Steel vs. Al Tanks?

[Squalus]

I will look into that K.

 

[Charlie99]

Another good example of the use the term. Please explain what you mean by balanced rig. Is it the same as Pants' "one you can swim off the bottom"?

Boy Charlie, that's really a loaded question in that it goes beyond just steel vs. aluminum tanks and encompasses so much more. For what it's worth, GUE is not the only training org that teaches diving a balanced rig. Though, it may be worded different it's still the same concept; and though I believe diving a balanced rig is doing it right it's not solely owned by the DIR crowd.

Wow! It must be much more complicated than I thought if it's such a loaded queston.

Rather than further hijack this thread, I'll start another to just get some people to explain the term.

 

[spectrum]

Hmm has anyone tried or even looked at neutrally bouyant aluminum 80's?

That's like adding insult to injury. It already has a heavy weight factor for the air contained and then they pile more raw material into it so it won't float. You might as well just wear the weight or strap it to the standard AL-80.

Pete

 

[AndrewJD]

Good Evening Gentlemen,

Attached is a spreadsheet where I have listed the weighting for different configurations (for me) while adjusting Tanks (Steel vs Aluminum and Single vs Double) and Exposure protection (7mm Wetsuit vs. Drysuit).

The key numbers to look at are Net Bouyancy at the end of the dive at the surface (should = 0) and Net Bouyancy at the begining of the dive at depth (rule of thumb can swim up -10lbs).

I hope this helps to illustrate what would be a balance rig vs an unbalance rig.

Another thread on the topic of Steel vs. Aluminum is found here Aluminum Vs. Steel Post #83 is very informative.

Jonathan

 

[Squalus]

That's like adding insult to injury. It already has a heavy weight factor for the air contained and then they pile more raw material into it so it won't float. You might as well just wear the weight or strap it to the standard AL-80.

Pete

I dive neutrally bouyant Al80's, and was wondering when somebody would use them in comparrison when talking about them. It seems when cylinders are discussed Al neutral cylinders are left out.

I have had no issues with diving them or using them. IMHO weighs less than a LP95 but, has the same characteristics of one but, has less capacity as a 95LP.

 

[Wayward Son]

Well, it's lacking one characteristic: capacity. To get a neutral AL80, you carry about the same total weight as an LP95 but don't get the extra gas for it.

 

[Squalus]

Ok, true lacks the capacity for gas. I do not need alot of gas not that high of a sac rate .

 

[pants!]

Not to mention that a neutral 80 weighs a lot more than an LP80, HP80, or HP100.

 

[costi]

Well, Thanks for the input guys. Seems like a lot of emotions were stirred for what I thought was a simple question. From the discussions involving "ditchable weight", it makes me lean towards keeping my aluminums and splitting my ditchables between my belt and bc. One more questions though while this discussion is open......what if a guy is in bc trouble at 100ft. with a double 7mmsuit and double steel tanks? Is a good swimmer capable of kicking himself to the surface wearing the doubles? Thanks again

 

[spectrum]

Well, Thanks for the input guys. Seems like a lot of emotions were stirred for what I thought was a simple question. From the discussions involving "ditchable weight", it makes me lean towards keeping my aluminums and splitting my ditchables between my belt and bc. One more questions though while this discussion is open......what if a guy is in bc trouble at 100ft. with a double 7mmsuit and double steel tanks? Is a good swimmer capable of kicking himself to the surface wearing the doubles? Thanks again

Check out this thread that's just getting going.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=110515

Pete