To tank..or not to tank...

[SportHound]

New poster, old reader...

Just a quick question for all the specialist in here...I would like to get this tank (called Survivair, 60 minutes @ 4500 PSI, fiber glass wrapped), which can be seen here:

http://abacus.sj.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_384581ceca6ec4dfb3455a22/i-1.JPG

The tank was purchased by the figher-fighter, but they're getting a whole new line-up of state-of-the-art tanks in my area. So, the old tanks which were made in 1995 are being sold/auctioned off. Since they've only been used for 7 years, they still have a good 7 years left on them, and selling for cheap.

I'm planning to use the tank for multiple purposes. One, use it as a training scuba tank in my 12 feet pool. Two, use it to connect to a paint spraying gun to paint my assembled models (in which I have to use a yoke adapter to connect to). Three, connect it to a compressed air spray gun to clean my computers, also need a yoke adapter.

My big questions are, is anyone familiar know the possible size for this tank in cubic feet? dimension? Is 60 minutes indicating the usable amount of air at a constant rate of air consumption? Can anyone tell whether or not this tank is using a DIN/Yoke with regulator (looks kind of like a T or a K valve)? Is there a way to set this thing up from what it is now, to a yoke setup using an adapter? The yoke adapter I plan to purchase looks something like this:

http://images.auctionworks.com/hi/47/46884/dinfill1.jpg

Thanks for any info back...

Nam

 

[trymixdiver]

A yoke connection for a 4500psi tank ? thats a really bad idea. use a yoke up to 3000psi. i would use DIN up to 3500 psi but people do use them at higher PSI, but not nearly 4500.

I wouldnt use it for diving even in a pool. Too much swing, infact even full its probably positive in the water.

Its overkill for hobby work. Even @ an IP of 100 you wouldnt want to blow that much air into a computer, you gonna do damage.

Painting models i think is the only valid use.

Andy

Also, survivair 60 min is just a brand name. It is made for Fire Depts for use with there breathing equipment. During my Fire Academy training we were required to complete a exertion course and suck the bottle dry. No ones bottle lasted more than 18 min. However, it was a lesson to show what a 60 min bottle is going to last you in a hgh exertion ( typical fire call) situation. Who really knows what the cu ft is but i dont think this bottle is a good idea for scuba at all.

That valve it shows is not compatible with a scuba reg. You will need to change it. Its a designed for FireDept breathing apparatus's not scuba regs.

 

[Mverick]

I wouldn't use it as a scuba tank. They've had problems with the wraps absorbing moisture and corroding the exterior of the tank. So immersion is a no no. Aslo seperates the layers
300 bar is 4351 psi.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Hi Nam,
Welcome to the posting frenzy,
The tank is an SCBA and the valve is also an SCBA...
The tank is not suitable for scuba diving for several reasons:
The valve is wrong....
The pressure is wrong....
The fiberglass wraps (as already mentioned) are wrong....
The weight is wrong (actually the lack of weight)....

Sorry but it is just a bad deal all the way around.

Those tanks require hydro testing on a three year cycle and are to be scrapped at the end of five hydro cycles afaik.

The 60 minute bottle is (hugely buoyant) rated at 60 minutes of huffin'~n~puffin' at the surface... the capcity is 88 cf.

 

[Uncle Pug]

BTW... the yoke converter pictured.... that is a DIN to yoke converter not an SCBA to yoke converter.

 

[trymixdiver]

So thats the cu ft on those babies

Pugs right again its called an SCBA and without the "U" designating underwater my guess is they didnt intend it to be used as a scuba tank.

Andy

 

[SportHound]

Time to get myself the 120 cuft steel tank, HP 3500. I'm going to love lugging that thing around... You know, I always wonder how much air a 60 minutes at @4500 is...now I know. Thanks.

Nam

 

[devjr]

There are sources for these adapters. One is Compressed Air Specialties, www.scubacompressor.com 714-991-8800. Request a free catalog. The lightweight tank sounds like a good bet for portable air but to be safe you would need to adapt a regulator to step down the pressure, and that is problematical. More bits and pieces would be needed from Northeast Scuba Supply or other. Even then, there might be problems with O ring seals or joints at max pressure. If you adapted a SCUBA reg to feed a spraygun, irrespective of the air source, you would need to convert the reg by fitting an overpressure valve. Frankly, I would only consider it if the tank was a freebee.