Faber Steel 100 sale

[mike_s]

Only thing I could add to Mike's post, is that Faber FX are actually better than Worthington's on that score.

here they all are in a somewhat easy to read table/chart ( for comparison).
(weight shown on all weight values is in pounds).

I also included the AL80 since that is the standard tank a lot of divers use and that way it could be compared also.

[table 0 0 3] Tank | PSI | Empty wt. | Buoyancy Empt | Buoyancy Full
Faber HP-100| 3180 +10% | 38.7 | -7.26 | -14.76
Faber FX-100| 3442 | 34.3 | -0.59 | -8.41
Worthington X7-100| 3442 | 33 | -2.5 | -10
Luxfer 80 (77.4cf) | 3000 | 31.38| 4.4 | -1.4
[/table]


The Faber FX is better than the worthington on being negative at -8.41 pounds verses -10 pounds. On a set doubles, this would be a change of just over 3 pounds, which isn't much.

However, for a single tank, the negative 10 pounds might be desired for a non-steel-backplate diver as it allows the diver to take some weight off their waistbelt.

Depending on what suit I've got on, with the Fabers I can dive with no lead weight in freshwater, and barely any lead in salt. With the Worthington I doubt I'd need any in salt water (unless I had a thicker suit on). So all depends on the divers needs for what type of dive they are going to do, and in what conditions.


However, with the Faber HP100 at negative -14.76, thats a lot of negative weight to overcome. Especially with doubles (-29 pounds) and a 6 pound steel back plate. (in my opinion).

 

[Puffer Fish]

Mike, thanks for putting that in a nice, easy to read format.

I took one of my Faber FX-100's and weighed it.. with a 3,400 psi fill... the tank with boot and valve weighed in at 44 lbs. With roughly 7.5 lbs of air, the valve and boot, that sort of makes sense...

Oddly, faber does not seem to know how to do the weight of air compressed to 3442 acurately... and they (as to others) mix with valve, without valve numbers...

As a note.. Luxfer says there valve weighs 1 lb... the one I checked weighed more (?).

Would be nice if we could get people to do real weight checks and post them.

 

[mike_s]

I've got a valve off that I can try to weight tonight. I but I'll bet it weights more than 1 pound.

Often I've seen tank weights sometimes listed as w/o valve. I guess manufacturers want it to make their tanks seem lighter and they will likely defend that by saying they don't know what type valve you put on it. When in reality valves don't weight that much different.


I've weighed my AL80's before (bathroom scale), but I haven't my Faber FX100's. Maybe I can do that on both and post for comparison purposes.

But if you do a "pickup test" between the two, they don't seem that much difference in weight.

However, if you pick up one of the HP100 fabers that are heavier, you can tell a huge difference in weight. just like the old Arashi tanks weighed more (in my opinion from "pick up test".


As for when I'm diving or wearing a FX100 compared to an AL80, I can't tell that much difference in weight. But putting on the bigger HP130's (depending on brand name), you can tell a difference.


EDIT: just an extra note. I got those weights off TDL's page, but others have pages also with weights, including the manufacturers, but I'm sure that somewhere there is a chart that has different numbers than the above also.... I'm sure with different ways of measuring weight (valve on, off, full, empty), you'll get that.

 

[stairman]

Valves are 1 1/2 lbs.on a chart I have.13c.f of air/nitrox weighs 1lb. If that is wrong then this chart is wrong.

 

[mike_s]

Valves are 1 1/2 lbs.on a chart I have.13c.f of air/nitrox weighs 1lb. If that is wrong then this chart is wrong.

I just weighed a Thermo Pro Valve on my kitchen scale and it came in at 1 pound 9 ounces..... (which is 1 ounce over 1 1/2 pounds, but my scale is at least 50 years old and isn't calibrated either.... so I'd say your 1.5 pounds is prob a safe number).

 

[Wayward Son]

I bought one on this sale. It came in today.

They shipped it with a VIP sticker on it & 500psi in it. Having read the issues about dirty tanks delivered to others I chose to not trust that. My wife took it to our LDS & George pulled the valve & checked it out. Tank is fine.

BTW, the 10% beta site discount does NOT apply.

 

[mike_s]

I bought one on this sale. It came in today.

They shipped it with a VIP sticker on it & 500psi in it. Having read the issues about dirty tanks delivered to others I chose to not trust that. My wife took it to our LDS & George pulled the valve & checked it out. Tank is fine.

BTW, the 10% beta site discount does NOT apply.

Glad you didn't have any issues. Hopefully after a year Faber/Blue Steel has resolved this issue. I still would have checked like you did.

Is this George Perez you're talking about? (based on I know you live near Ozark/Dothan/Enterprise area). I read some of his posts on Techdiver SE and his opinion on online scuba sales. I don't know him, but I would guess from reading his posts on there he'd have a negative attitude about bringing him a tank bought off the net.

 

[Wayward Son]

Yes, George Perez. You'd be surprised. the shop is fairly realistic about things. They do a helluva job & I can't speak highly enough, but they know they aren't going to make every sale. Unfortunately they just don't do much volume on steel tanks, makes it hard to compete. George is an outstanding tech, one of the best with an incredible amount of experience.

Of course they're very concerned with online sales. Shops, many of them good shops, have been closing up in recent times. Some very recent. And online sales have played a big role in that. I value having this shop & these people here doing what they do, I always give them a shot at my business. They get most of it. But there are occasions when they don't. Unlike some shops they aren't dumb enough to take it out on their customers.

 

[Twosocks]

I just checked their web site and they are listed at 309.99

 

[mike_s]

I just checked their web site and they are listed at 309.99

The email that accompanied the annoucment on this sale (on August 5th) stated

These deals expire this Sunday, August 10th at Midnight...or while supplies last!​

So, sale appears to be over. Give it time. They'll do it again in a couple months.