shotthebreeze
Contributor
Hey guys, quick question. What is the difference between an aluminum tank and a steel tank. I would assume that a steel tank would be heavier. Is there a real need for a steel tank?
Aluminum vs. Steel Tanks
- Thread starter shotthebreeze
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
lamont
Contributor
HP100 weighs 5# more out of the water than an Al80. But in the water, you just take 5# off of your weightbelt, so its a wash. And you get 23.6 more cubic feet of gas (30% more) for the same amount of weight you're lugging across the beach. Plus the weight is up high which helps with trim in colder water. And then if you want 130 cu ft of gas in a single tank you have to go steel. Plus steel tanks crack slower and have never had any of the issues like the SLC cracking in aluminum alloys.
shakeybrainsurgeon
Contributor
Many threads deal with this topic...
complaints about aluminum tanks corroding, cracking or exploding don't really apply to modern aluminum tanks. Both aluminum and steel will last for thousands of refills if cared for properly.
One issue is cost --- you can buy 2 or 3 AL80 tanks for the cost of a steel tank. The other is familiarity--- almost all dive ops use aluminum because it's cheaper, so be aware that if you dive steel at home, you will need to adjust your weight when traveling...
Trim is an issue --- I like aluminum because I tend to turtle and prefer less weight on my back. Other people ride feet down and need the weight of a steel tank to push their torso down. However, these differences can be mimicked by weight distributions --- example; putting a tank weight on an AL80.
Ther is no right answer...it's like asking which is tastier, a burger or a steak?...it's a matter of preference, cost, availability, etc... but if cost is a factor, go aluminum and put your money into a better reg or a computer.
complaints about aluminum tanks corroding, cracking or exploding don't really apply to modern aluminum tanks. Both aluminum and steel will last for thousands of refills if cared for properly.
One issue is cost --- you can buy 2 or 3 AL80 tanks for the cost of a steel tank. The other is familiarity--- almost all dive ops use aluminum because it's cheaper, so be aware that if you dive steel at home, you will need to adjust your weight when traveling...
Trim is an issue --- I like aluminum because I tend to turtle and prefer less weight on my back. Other people ride feet down and need the weight of a steel tank to push their torso down. However, these differences can be mimicked by weight distributions --- example; putting a tank weight on an AL80.
Ther is no right answer...it's like asking which is tastier, a burger or a steak?...it's a matter of preference, cost, availability, etc... but if cost is a factor, go aluminum and put your money into a better reg or a computer.
shotthebreeze:
A steel tank of the same volume is usually slightly lighter, but is smaller, so you can dump lead.
A real need for steel? No. A real need for aluminum? No. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The only real advantage to aluminum is cost.
Here's my rant...
http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/scuba_al80.html
Being in New England it is very applicable to your diving.... Steel is probably your best choice.
Pete
http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/scuba_al80.html
Being in New England it is very applicable to your diving.... Steel is probably your best choice.
Pete
If you're diving in the northeast, then you want steel. Greater volume of air and better bouyancy characteristics when diving with dry suits or lots of neoprene. Take the weight off your belt and put it to work on your tank!
R
redacted
Guest
This WWW (warm water wimp) prefers Aluminum as I usually use little to no thermal protection or lead in a weight belt. I use a 5lb backplate, so I could switch to a lighter plate and steel tanks. But then I would have to deal with more lead in a weight belt at most travel destinations where Al80's are the standard fare. I'm still debating between and LP95 and an Al100 for a larger capacity tank to increase gas capacity.
FredT
Guest
shakeybrainsurgeon:
Partially correct. The corrosion issues still exist unchanged, if not a bit worse in the "new" alloy.
Cracking and exploding remain to be seen. Give it another 15 years before I'd buy in on that one.
Dive steel, Al tanks are great for stages, dedicated lift bag rigs and running air tools in the garage or underwater.
FT
shakeybrainsurgeon
Contributor
FredT:
I might be wrong, but wasn't the cracking, exploding risks for the dive shops who filled the tanks, not the user? And has anyone heard of a new Luxor Al80 tank exploding?
Steel has corrosion issues, too. I agree steel is better for the weight issue alone, certainly for quarry diving where we have to walk a distance to the entry point...on a boat, the dry weight isn't as big an issue...
As they say, six of one, half dozen of the other...
FredT
Guest
Corrosion in steel tanks, if caught early, can be removed and further corrosion totally stopped. Once a pit starts in an AL tank the tank is dead, either this inspection, or within a few years. There is no way to stop a pit from progressing in 6061 aluminum without excising the Cl ion "seed" at the bottom of the pit with cutting tools. There is no way to do that inside a tank.
FT
FT
Similar threads
