Tank, valve, and light recommendations for a noob diving in New England

Hi!

I'm looking for recommendations on tanks, lights and 1st stages to purchase (as the title suggests, lol).

I'm new to diving and am currently diving a single. I'm renting tanks, and would like to buy two that I can use now, but can also use later when I switch to doubles. I know the recommendation is pressed steel for the tanks. Can anyone recommend a specific manufacturer that makes tanks that would be appropriate to buy? The tanks I have rented have been steel 80s. Do people typically use two steel 80s for doubles?

I'm currently diving a wetsuit, and I know that's a no-no with steel tanks, but I am not made of money, and I can't afford aluminum and steel.

Any input on valves is appreciated also.

I would like to do some night diving. Would an Eos 12W 4.5 amp primary and a Scout work? My eventual goal is to move to wreck diving, and as I've mentioned, money is tight, so I would like to purchase gear that I can still use later.

Thanks very much!

I lived in MA for several years. I was (and still am) diving DIR.

My first purchase recommendation would be a drysuit. Seriously, it'll make your diving soooo much more enjoyable. Buy used or look for a cheap first suit. It doesn't matter, just find a way to get dry. It's the best use of any limited funds. My first suit cost me $600, my second suit maybe a $100 more. Look for deals. You'd need to add undergarments, but most people in the NE have suitable fleece they can use while saving up for a "proper" undergarment. You'll also need a hood (and I'd recommend dry gloves).

Where are you mostly diving? Cape Ann? If so, you'll have noticed the shore dives are rarely deeper than 30'. I found HP100s to be wonderful singles. They work for 1-2 shore dives, and are great off the boats in <100'. If you get doubles, you're still going to want singles. I was happy with double LP85s in MA. I could still get two nice dives on the local wrecks.

Are the steels you were renting LP or HP 80s? I don't remember any shops renting such cylinders, but LP80s (same physical size as HP100s) would be fine for singles or doubles. HP80s are tiny. They're a pain to trim out as doubles, but work for most as singles for shallow dives.

I have both PST (no longer made) and Worthington (still made) steel cylinders. Both are fine.

I've always used environmentally-sealed diaphragm first stages (Zeagle Flathead VIs). I never had any trouble in MA waters with them (temps down to the mid-30sF in winter).

I kept DIN (200 or 300 bar) valves on all my cylinders.

For a light, it's hard to beat a 21W HID. That said, lots of friends were happy with their 10W HIDs. A scout makes a fine backup light. I've been extremely happy with my LED Photon Torpedo.

If you're interested in DIR in the NE, your VERY best bet is to contact either Ed Hayes in CT or Bob Sherwood in NY (both GUE instructors). Both are very friendly and extremely gifted divers/instructors.

Good luck!

I will be getting a dry suit at some point, but right now, I'm spending money every week to rent tanks, and that needs to stop, lol.

Thank you for your input. I'll look into the options that you mentioned.

OK, so my long hose says "LOW PRESSURE TESTED." So does that mean I have to get low pressure tanks? My other hose says "DO NOT EXCEED 400PSI (27 BAR). And yes, I'm aware this is probably a stupid question. Sorry to inflict it on everyone here, but that's the way it goes, I guess.

Your first stage keeps the out going pressure into your long hose at "low pressure", the tank pressure doesn't matter.

humanbeing:

OK, so my long hose says "LOW PRESSURE TESTED." So does that mean I have to get low pressure tanks? My other hose says "DO NOT EXCEED 400PSI (27 BAR). And yes, I'm aware this is probably a stupid question. Sorry to inflict it on everyone here, but that's the way it goes, I guess.

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It means do not attach to a high pressure port on your first stage or you will experience a hose failure.


Steel tanks are great, but you can also find Higher pressure aluminum 80s and 100s for cheaper. Catalina and Hymark both make 3300psi Aluminum tanks that have slightly negativ to neutral buoyancy when empty, are lighter than steel, and experience much less variation in their buoyancy from full to empty. I would look into these as you can probably find them far cheaper than a comparable steel tank.

Regarding regs on a budget: HOG (highly optimized gear) makes great regs. I have a set of them (cold water) and they breath like a scubapro reg at 1/4th the cost: HOG Gear D1 Coldwater First Stage - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

I actually think the recommendation of "neutral" AL80s or AL100s is quite awful. These cylinders aren't cheap. They require 3300 fills (and will often only get filled to 3000 since that's what ops are used to filling aluminums to). Furthermore, they weigh a TON on land for their gas capacity. The Luxfer neutral AL100 weighs 41# empty, while the Catalina neutral AL100 weighs 46# empty (and both are 8" diameter cylinders). You could instead carry the same amount of gas (with basically the same fill pressure) in a Worthington HP100 which weighs only 33# empty (and is only 7.25" diameter). Finally, the neutral aluminums make awful doubles or stages, so really have no use in DIR other than as (crappy) singles. If you want to stick with aluminums for singles, find a nice normal Luxfer or Catalina AL80 (many prefer the Luxfers for later use as stages/deco bottles).

You also seem to be confused about buoyancy swings from full to empty. The only change is due to the weight of the gas. Using a 100cf in an aluminum cylinder isn't going to result in less "variation" than using 100cf in a steel cylinder.

drdrdiver:

It means do not attach to a high pressure port on your first stage or you will experience a hose failure.


Steel tanks are great, but you can also find Higher pressure aluminum 80s and 100s for cheaper. Catalina and Hymark both make 3300psi Aluminum tanks that have slightly negativ to neutral buoyancy when empty, are lighter than steel, and experience much less variation in their buoyancy from full to empty. I would look into these as you can probably find them far cheaper than a comparable steel tank.

Regarding regs on a budget: HOG (highly optimized gear) makes great regs. I have a set of them (cold water) and they breath like a scubapro reg at 1/4th the cost: HOG Gear D1 Coldwater First Stage - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

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Rainer:

I actually think the recommendation of "neutral" AL80s or AL100s is quite awful. These cylinders aren't cheap. They require 3300 fills (and will often only get filled to 3000 since that's what ops are used to filling aluminums to). Furthermore, they weigh a TON on land for their gas capacity. The Luxfer neutral AL100 weighs 41# empty, while the Catalina neutral AL100 weighs 46# empty (and both are 8" diameter cylinders). You could instead carry the same amount of gas (with basically the same fill pressure) in a Worthington HP100 which weighs only 33# empty (and is only 7.25" diameter). Finally, the neutral aluminums make awful doubles or stages, so really have no use in DIR other than as (crappy) singles. If you want to stick with aluminums for singles, find a nice normal Luxfer or Catalina AL80 (many prefer the Luxfers for later use as stages/deco bottles).

You also seem to be confused about buoyancy swings from full to empty. The only change is due to the weight of the gas. Using a 100cf in an aluminum cylinder isn't going to result in less "variation" than using 100cf in a steel cylinder.

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Well, it sounds like you have much more experience with it than I do, so I defer to you. Thanks for you input and insight.

humanbeing:

Hi!

I'm looking for recommendations on tanks, lights and 1st stages to purchase (as the title suggests, lol).

I'm new to diving and am currently diving a single. I'm renting tanks, and would like to buy two that I can use now, but can also use later when I switch to doubles. I know the recommendation is pressed steel for the tanks. Can anyone recommend a specific manufacturer that makes tanks that would be appropriate to buy? The tanks I have rented have been steel 80s. Do people typically use two steel 80s for doubles?

I'm currently diving a wetsuit, and I know that's a no-no with steel tanks, but I am not made of money, and I can't afford aluminum and steel.

Any input on valves is appreciated also.

I would like to do some night diving. Would an Eos 12W 4.5 amp primary and a Scout work? My eventual goal is to move to wreck diving, and as I've mentioned, money is tight, so I would like to purchase gear that I can still use later.

Thanks very much!

Click to expand...

Go for __Luxfer___ AL80s, Those tanks can be used for stages later and they will make a set of doubles, although not the best from the point of dry weight but you can easy trim them out, you can also dive them wet w/o being overweight.

I would not go with steel tanks until you get the good feel and understanding of trimming the set of doubles and you know what kind of diving you will do

drdrdiver:

Aluminum tanks that have slightly negativ to neutral buoyancy when empty, are lighter than steel, and experience much less variation in their buoyancy from full to empty.

Click to expand...

That is simply not correct, the tanks with the same capacity will experience the same swing and it will be equal to the weight of the air used.