Please help the ignorant! Question on HP Steel tanks

[thedaddy]

I've decided to either buy an HP steel tank or a dive computer and I had a few questions I hope you all can help with. I've always had AL80s so now I want to get edumacated on steel before I drop $400+ on a tank so I have a few questions:

Any one know of any sales going on right now in Central FL for HP Steels?

Is there really any difference in quality between brands (I've seen Blue Steel, Faber, PST, Worthington, etc)?

What brands come with yoke adapters, and are the adapters known for problems?(I'd rather not convert to DIN right now - baby steps, baby steps)

The specs on the ones I'm looking at show 7-10# weight difference between an AL80 and the steel 133. Is there any downside besides the add'l weight to the larger steel tank?

Thanks for any help on the questions

BTW, I am also posting a question on dive computers as a separate thread.
Background: My wife got me a recliner for my birthday. The last thing I need is something that will encourage me to sit around on my butt so I returned it and am waffling between putting the cash toward bills, buying a tank, or buying a dive computer. My daughter is like a fish on an 80 cf so this is one way for me to keep up with her. I don't usually have the cash burning a hole in my pocket and don't treat myself a lot so any help would be appreciated.
Also, I really need to spend it before the autos and major appliances realize there is spare money and decide to break down.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Sales... if I see one, will advise after I have bought some more.

They all have slightly different balance points, sizes and buoyancy, one has to compare to better understand the differences.

I happen to have Faber FX series (four as of now, but feel I need more).

Length can be an issue, as it may not be possible to sit with a long tank. If you are big.. no issue.

Balance and trim may be an issue... again it depends on what you are diving with.

The diameter (8 inch versus the standard 7.25) can be a major pain, if your straps are not easy to adjust.

They can weigh a lot more, so you obviously have to be strong enough to handle that issue.

I really, really like HP steel tanks, oh, but dive computers are nice also.

 

[LowVizWiz]

Check out this post

 

[KBeck]

Hmm, I bought my PST steel 80's at Diver's Direct for $200 apiece. They come with the DIN/Yoke converter inserter. I believe they still sell for about that. So, with luck, you could get two for that $400. That said, they are much shorter than an AL80, so a tall guy might find them pretty awkward. (Steel 100's are about the same height as an AL80). Obviously, I'm not getting into the weighting differences. That's a more complicated discussion.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

The following is only my opinion...

I do not prefer painted steel tanks (such as Fabers). The paint scratches and the tank begins to show rust stains. In my experience, hot dipped galvinized tanks have a preferable finish. PST tanks and Worthingtons offer this finish, and unless I'm mistaken OMS has recently begun to sell PST tanks under an OMS label.

In my opinion there is no downside to a steel tank, the heavier weight means you remove lead from your weightbelt (or use an aluminum backplate). They are more of a PITA to O2 clean by yourself without flash-rusting, however, I suspect you are not there yet. Steel tanks last for decades with proper care, and tend to hold their value reasonably well. They are useful in technical diving because they hold ridiculous amounts of gas, may be over-filled to varying degrees, and offer desirable bouyancy characteristics (negative when empty, etc.). None of which are terribly applicable in a standard recreational environment. (By this I mean you will not be flying to Bonaire with your steel singles, and when you arrive you will be using the 80s or whatever the operation offers you - which may require you to screw around reweighting, etc. You need to ask yourself how much traveling will you be doing, and what sort of bozonity are you willing to put up with to switch things around that frequently...)

Which leads to the flip side, you may wish to ask yourself why you wish to buy a steel tank? Prices being what they are, you can often find two aluminum 100 cu ft tanks for the same price as one large steel tank. While "just because I want one" is an appropriate answer, it is good to at least ask the question when you start debating whether you are likely to receive more utility from a dive computer or a steel tank (or whatever)...

My favorites are PSTs. Your mileage may most definitely vary.

Hope this helps,

Doc

 

[idive2]

Check out the tanks forum in the scuba equipment category, lots of
opinions and info on steel tanks. There are some that are going with
LP steel tanks which give you similar negative buoyancy characteristics
as the HP yet they retail for much less and almost always get the correct fill and then some since the service pressure with an overfill + rating is only 2640.
As far as price I think I paid 349.00 for a galvanized HP100 the price jumps
a lot when you go from 80 to 100 in the HP. I'm looking into a LP85 by Worthington
that I believe is galvanized and I think the same 7.25 diameter as my other tanks.
Good luck shopping and safe diving !

 

[vr24]

I'm picking up a Faber 120 for $250 tomorrow, I'll let you know how that goes.

As far as getting a dive computer or steel tank, that depends on your diving. If you are diving deeper 50+ feet, get the computer first, 100%.

If you are doing 90% beach dives, I'd go with the big steel tank, as the computer is not of much value, and the extra air is awesome.

But I can tell you something, everyone I know who has a computer, won't dive without one.

But as pointed out before, there are other considerations. Something different for everyone.

 

[thedaddy]

Holy cow - more info than I hoped for. I actually just wanted to know if there was something obvious I was overlooking or any downside I wasn't aware of.

To speak to Doc's post - I have been doing a lot of kayak diving and find it is a PITA to go out with a second tank strapped on and then rigging it in the water; but it is even more of a PITA to have to head in to get the second tank. As he guessed, I'm not nitrox, but that isn't really applicable for the diving I like. The other issue is now that I have my daughter cert'd, she outbreathes me 1/2 over again, so a 130 would be really nice...

Okay - brace yourself for the long story.
Like I said, I do a lot of shallow water (always have) so I haven't found the need to come out of the stone age with a dive comp (when necessary I still use tables to plan and stick closely to my plan). I have a bunch of AL80's, but I would really like to extend my bottom time per tank by getting the hi-cap.
OTOH, now my wife is also cert'd (took the class with my daughter) and she likes boat diving off the right coast, and hates beach diving, so a computer would be nice too. The question with the dive computer stems from Jenny having issues with her computer being way conservative compared to a group she was diving with. I wanted to get opinions on a good low-mid range computer. Probably end up flipping a coin on tank vs. computer. That probably sound really selfish, but I outfitted wife and daughter with new stuff that is better than most of what I dive with, so I don't feel too bad doing this for myself (especially since it is with b-day money).

Regardless, you all pretty much answered as I hoped (personal opinion tempered with some objectivity) and hit all the points. This is such a great group!

Now I jsut need to cut my work hours back so I can get wet and see you all more often!

 

[WPBdiver]

I have two OMS/Faber LP tanks and two Genesis HP tanks. I prefer the LP tanks because of the benefit of the overfill and because some liveaboards and remote fill stations can't fill to 3500 psi. If you do go HP, I strongly recommend converting your reg to DIN. In the past year I have seen two different friends blow O rings at depth with new HP tanks. Maybe there is no connection, but at the time I bought my HP's it was a requirment to switch to DIN. I understand that it is not required now because the new HP's are stamped at 3450 (or less) instead of the old 3500. I tend to think that there was good reason for the DIN requirement.

 

[HowardE]

Read http://www.diveriteexpress.com/library/tanks.shtml - It clearly answers all of the LP vs HP - questions as well as many others.

- I bought my worthington 100's from Fill Express (aka Dive Rite Express)- in the store for $308 -

Most of the tanks I've seen lately come with the Thermo Pro K valve which is DIN with an insert (donut) to convert it to yoke. I have DIN, but my wife dives HP steel tanks with a yoke, and no problems.