Why E8s and not E7s?

[wetvet]

I realize I am running the risk of being labelled an idiot (again), but I am wondering why everyone is waiting with bated breath for the E8s to come to Canada when the E7s have been available for months?
I bought a set of E7-120s a few months ago (it was a good fit, since I had been diving twinned AL80s before that, so my bands and manifold fit). I am very happy with them, other than in my cave course, where my buddies were diving LP104s and when we all got 3400 fills, I had WAY less gas.

Is it just a case of them fitting existing bands and manifolds, and being shaped and balanced similar to the 104s that many of you are diving? Or am I missing something?
I dont think the 10 extra cubic feet are worth waiting on the E8-130s for, and I like the lower profile of the narrower 7" tanks. I haven't found trim to be a problem, since all you have to do is find the balance point on the tank, regardless of length.

Please let me know what I am missing.

Wetvet

 

[MechDiver]

wetvet once bubbled...
I realize I am running the risk of being labelled an idiot (again), but I am wondering why everyone is waiting with bated breath for the E8s to come to Canada when the E7s have been available for months?

Please let me know what I am missing.

Wetvet

There are hundreds of posts here concerning the low esteem most divers hold for the HP tanks (which the E7 are essentially are). Do a search and read those over.

MD

 

[Birdman]

wetvet once bubbled...
I haven't found trim to be a problem, since all you have to do is find the balance point on the tank, regardless of length.

Please let me know what I am missing.

Wetvet

I would say that you aren't missing anything if you can still reach your valves once you find the balance point and the 1st stages don't project into your head. We now live in an HP world with respect to pressed steel after they phased out the LP series.

 

[Genesis]

is due to them being "HP tanks".

Of course PST demolished that argument when they brought out the E series and got rid of the older LPs

 

[ReeseTD]

Just my 0.02$ but the E8 119 is lighter and shorter then the E7 120. The only down side is that the E8 119 if fatter and has one less ft3. For me i dont think it would realy matter i just want to have a tank to call my own.

 

[Genesis]

Just my 0.02$ but the E8 119 is lighter and shorter then the E7 120.

Shorter, yes. Lighter, not a snowball's chance in hell.

E7-120 E-9791 3442 psi 7.3 28.00 36.6 -1.3 -10.3 3/4-14 96cf 107cf 120cf
E8-119 E-9791 3442 psi 8.0 24.00 39.3 -0.5 -9.5 3/4-14 95cf 106cf

BTW, the E7-100 is 24" long and I have to put the bands hard up against the break of the tank when doubled to get acceptable trim.

The E7-120 is going to trim easier and its lighter on land. It is also nearly a pound heavier in water, which means less weight on the belt. In terms of its volume at various pressures, they are essentially identical.

Finally, its narrower whcih for many people (myself included) is preferrable.

 

[MechDiver]

Birdman once bubbled...

We now live in an HP world with respect to pressed steel after they phased out the LP series.

 

[ReeseTD]

Shorter, yes. Lighter, not a snowball's chance in hell.

Sorry my dislexia kicked in!!!

 

[Boogie711]

It's worth considering. Can someone provide a quantifiable difference between an E8 series and an E7 series?

I understand the disdain that HP tanks had compared to LP tanks, but that distinction is effectively gone with the E-series. Both are rated to 3442 psi. So to tell someone to do a search on HP tanks doesn't really cut it.

So why is everyone so anxious to get E8-130's? I'm 6'4" tall... for me, I would think the E7-120's would be a better fit. Easier to trim out, lower profile, better streamlining, etc. etc.

Or, like Wetvet, are we 'missing something here?'

 

[Genesis]

on how they trim out for you.

That's really the bottom line. If you have to move the E7s up so far in the bands that you bang your head on the regs or tanks, then they're no fun.

If you can't move the E8s down enough to trim properly, that's no fun either

For ME, I dive with my wing in the "bottom" (wing up) slot with E7-100 doubles, and the tanks all the way down on the bands (to the break in the tanks), as that's where things trim out best for me.

YMMV, and the best way to find out is to try a set if you can find someone with them.