US Divers Triple 30cu/ft Tanks

[Rich Keller]

This is a set of triple 30cu/ft tanks that US Divers stopped making in the early 1980s. They were also making a double set of 30s at that time. Dose anyone know where I can find the double set for sale? I have had no luck so far on Ebay.

 

[cerich]

They aren't vintage. I REALLY wanted a set , and they were selling them new 7 years after I got certified in the PX in Rosy Roads PR. No way can you consider that vintage...really...or not :-(

 

[herman]

Vintage they are not, the set I have has tanks dated 4/88. You only have part of the set. You are missing a lot of hardware, including the support brackets and the housing. I'm not sure I would dive them without the lower supports, the way they are, it puts a lot of stress on the manifold. The harness is something that someone made.

 

[Rich Keller]

The harness is something I made. I bought this set to use on one job as a bailout in a very confined space where a regular tank would have been too large. The only other use I have had for it was to dive surface supplied in shallow water leaving it on the surface. Not only is it missing the bands but it is very uncomfortable to wear. That is in fact why I am looking for the double 30cu/ft set. Not sure what the cut off is for how old something needs to be considered vintage but this did seem like the right place to ask. The tanks on mine are dated 4A87 but as I purchased these used I have no way of knowing if these are the original tanks.

 

[herman]

Roughly vintage is considered before 72. According to a friend who is well versed on these things, he tells me that using them with the correct backpack minus the housing is comfortable.I picked up mine over christmas and have not gotten them hooked to a BH, so I do not have presonal experience with them. I also have a couple of parts missing but they are ones I can fabricate.
You could always take 2 of the tanks, put them on a standard manifold and get a set of bands made, still a HP 80 would be easier and not much bigger.

 

[DaleC]

Here's a USD manifold that would serve your purposes:

 

[Rich Keller]

I have seen the housings you refer to but all that was with this set is what you see in the pics minus the harness I attached. I have considered using a regular manifold but I did not think a band between the 30cu/ft tanks spread that far apart would work too well unless it was then attached to a metal back plate. The back plate will probably end up being the way to go in either case.

 

[herman]

The use of 38s and 50s without a BP, just 2 bands and a harness were common back in the day. Twin 38s are one of the most wanted items by many vintage divers. I would bet a set of bands for 38s would work. Here is a link to some harnesses that are available, they have one with double bands. I will send you an email address of someone who makes custom bands in a PM, don't like to put out others email addresses here. http://www.vintagedoublehose.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=25

 

[Bob3]

You might want to be on the lookout for a set of the AGA / Interspiro tanks; the first set of little doubles came out in the '70s but lack of HP fills (4400 psi w/ the 10%) pretty much kept them from catching on.
The early ones were even made here in the US by PST.

Add to that, the valves are on the bottom so it's pretty easy to operate as a bailout if you're of the "on at the hat, off at the valve" persuasion, or if you just happen to be diving a Desco pot that doesn't have a "regular" sideblock.

Pic of the "new" ones:

 

[Rich Keller]

Bob3, I was aware of the AGA system but as you pointed out finding some place to fill it would be a problem.

Herman, What was the diameter of the 38s?