Storing Tanks off season

[cool_hardware52]

I am using plastic with the 1/16" vent hole drilled in the end. (and yes, I generally do just blow the dust out but since I have several o2 and deco bottles, I get a bit paranoid about 'fuel', hence the plugs)

I never saw the merits of "Sealing" a din valve with a "vented" plug. That's like closing a window that has a bullet hole in the glass.

Better to just use stretch wrap. There's no adhesive to leave a sticky mess.

Best is the SS plug.

Tobin

 

[rjack321]

I have O2 and He tanks in the garage and I use wrench tightening CGA nipples on the valves with quick disconnects.

To keep crud from getting in there, I cover the valves with sandwich baggies. They get lost or blow off occasionally but I've got a box of 300 out there. Cheap, easy, effective.

I just blow out scuba DIN valves before hooking up a fill whip.

 

[theskull]

I never saw the merits of "Sealing" a din valve with a "vented" plug. That's like closing a window that has a bullet hole in the glass. . .
Tobin

The vented plug is not to seal the valve, it is to keep debris out of it and to help prevent dings to the threads and valve face.

I use these on my tanks when they are resting between dives and when transporting -- unless they are filled with 50% or greater O2 or have a valuable gas in them, in which case I do seal them with the SS plugs.

theskull

 

[in_cavediver]

I never saw the merits of "Sealing" a din valve with a "vented" plug. That's like closing a window that has a bullet hole in the glass.

Better to just use stretch wrap. There's no adhesive to leave a sticky mess.

Best is the SS plug.

Tobin

I am not truly interested in sealing it (overkill for my case). Just protecting from ambient dust. Since the idea of 3800 psi behind a little bit of plastic scares me (if it actually got the high before breaking), a small hole is a good insurance policy.

For a while, I used a bit of innertube as a stretch cover. The plastic caps are easier for me and since they screw in, they don't get knocked off easily.

Now, for anyone who wants to donate some SS plugs, I'd gladly convert to them. I only need 10-12 of them.......

 

[RJP]

What is this "off season" of which you speak?

We have two seasons here in NJ: "cold water" and "really cold water." If we had an off-season it would be 12 months long!

 

[chipwd]

'Gotta agree...the only off season is for the careless boaters that might run me down. Otherwise this is a great time of year to dive.

 

[Jackie]

Show offs. I am not as tough as you guys ! You win. I go out when the boats start in April. Or off shore at about the same time. This winter I want to try Rockaway beach. Now that I have a dry suit I feel like I should give it go.
Where do you all dive in the winter ?

 

[SparticleBrane]

I am not truly interested in sealing it (overkill for my case). Just protecting from ambient dust. Since the idea of 3800 psi behind a little bit of plastic scares me (if it actually got the high before breaking), a small hole is a good insurance policy.

How is it a good insurance policy? Seems as if it's a great way to have an injury as you accidentally turn on the gas and it explodes the cap into your hands.
I'm not really worried about dust, I can blow that out. I'm worried about having tanks turning on while going down the highway. It's happened to me before--worst was when the tank opened right as I got onto I-40. Nowhere to stop and pull over and my tank is spewing air in the trunk.

 

[in_cavediver]

How is it a good insurance policy? Seems as if it's a great way to have an injury as you accidentally turn on the gas and it explodes the cap into your hands.
I'm not really worried about dust, I can blow that out. I'm worried about having tanks turning on while going down the highway. It's happened to me before--worst was when the tank opened right as I got onto I-40. Nowhere to stop and pull over and my tank is spewing air in the trunk.

Two different issues. Somehow, you assume that A) The tank valve will open fully and B) the cap will blow up. Somehow people have gone from the keeping dirt out to attempting to seal and hold pressure. I personally only use them to keep rouge debris out of the din valves. I have had a few turn on slighly and other than gas whisling, nothing bad happened. If I wanted to hold pressue, I'd use the SS or Brass plugs.

I am a lot more paranoid about handling the 02 and 50/50 tanks. That's more the respect for the gas and pressure than worrying about the tank caps though.

Is it ideal - no. But I have the caps and I don't have the SS plugs and it works for me for how I use them.

 

[cummings66]

Now that I have a dry suit I feel like I should give it go.
Where do you all dive in the winter ?

I dive TableRock lake, Beaver Lake, local quarries, and local lakes around here that in the summer get maybe 6 inches of vis. During this time of year the vis is more like 10 to 15 feet.

Winter is the best time of year for diving.

At any rate, fill out your profile and maybe you'll find somebody local who will dive with you or tell you the good spots to dive. I dive Mo and AR for the most part. Probably won't dive in the Ocean unless it's an accident, no desire for that sort of diving.