven't used them in warm water and we are not required to have reducdancy,so I don't know about that

 

[moneysavr]

I like my 130 with a pony on deep dives,but pals dive doubles and seem to work, I feel more room up and a bit of work if you swich to a second dive tank,I like second dives,guess deep divers shoot the whole thing in one dive?

I like steel as you loose the lead Nice
lots of air
You will have to choose the style you dive I am still stuck on the single tank,deep dives I hang a 30cf pony and still dive AL 80's on any thing less than 65' FSW cause its all you need and heck they are so cheap! and if I solo 55'-65' I hang a pony just to play safe,
Dive safe,
Brad

 

[skyking]

Best piece of advice I ever got on the subject right here on scubaboard was to buy a tank that holds sufficient gas to complete your planned dive even when short-filled. In my case this means E8-119's (I'm a short person or I would have gone with 130's). For dives shallower than 50 ft I tend to use my HP-100 just 'cause it's smaller/lighter and at those depths it usually means I'm in a local quarry vs open water. If circumstances dictate, carry along an al 30 as a pony. Several things do one no good - gas left on the ground, altitude above you, runway behind you, the bathroom you didn't use a couple of miles back, and the extra air you left on the surface 'cause you chose a dinky tank. Really, there's no shame in coming back with 60 cubes of gas from a nice deep wreck dive. Who knows if it may have saved your life or your buddies if you'd needed it. If you're on a budget, I'd advise starting with the big tanks so as not to limit the types of diving you can do, then add smaller ones as the budget allows to add the convenience of carrying lighter equipment to the easy/shallow dives.