Tank identification help

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Ok all of you tank experts, some help please. I recently aquired a pair of LP steel tanks. Can anyone tell me the size and make? They are 23" tall and 6.9" dia. and have champangne bottle bottoms instead of round bottoms. The manufacture date is 7*78, and on the bottoms are stamped the letters HOU. They need hydro and viz but look good inside and out. Any opinions would also be welcome. Here are the pics.

Thanks for your help

 

[Scared Silly]

These were made by Norris - see the letter N in the diamond between the month and year in the original hydro stamp. Interestingly that given their height they are 1800psi with a 10 % "+" fill. Some of the old experts will have to chime in.

Looks like a set I pickup recently - looks like they have never been hydro'd except at mfg. Be interested to see how they hydro.

Edit - as said below 1800psi is typical for CO2. I have one in my basement but it an old AL6351 cylinder. However, a while back I saw a bunch of really old doubles that also had a working pressure of 1800psi but they were smaller.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

If they hydro ok, they'll be my wife's first set of doubles. I'm diving twin OMS 125's, and she is wanting to try doubles also.

 

[captndale]

Except for the fact that they are obviously drilled and tapped for scuba valves, I would have said that they were probably CO2 bottles. If they pass requalification they will make a nice set of doubles.

 

[rstofer]

After they are hydro'd, weigh them empty and then weigh them full. You can calculate the volume.

But, it seems to me, if they are just 60 cf, they are going to be the heaviest 120 cf on the planet.

I just put together a pair of Al 50s and they weigh 50# empty. Figure 58# full. An HP 100 weighs 35# plus 8# for air or about 43#. That's a LOT less than 58# and the buoyancy characteristics are better for cold water diving. I would need another 7# of lead with the Al 50 doubles so the total difference is 22#.

The manifold will probably have to be changed for modern doubles. The good news is that the existing manifold will sell for about $140 on eBay. That particular manifold is very popular for divers using double hose regulators.

Richard