New guy with a good question

[DA Aquamaster]

Actually with that attitude and the healthy understanding for your limitations that it reflects you would make a pretty good technical diver.

The scary divers, technical or otherwise are the one with egos they need to feed and the ones who think they are God's gift to diving and dive in order to prove it. Some just confuse an ever increasing number of courses or certifications under their belt with competence and common sense. I'd prefer to dive with the quiet competent one over in the corner checking his gear for the third time any day.

 

[chrpai]

DA Aquamaster once bubbled...
I'd prefer to dive with the quiet competent one over in the corner checking his gear for the third time any day.

LOL. I read that as "I'd prefer to dive with the quiet competent one over ( the diver ) in the corner checking his gear for the third time any day.... and started wondering why you'd think I was a stroke for checking me gear so frequently.

Chris

 

[1Scubanewbie]

DA ... no doubt. You can actually witness this first hand if you have small children. When they first begin to walk they hardly ever fall down hard or run into objects. Its when they get over-confident in their abilities that they start smackin' their noggin' on every edge in the house.

 

[Diverdman]

My training and experience would show someone acting like this to be nervous, scared,panicked or what you have suggested competant.
I will dive with the diver that has quality gear good config and who kits up and does proper buddy checks before and during the dive.
Did that same guy or girl put their mask on forehead after the dive
The way I look at is everything you can check on a kitted up rig are also the same things your buddy should be checking, that is at least 2 indepentant checks not including DM who will do basic checks prior to leaving the boat.

I'd prefer to dive with the quiet competent one over in the corner checking his gear for the third time any day.

 

[1Scubanewbie]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I've learned enough to be dangerous.:mean:

 

[pasley]

One person reported that the "exploding tanks" were out of hydro and/or vis. I am interested as to the source of this information that the exploding tanks were out of hydro and vis?

The failures I have read about in first hand account senarios were all in hydro and vis. One had been vis aproximatly 6 months before its failure.

The problem is the cracks that develop do not grow gradually over time, but rapidly in a catastrophic failure.

http://www.scubabomb.freeservers.com/

has the information about two such incidents. Yes, they are rare, but are you willing to take the chance that you are the "one" in a thousand?

Here is a quote from a dive shop on what happened in there store: "Recently (2/15/2001), an Aluminum Luxfer tank with original hydro date of 4-88 was sent to Durrah Dive Center for hydrostatic testing, and it passed. But within a few weeks, this tank developed a leak at the neck side wall about 1" down from the valve seat, at 2000 psi. The tank was removed from service by removing the valve and irrepairably damaging the threads." - They were luclkly, the failure was not catastropic.

I would also argue that Luxfer is not offering to take as trade-in there T6 alloy tanks if there was not a problem.

Luxfer announces one-year exchange program for scuba tanks made of 6351 aluminum alloy
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2002)-Luxfer Gas Cylinders announced a one-year exchange program for Luxfer scuba tanks made of 6351 aluminum alloy. Introduced at the 2002 Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) trade show in Las Vegas, Nev., in October, the new Luxfer program will run throughout the 2003 calendar year. A number of owners of older Luxfer scuba tanks made of 6351 aluminum alloy have asked Luxfer to initiate such a trade-in exchange program to facilitate the purchase of new scuba tanks made of Luxfer's proven, proprietary 6061 alloy. In response, Luxfer will implement the simple three-step program outlined below on January 1, 2003. The program will end on December 31, 2003.

The customer calls the Luxfer Customer Service Department toll-free (1-800-764-0366) and reports the number of 6351-alloy tanks to be exchanged. The Luxfer customer service representative issues a returned goods (RG) authorization number and tells the caller how to ship tank(s) to Luxfer in order to receive a special $50 credit voucher for each tank. The vouchers may be used toward the purchase of new Luxfer scuba tanks. The customer sends 6351-alloy scuba tanks directly to Luxfer's plants in Graham, North Carolina, and Riverside, California (whichever is closest), along with the RG number and return mailing information. Luxfer mails a $50 voucher for each tank directly to the customer who returned the tanks. Each voucher may be cashed in toward the purchase of a new Luxfer scuba tank at any participating dive shop or retail store.

If you aren't sure whether your tank is made of 6351 alloy, look at the original hydrostatic test date (the earliest date) stamped on the cylinder crown. If the stamped year is 1972 through 1987, the tank is made from 6351 alloy. Some 1988 tanks were also made of 6351 alloy. If you have a 1988 tank, please call Luxfer Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-764-0366 to determine whether your tank is made of 6351 alloy.
http://www.luxfercylinders.com/news/releases/20021022.shtml

DOT does not issue Safety notices if there is not a problem.

Are the older T6 Alumimum tanks safe - probably, but personally, I will avoid any Alumimum tank made before 1990 not made by Catalina. Better safe than sorry.

 

[greg somers]

Both AL. If they are Hydro tested and pass, then suck the heck out of them. They were both second hand and cheap. make the best of the deal I say.
Cheers Ears,
There can be only one,
The Gasman