Question PST80 3500 HP Tank with the 7/8 Valve (300 DIN BAR Valve)

[myrddin]

Question for you folks. I have been reading up... but I am still not sure what I want to do. I am looking for 2 tanks for my son and I to do some local practice on. I found these two tanks, both have recent Hydro, and VIS. Bot have working valves and all that... Are these worth getting still... or should I look for AL tanks? I am getting both for 250 ish. I just want to be sure I am not getting something that will be a paper weight next year or making a bad choice due to not knowing. They seem fine. And if I buy new, I will only be able to get one... vs these I have what I need for now to dive. Not a lot of folks around me selling tanks that don't need Hydro and VIS. I'd just like to get the tanks and go out and dive. Not interested in changing valves or having inspections done. Just looking for help to decide is all. I have the yolk set up on my REG, but I don't mind converting it to the 300 BAR DIN... Its a better setup anyway. And something I can do myself.

thoughts?

 

[tursiops]

Those are good tanks, but short. Some have issues with trim while using them.
Good price.

 

[myrddin]

Those are good tanks, but short. Some have issues with trim while using them.
Good price.

Thanks for this info... I haven't seen them yet.

 

[tursiops]

Thanks for this info... I haven't seen them yet.

An AL80 is about 26 inches long, and weighs 32 lbs empty.
An HP80 is about 20 inches long, and weighs 29 lbs empty. It is also almost 8 lbs heavier in the water, so some weight can come off your belt/BCD.

SCUBA Cylinder Specifications – Huron Scuba, Snorkel & Adventure Travel Inc. PADI 5 star IDC in Ann Arbor, MI

huronscuba.com

 

[rx7diver]

... Are these worth getting still ... thoughts?

I have two of these Sherwood Genesis PST HP 80's that I purchased new in 1988, when they were introduced. They are quite short (~20") and quite negatively buoyant empty (more than approx -3.5# empty in fresh water).

I wouldn't recommend them for a relatively inexperienced, fresh water diver wearing no or a thin wetsuit--since he/she probably won't be able to make himself neutrally or positively buoyant at the surface by ditching a weight belt (say) in the event of an emergency when the cylinder is completely full and his BC is completely empty.

Also, to balance things out, I have to wear mine quite far down my back--which means I am not able to easily reach back over my right shoulder with my right hand to manipulate my cylinder valve or recover my regulator.

Still, I love mine! They pack small. I was a graduate student driving a relatively tiny 1980 Fiat Spider 2000 when I purchased them. And they travel well in my 1993 FD RX7, too. And they are perfectly matched to my 1994-era Scubapro Stab Jacket. I find this (SSJ + PST HP 80) package fun to dive. Such a tiny, relatively lightweight (~29# empty, out of water) cylinder even though its capacity is 82 cu ft at 3,500 psig!

P.S.: Cylinder specs can be seen on the Huron Scuba page here (SCUBA Cylinder Specifications – Huron Scuba, Snorkel & Adventure Travel Inc. PADI 5 star IDC in Ann Arbor, MI).

rx7diver

 

[myrddin]

I have two of these Sherwood Genesis PST HP 80's that I purchased new in 1988, when they were introduced. They are quite short (~20") and quite negatively buoyant empty (more than approx -3.5# empty in fresh water).

I wouldn't recommend them for a relatively inexperienced, fresh water diver wearing no or a thin wetsuit--since he/she probably won't be able to make himself neutrally or positively buoyant at the surface by ditching a weight belt (say) in the event of an emergency when the cylinder is completely full and his BC is completely empty.

Also, to balance things out, I have to wear mine quite far down my back--which means I am not able to easily reach back over my right shoulder with my right hand to manipulate my cylinder valve or recover my regulator.

Still, I love mine! They pack small. I was a graduate student driving a relatively tiny 1980 Fiat Spider 2000 when I purchased them. And they travel well in my 1993 FD RX7, too. And they are perfectly matched to my 1994-era Scubapro Stab Jacket. I find this (SSJ + PST HP 80) package fun to dive. Such a tiny, relatively lightweight (~29# empty, out of water) cylinder even though its capacity is 82 cu ft at 3,500 psig!

P.S.: Cylinder specs can be seen on the Huron Scuba page here (SCUBA Cylinder Specifications – Huron Scuba, Snorkel & Adventure Travel Inc. PADI 5 star IDC in Ann Arbor, MI).

rx7diver

Now you have me wondering... My son will be brand new to diving and I want him to train with whatever he would more easily come across vs not. I'll have to think on it for a few. not much else around to buy, unless I go new... if I do that, I am out twice the cost because I would want pro valves too, I think. I may call LDS and see what they have used (sometimes they have training gear they want to cycle out).

 

[rx7diver]

Do you plan on doing a lot of local diving? If so, then southern Indiana diving probably means a full, medium to thick wetsuit with hood and booties (correct?), and this will suggest the type of cylinders you might use.

ETA: Here, in Missouri and northern Arkansas, we wear full ~0.25" or 6.5mm wetsuits if we will linger below about 50 fsw. Three-season diving.

rx7diver

 

[myrddin]

Do you plan on doing a lot of local diving? If so, then southern Indiana diving probably means a full, medium to thick wetsuit with hood and booties (correct?), and this will suggest the type of cylinders you might use.

rx7diver

Yes, for sure, I live in a rock quarry. I plan to dive as often as I have time. All fresh water and will have a 7mm wetsuit (or may pick up a 5mm suit). def boots, hood optional, gloves optional. average dive will be 20-40 feet.

 

[rx7diver]

Yes, for sure, I live in a rock quarry. I plan to dive as often as I have time. All fresh water and will have a 7mm wetsuit (or may pick up a 5mm suit). def boots, hood optional, gloves optional. average dive will be 20-40 feet.

A steel cylinder would work (for me) for this. Though one that is not too negatively buoyant.

My old school PST 72 (71.2 cu ft @ 2,475 psig) is perfect (for me) for this. It's what I use, in fact. Long enough (25") for me to easily reach my cylinder valve, not excessively negatively buoyant full, easy to portage (~27# empty), relatively narrow (~6.8" OD). Can be easily surface swum a significance distance when completely full with a completely empty BC, and without having to ditch any weights.

My 72 is my favorite cylinder to use for this. I use my SS Freedom Plate and 27# Halcyon Pioneer singles wing, and Y-valve. (Almost all of my local diving is solo.) Since about 2010.

rx7diver