PST Tanks...Still Worth Buying???

[OtherHalf]

Quit posting and just dive the damn things, although they are silly big as starter doubles honestly.

'Tis true. I started with LP104s and they are big. Steep learning curve and you NEED to invest in a drysuit. They're just to heavy to swim up. You'll never have balanced rig that way...

Wouldn't think of trading mine, but it was an expensive decision that brought with it a decided risk, and extra effort learning to handle them in water.

And if you go on vacation you'll never be able to rent similar tanks (unless you vacation in cave country), but lots of places rent Al80s

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I know many have had no problems with PST tanks. However, I've lost two of them although potentially unrelated to the tank manufacturing or hydro testing procedures. One failed hydro due to over-expansion and my guess was due to repeated hot fills from a land-based operation. The other failed VIP due to excessive rust that couldn't be tumbled. I dive neutral buoyancy aluminum tanks now.

Every fill I've ever had in my 104s has been a hot fill, that's why people buy them. I've never heard of anyone getting 104s and filling them to just 2400, that's crazy talk. If you're going to do that, then a set of double AL80s is a much better choice and less mass to move thru the water. You can always add a stage and get more gas than 104s at rated pressure.

 

[OtherHalf]

Every fill I've ever had in my 104s has been a hot fill, that's why people buy them. I've never heard of anyone getting 104s and filling them to just 2400, that's crazy talk. If you're going to do that, then a set of double AL80s is a much better choice and less mass to move thru the water. You can always add a stage and get more gas than 104s at rated pressure.

When I read hot on that I was assuming someone overheated them while overfilling. Overfills are why I like my 104s. 320cf of EAN30 on a good cave fill. Thats a pair of Al80s with two stages!

Never heard of 104s having a problem with overfilling. Have heard of them being damaged when left in a hot trunk in cave country when they were overfilled though...

 

[tbone1004]

the one thing with the 104's that was mentioned is you HAVE to have a drysuit to safely dive them. I have done a wetsuit dive in Orange Grove once with them in a 5mm steamer and it was miserable. I was only doing it to drain the gas out of them and it was the middle of the summer, so NFL was hot as all get out. You could get away with a 7mm farmer john in shallower water, but you really need either a redundant wing or a drysuit. They are around 15lbs negative when cave filled which puts any wing in an unhappy position with a wetsuit.

The 130's are less negative when full by a few lbs which makes them quite a bit nicer for some people only around 10.5lbs.

no I won't buy them from you because I have no use for them, but I do have quite a few PST tanks, and would not hesitate to acquire more.

 

[a878bob]

So I was looking in the right place. I called the DOT, and the renewal for s/p 9791 has not been applied for yet. I'll keep my eye on the website and post if I see anything come up.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Thanks Bob, I'm definitely interested in whether/when the permit gets extended. They just got hydro'd so should be a good second set of doubles for cave diving in my drysuit. Just need to do the 4-hour drive to pick them up, then I can stop posting and go dive them in the cave that's another 4 hours from my house .

 

[a878bob]

The application for the the Worthington exemption ,14157, just popped up on the DOT site, but nothing for PST yet, I'll keep looking for it and will post if it comes up.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

thanks! watching with interest as these tanks will be in my possession Sat.

 

[Trance]

I am curious about why people think swimming PSTs with a wetsuit is difficult? Is it when using a backplate/wing? I have a pair of LP104s that I have been diving all late summer, fall, and now winter(I like them more than my Faber 112s) and I dive them in my Hollis Neotek Semidry, and jacket BCD and find it very easy to dive with. I recently discovered though that at depths of 55'-130' my trim needs improvement which I believe I can fix by using ankle weights at the valve and removing my weights out of my tank trim pockets.

 

[victorzamora]

I am curious about why people think swimming PSTs with a wetsuit is difficult? Is it when using a backplate/wing? I have a pair of LP104s that I have been diving all late summer, fall, and now winter(I like them more than my Faber 112s) and I dive them in my Hollis Neotek Semidry, and jacket BCD and find it very easy to dive with. I recently discovered though that at depths of 55'-130' my trim needs improvement which I believe I can fix by using ankle weights at the valve and removing my weights out of my tank trim pockets.

You mean you're diving ONE PST LP104 at a time? The problem is how unbelievably negatively buoyant they are when doubled up. Plus, jacket BCDs are typically more positive than BPWs so you've got at least a few pounds benefit from there as well.