Tank Banger

[below_sea_level]

I am sure most of you have seen those things that you put around your tank with a plastic ball on it. It's used to pull and let it spring back and hit your tank to get someones attention. One is like 8 bucks at my local dive shop. They are very simple and was wondering any of you had made any. If so how did you do it?:doctor:

 

[Charlie99]

below_sea_level once bubbled...
I am sure most of you have seen those things that you put around your tank with a plastic ball on it. It's used to pull and let it spring back and hit your tank to get someones attention. One is like 8 bucks at my local dive shop. They are very simple and was wondering any of you had made any. If so how did you do it?:doctor:

I unclip the boltsnap on the lanyard of my light from the D-ring, reach around and rap on my tank.

Others pull out a knife and rap on the tank.

Sometimes I just simply hoot like an owl into my reg.

I used to have a tank banger, but it didn't seem to offer any advantages to the above.

Hope this helps, although in a somewhat twisted way ut:

 

[DandyDon]

Not something to buy. The LDS that doens't carry it will get requests, as it looks like appealing to some, and some buy it, but I haven't seen anyone actually use it. a nice bolt carried in a BC pocket makes noise banged on a tank, but don't use it too often. Some of us like the quiet of diving, unless we're missing something.

If you run an All Forums Search on Tank Bangers, you'll find it mentioned 32 times other than your post. Get other opinions there...

 

[below_sea_level]

What is LDS?

 

[WVMike]

Dont waste money on tank banger, hard to use and hear, just gets in the way!

Charlie99 and dandydon are offering good advice.

below_sea_level once bubbled...
What is LDS?

Local Dive Shop

 

[DA Aquamaster]

LDS = Local Dive Shop

 

[DrownedRat]

Sounds like a really f#@k'd porn fetish... You don't need no stinking tank banger. Use your knife or on some occations I simply reach around and rap on the tank with my knuckles. That only works when I'm not wearing gloves however

 

[Grajan]

My buddy and I both use 'tank bangers'. They work well AND improve safety:

- They are easy to hear.

- They are always where you left them.

- You don't need to open a pocket and look for a boltsnap when in a hurry to attract attention.

- YOU DON'T NEED TO UNSHEATH A KNIFE (a completely crazy thing to do if not needing to cut something IMHO).

A couple of times we have left them off and really missed them.

I agree that they should be used judiciously. Peace and quiet is a valuable scuba commodity.

I cannot see the sense in spending time bodging up something that costs less than ten bucks. Perhaps my hourly rate is too high.....

Just go shopping

 

[Boogie711]

In my opinion - tank bangers are an attempt at an equipment solution to a training deficiency.

If you can't communicate with your buddy without needing to bang on your tank, don't dive. A tank banger is an entanglement hazard, a waste of money, and should never have been thought of in the first place.

 

[Grajan]

1. A tank banger will break away with hardly any load. There is no way it could restrain a diver.

2. $8 for a redundant means of communication make perfect sense - with the best of training attention can wander.