Steel tank Wetsuit question

[SteveW]

I've heard you shouldn't dive with steel tanks when using a wetsuit because you will be overweighted. I just checked out a couple of web sites and the tank info was this:

Luxfer alum 80:-3.6 full/+2.3 empty
Faber lp 95:-4.4 full/+2.4 empty
Faber lp 108: -4.4 full/+3.4 empty

Maybe there is more to these numbers than I realize but alum 80 doesn't seem to be a big advantage here. Just curious.

 

[Scubaroo]

Double steel tanks with a wetsuit is considered a bad idea. I dive a single 95LP that's minus 10 lb bouyant full, all the time with a wetsuit, and have no problems with being overweighted.

 

[voidware]

I have an HP120 and dive with a wetsuit . That's a double sin to the DIR crew. I don't have a problem maintaining proper bouyancy with it even though the swing weight is ten pounds. Doubles would not be a good idea, but you should be fine with a single steel tank.

brandon

 

[GP]

I dive a Steel OMS 85 with a wetsuit and have no problems.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

i dive a single LP95 with a steel backplate and a wetsuit and
have no problems.

Of course the dives are from shore and relatively shallow.

 

[MikeFerrara]

SteveW,

Actually there is something wrong with the numbers. I noticed a big difference between the Pressed Steel Tank data in the catalog and the data in the price list. I asked Pressed Steel about it. Their reply was that one set of data was calculated (based on the design) and the other was a measurement done in salt water with a valve on the tank. The LP tanks are a couple poundds more neg than the HP tanks. The original data I saw led me to believe the oposit. This is why my first set of doubles were HP (I didn't want to have to add weight. I had to use a V weight. With the LP I don't add any weight. The tanks and my light are all that is required. When my double 104s are full I am very heavy. I dive this in a dry suit only.

 

[SteveW]

As far a set of doubles what is the big advantage in weight between AL 80s and Faber/OMS tanks. By the numbers I have found, this isn't much difference. I know the PST tanks are a good bit more negative but I don't see why Faber or OMS tanks couldn't be used with a wetsuit, unless I am missing something here.

 

[Se7en]

Lots of people dive double 12l fabers in wetsuits - it's not a big deal.

My real world view of the DIR "no steels with wetsuits" rule is that you should be able to swim your kit up from depth with an empty BC. If you can do this, there is no problem. If you need to dump weight to do it, then you have to make a risk decision yourself.

If you can't swim up with an empty BC, then it's probably a good idea to invest in either redundant boyancy, or life insurance.

Se7en

 

[ElectricZombie]

A single steel tank with a wetsuit should be no problem to swim up. Double steel tanks will not work with a wetsuit and will cause you to be overweighted.

It does not matter what type of tank you use as long as the rig is balanced. Balanced means that it is swimmable off the bottom even when the wing is completely empty. This typically means drysuit with steels (doubles) and wetsuits with AL.

 

[Braunbehrens]

When trying to swim up your tanks from the bottom, make sure you take into account the compression of the suit. If diving wet, try to swim it up from the maximum depth you will be diving to.

At 20 fsw your suit will help you quite a bit, at 200 fsw it probably won't help you at all.

This is why we always do serious dive in a drysuit, even in warm water. You can really balance your rig.