External rust, stripping & painting steel tanks

[pescador775]

Faber tanks are high quality and over spec'd for their pressure ratings. However, there are differences depending on the vendor. The generic Faber tanks are 'flame sprayed' with zinc and painted with urethane. They should hold up rather well. The OMS version of this tank is treated differently, probably for marketing differentiation reasons and cost. Correct this if wrong but I believe that the OMS tanks are primed bare metal and coated with urethane (Imron*). If so, this is hardly better than the US Divers tanks from the late 60's which were painted yellow over bare metal and which totally rusted away in a few years when used in salt water.

 

[trymixdiver]

I have OMS 112s and a pair of OMS 46s.

I just had there hydros 6 months ago and had NO problems. When i first got these tanks i looked at the boots that came with them and said "thats a dumb design, theres no drainage on these". I put SP boots on the 112's and took a drill to the boots on the 46's to allow for drainage.

like i said i just had VIPs and Hydros and had no problems. There was a little surface rust, but i sanded those few small areas and repainted them.

i do think the coatings are not up to par, but your problems with the rust under the boots is due partly due to the lack of drainage in the boots.

Andy

 

[GP]

I noticed that one of my OMS 85's has some nasty rust on the bottom boot area. The paint just flaked off over a 2 x 2 inch section. The rest of the tank is fine. Any suggestions on how I can fix this? Do I just sand it down by hand and then repaint the bad spot?

 

[Bill Walton]

I have several OMs tanks that I dive as singles. I went and removed all the boots and was inspecting. The boots on all the tanks except one are the same. They are the smooth rubber on the inside w/o any channel to allow evaporation and drainage. There is a hole but no way for water to escape to the hole.

Now, I look at the boot on my newer 112 (bought it this summer, orig hydro is 06/02) which I had not like all that much as it moves around more than the others which has always bugged me until now. It has raised ribs that allow water to drain down to the hole and has a thin gap allowing air to circulate up and evaporate water. It is easy to remove as well.

I love these tanks but just recently got a PST lp 120 and have to admit I like the coating much more than the oms. This is diheartening for me as I am getting ready to assemble my first set of doubles and had planned on doubling the 112 and just buying another single tank. I like the pst 104 but that would call for another two tanks. I already have two 98's I could band together, but am afraid it would be too short--I am 6'1".

 

[pescador775]

Let's see, you are afraid to band together two humungous 98 cf lp tanks because they are too SHORT?? You are 6'1". Unless your legs are only a foot long don't worry about it. You've been reading too much stuff from U.Pug.

 

[TheAce]

I just bought a Faber 15liter 16.2kg 200bar mfg date 02/2000 second hand in EXCELLENT condition.

I understand that these tanks suffer from rust problems especially in the boot area.

My tank has a net and a boot. One of those tight fitting boots with a small round hole in the bottom.

In the store, the seller recomended me to keep the net OUT of the boot as he says he has seen bad cases of rust caused by the net. So bad that it makes it difficult to remove the net because of so much rust. Looks bad, but I did what he said.

He also applied greese to the bottom of the tank and recomended me to remove the boot once every 3 months or so.

I wanted to add a folding handle to the tank but again, he said that it'll only create one more place that can rust and recomended not to install one.

I think I might change the boot. Any recomendations on which boot to buy? Can you point me to a place on the net to buy it from?

Any tips on how to minimize the risk of the tank rusting? Care and maintenance tips?

And last, do you know this tank? opinions?

Thanks!

 

[Dryglove]

TheAce once bubbled...
I just bought a Faber 15liter 16.2kg 200bar mfg date 02/2000 second hand in EXCELLENT condition.

I understand that these tanks suffer from rust problems especially in the boot area.

My tank has a net and a boot. One of those tight fitting boots with a small round hole in the bottom.

In the store, the seller recomended me to keep the net OUT of the boot as he says he has seen bad cases of rust caused by the net. So bad that it makes it difficult to remove the net because of so much rust. Looks bad, but I did what he said.

He also applied greese to the bottom of the tank and recomended me to remove the boot once every 3 months or so.

I wanted to add a folding handle to the tank but again, he said that it'll only create one more place that can rust and recomended not to install one.

I think I might change the boot. Any recomendations on which boot to buy? Can you point me to a place on the net to buy it from?

Any tips on how to minimize the risk of the tank rusting? Care and maintenance tips?

And last, do you know this tank? opinions?

Thanks!

The boots come off fairly easily on my faber LP95 tanks.After my diving day or weekend is done i just pull the boot, rinse everything really good in fresh water and dry it off.I then spray a little wd-40 on the boot and tank and slip it back on.I dont normally use the boots on my bp as it interferes with the bp anyhow but do put them on when storing my tanks so i can stand them up in the corner

 

[Ari]

I think that the idea of using the boot only for storage makes a lot of sense. It does make gearing up a bit more complicated but will surely solve the problem of water trapping.

Draining the boot will, naturally, won't be sufficient, as the edge that causes the rust can not be drained.

I Agree with lal7176 that you must take off the boot after the dive, rinse and let it dry.

Ari

 

[Alban]

Hi Ace

The handles on tanks can sometimes trap your fingers also check that your first stage doesn't foul it I have seen this with swivel turrets inverted . As has already been said the cylinder needs to be maintained the same as all your equipment , boot off and dunked in fresh water , the netting offers a small amount of abrasion protection but keep an eye on trapping small stones under it . I am not sure on the regs in Iarael but it should be ok to apply a zinc rich paint to the boot area the same to any small chips or scratches clean them and touch up . The steel cylinder has a zinc sacrificial coating which will degrade rarther than the steel this has a paint finish over the top so just give it a visual when washing . As to which boot I would think they are all more or less the same they let the tank stand up and should have drain holes , it's more about taking it off .

Yours Alban

 

[ScubaJorgen]

I've got a Faber tank (200 bar, 15.5 kg, steel, type not known). Dated 1994. Last year I checked underneath the boot. You really get your eyes wet when you see it. ;-0 All rusty. Paint chipped of.


It now appears a pain in the ass. I removed all paint from the bottom of the tank, grinded of the rust and applied paint: a primer and a finishing paint. Just ordinary paint. Was not a solution: paint stays soft underneath the boot and starts blistering immediately.

I removed the paint and applied car paint (acryl). Same problem. I'm wondering what to do next.....

Anyway, thanx for the advise. Bit late for me though