Cant Decide Which New Tank

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Lobb4920

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Hello

I have started diving this year. I have completed open water advanced open water and currently going through the rescue diver course. I usually dive in local quarries and can be a bit of a air hog. I know the more I dive the better my air consumption will get. Right now I have two aluminum 80's but I have been looking at either a Catalina C100 or a Faber lp108 I have read pros and cons to both but I have not spoken to anyone with real world experience with the Faber lp100. The local dive shop really pushes the aluminum 100's but everyone that has a steel tank swears by them. I would appreciate any input.
 
problem A.
dealing with LDS

problem B. there is not a single advantage of a C100, ever. .46lbs/cf of capacity LP108/112 0.36lbs/cf and is a little shorter. Also lasts forever and is less tippy when empty. Shop on craigslist, used tanks are abundant and inexpensive. Hell old LP72's are beautiful tanks if you don't need that much gas. What is your SAC rate saying you're an air hog?
 
Thanks for your reply I was leaning toward the 108 I just don't want to have any regrets. Usually I can last about 45 minutes at 25-30 ft on a 3000 psi aluminum 80 and surface with 500 psi.
 
I second the comment recommending steel 72's. My first steel tank was a 72 and I love them. For me, moving from an AL80 to a 72 was like night and day. Better buoyancy characteristics, better trim control...a really good tank in my opinion. Try brassanchor.com ... they've always got some 72's for sale.
 
I have a LP108 great cylinder, my wife uses the LP95 another great cylinder. We have similar SAC rates so the wee bit more I have and the length works for me as does the LP95 for her. I would not recommend the C100, a heavy monster. You might also look at the HP100 the "defacto" std. steel cylinder. Same form factor as the AL80 but 20 cubes of gas more. Just make sure you can get full fills.
 
Think first which issue you would like to solve and what is your goal.
1. have more gas
2. reduce weight from pockets and belt
3. Are you ready to use tank with over factory recomended pressue ? (LP tanks suppose to have maximum 2640 PSI, but people put about 3000 psi)
4. How strong your back to handle little bit more weight.
 
Roman, looks like you need to answer those questions yourself because while the steel tank answers all four of those problems, and aluminum 100 answers exactly none.

1. LP108 holds 112cf of gas at 2640 psi, C100 holds 100 at 3300

2. C100 is -0.4lbs, lp108 is -1.0lbs when empty with valve so the half pound isn't relevant but leans steel

3. doesn't matter, the lp108's have been filled to 3800 multiple times a day for decates along with the rest of the faber line with no issues. If he's not diving in cave country, the odds of getting it filled that high is moot and 3000psi over 2640 is negligible. Most shops don't fill this high anyway, if you have an inexperience tank monkey, you'll get a fill to 3k and it'll cool off to 2800 or so, so this one shouldn't even come up for discussion. What should come up is that a C100 only holds that amount of gas at 3300psi, so you are far more likely to get a short fill on that one at 3000psi and only get 90CF of gas. This is the question that divers have to make when they buy HP steels with 3500psi service ratings because the chances of a short fill are very very high, so you have to assume you'll only get 3kpsi on your shop fills when you're doing gas planning.

4. the LP108 is actually 5lbs lighter on land than the C100 when empty, so even when the 112 is filled to 3800psi with 161cf of air in it, it is exactly the same weight as a C100 at 3300psi with 100cf of air in it. Fill the LP112 to service pressure and it is 4lbs lighter.

The only two relevant questions he should be asking
Question 5. are you OK with a rounded tank bottom and having to use a boot to keep it upright, AL tanks are square bottom so they stand up. The faber stock boots are terrible and have to be removed for cleaning when you dive in salt water to keep the tank from rusting. This is easily solved with one of the hexagonal boots which also keeps the tank from rolling around and really isn't enough of an ever so slight negative to even consider
Question 6. Cost. C100 with valve, brand new should be $250, if you pay more, you're getting ripped off and make sure it is a convertible valve, not a yoke valve. Brand new LP108 is like $470. Now, in the long run, if you spend $250 on a C100 it's a waste of $250, because the tank is useless and should never have been made. Paying full price for a tank is something I will never do because you can find a set of doubles for like $400 with a manifold, so check the classifieds here and check around craigslist. Much better life decision to buy tanks used because the price never really changes for them. Even still, the extra $200 is well worth it for the steels. I have a pair of LP72's with birthdays from the 1960's that still have their + rating and most shops won't even look at an AL tank from pre 1990. This is likely a one time issue with Luxfers alloy, but the lifespan of aluminum tanks is always going to be much less than one from a steel tank, just a fact of life. Bigger up front cost, better lifetime ROI
 
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I am definitely leaning toward the LP 108. My local shop usually only gives a hot fill and I only end up with 2700 psi. I have seen a Faber blue steel lp 108 for $334 shipped. I am close to pulling the trigger.
 
I have 15 steel tanks and one AL 80 and One AL 100 the Al 100 was the first tank I purchased and was bought because that is what I was renting which I did not k now at the time was what the LDS had. The one tank that hardly leaves the fill station is my AL HP 100 it is big heavy and buoyant. You are leaning toward a steel tank so you might want to check out a HP steel tank. I love my HP 100 as a small light easy to handle tank and when I need more gas and if you are a larger person I move to one of the HP 115's or HP 130.

Lots of tanks available don't limit yourself to a lp check out HP options as well
 
scour craigslist, especially if you're willing to drive a bit. I see LP108/112's all the time. Oh, other big rather important question we've all neglected to ask. Sit on a flat surface completely upright and reach as far back as you can in line with your spine. I.e. where you need to go to reach a tank valve. Measure the distance from there to whatever it is you are sitting on. This is your optimal tank height for your body size. This should be factored into your tank buying decision if you plan on staying backmount. Many people neglect this measurement and end up leaning too far back or have the tanks too low to safely turn a valve on or off with their gear on. I have a really long back and the 112's at 26" are damn near perfect. I'm 6'4" with a 32" inseam. Measure that distance before you buy because if the tank is too long you can't sit comfortably because you'll be pushed forward, and if it is too short, you'll feel like a turtle not being able to use the tanks as a backrest while sitting. The valves HAVE to be high enough for you to comfortable reach in all of your exposure protection in case of a malfunction, so make sure you do that measurement. It's easy enough with one person, just grab a piece of string about 3' long, hold it with your right hand in a comfortable position behind your head and measure down, fabric tape measures work well too.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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