Steel tanks

[RDRINK25]

Looking for an OP that uses steel tanks?

 

[BUGBAGGER]

Lahaina Divers uses steel 72 cf tanks. Not the old 72's these are curent models but don't give the same buoyancy characteristics of HP nor LP steel tanks. They also have the standard K valve not the DIN. They may have a couple of DIN but I don't believe so. They can sell you a DIN to Yoke adapter if needed.

B & B, I believe has a few higher volume steel DIN tanks. I do not know if they are HP or LP.

Other than these two I do not believe that any other operator has steel tanks.

Good luck.

 

[Lopaka]

Not to be a smartazz, but why does that matter much for typical Hawaiian dives? I dove steel in SoCal all year with heavy wetsuits. Aluminum here works fine with light protection. A high mounted trim pouch deals with adjustment in attitude.

Unless you are going drysuit, deep tech stuff, of course..........

 

[RDRINK25]

Not to be a smartazz, but why does that matter much for typical Hawaiian dives? I dove steel in SoCal all year with heavy wetsuits. Aluminum here works fine with light protection. A high mounted trim pouch deals with adjustment in attitude.

Unless you are going drysuit, deep tech stuff, of course..........

I am a gas hog and when in Cozumel I used an al80 and was avg 30min a dive went to a steel 100 and was getting 70 min.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Looking for an OP that uses steel tanks?

Other than these two I do not believe that any other operator has steel tanks.

I don't think it's a stretch for Steve at Hawaiian Rafting to probably have both, even maybe EAN tanks to. Extended Horizons has lp & hp steel tanks, including din's.

Charlie Dolfun has a pair of lp 95's at the Grand Wailea. Even Halemano Marine Adventures has hp 120's with combo valves.

Many more operators can and will provide you with AL 100's, although some may charge a little extra (same as with steels above).

 

[Lopaka]

My mistake, I thought it was a buoyancy concern, not capacity.

Be cautious, a heavy, large capacity steel tank with light wetsuit could spell trouble with ditchable weight.

 

[DiveWestOahu]

the difference between an 80 and a 100 is only 20 cuft. how does that get you 40 more minutes of bottom time,,, somethings not right

 

[Pullmyfinger]

the difference between an 80 and a 100 is only 20 cuft. how does that get you 40 more minutes of bottom time,,, somethings not right

I was thinking the same thing. That's more than double his original bottom time out of an extra 20 or 23 cu. ft.

It would be a great sales pitch if you were selling 100's.

Mitch

 

[Montana Diver]

Specs on the al 80 show it to be 77 cu ft in most cases. The 100 is then 30% more capacity. The trouble with this rationale is if you are diving lp100, getting back to the boat with 500 leaves you with substantially less dive gas.
LP100 steel
100 cu ft at 2400 PSI yields .0416 cu ft /psi. At 500 psi 20.8 cu ft of gas, usable gas 79.1 cu ft.
HP100 Al
100 cu ft at 3300 PSI yields .0303 cu ft /psi. At 500 psi 15.1 cu ft of gas, usable gas 84.8 cu ft.
HP80 Al
77 cu ft at 3300 PSI yields .0233 cu ft /psi. At 500 psi 11.1 cu ft of gas, usable gas 65.3 cu ft.

HP yields 30% more gas while the LP yields only 21% more gas.

Kinda hard to believe that 30% more gas gives 133% more bottom time. Boy would I love to dive those tanks. 50 minutes on an 80 would be nearly 2 hours on the 100 and hopefully my 119 might get me close to three hours.

Okay back to the serious!
B&B in Kihei has AL HP100 for rent. Ed Robinson will provide them if you ask. Extended Horizon in Lahaina has the steel LP100.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lopaka]

the difference between an 80 and a 100 is only 20 cuft. how does that get you 40 more minutes of bottom time,,, somethings not right

Missed that.

Even factoring in an Al80 is actually around 77 cuft at rated fill, it still sounds odd.