Would you consider buying a used tank?

[pipedope]

Ok,
Scuba Diversions in Casselberry is where I went.
Kevin is the owner and lots of shops in the area bring tanks to him for hydro.

michael

 

[The Chairman]

does he charge? I see a lot of SCUBA shop's tanks at Orlando Fire Equipment. For $8, I can see why!

 

[pipedope]

You are getting the hydro cheaper.

Scuba diversions charges $22 for AL tank hydro and VIP. The VIP includes visual plus+ inspection of the neck for cracks.

Still not bad overall for the tank, valve, hydro, VIP and air all for $80 and the tank is in great shape.

Most shops will do their own VIP so that is not an issue for them and they still have to fill the tank.

michael

 

[Campana]

Dont take scuba tanks to a scuba shop for hydros. They take them somewhere else and charge you (usually a lot) to get someone else to do the hydro. Take em to a "Fire and Safety" place that hydro's fire extinguishers. They also may be much more familiar with the correct "rules" about tanks. For example, I called around a few fire and safety places in Dallas until I found the one that could answer my questions correctly, and took them some steel tanks that were born in the 60's. Of course, when new, they had the + rating, and hadn't had it since. Well, guess what? They now have a + rating again. Many scuba shops told me that it was "illegal" to put a + rating on a tank that hadn't had it continuously. The fire and safety dude not only disagreed, but could quote the rule # that says you can "re-plus" old tanks, and he said all he had to do was one additional calculation, which was very easy. The cost of the hydro was $8. Scuba shops around here charge $40 or so to take the tank to the fire and safety places. I would never take a tank to a scuba shop for a hydro, take em to the fire and safety place yourself and save some money.

 

[pipedope]

The LDS I go to is a hydro station. I pay a couple of dollars more for the hydro but I also get the VIP and air fill at the same time. Price $22 for an AL tank or $20 for steel.

My last hydro was included in the price of the used tank so it was not a concern.

SOME scuba shops actually do hydros.
MOST simply send the tank out for the hydro.

michael

 

[Diversauras]

Used tanks make up the majority of the ones I own and have owned, amd I have never had a problem, but I would never buy one from a caver, and if techies are over filling too I would avoide them as well.

 

[FredT]

The choice of never by new wasn't there.

Used 72s at garage sales for about $20-$30 is suitable for me. I can get bent quite nicely on a single 72 at 60'. The shop I use for hydros doesn't charge for failures, but it's way up there at $16/ tank, including EOI and 21%fill if I want it.

Normally I don't do AL except for tools unless the price is below the worth of the valve.

Finding used high capacity tanks is a luck based thing, but one of my large ones came in payment for a reg rebuild. If buying a used tank at a garage sale I'll often bring a portable 12V light (~$3 to build one) and yank the valve first. If it's slightly rusty I'll usually be able to get the price down a bit farther since I'll have to "clean" it before use.

20something tanks in my stable, and none purchased new!

FT

 

[Ari]

Or maybe there aren't any.

From what I hear, you buy it, test it and in the water it goes.

OK, tanks are pretty straight forward pieces of equipment, but have you ever bought a used tank and found out something was wrong with it, in a way it could not be used?

By the way, who edited the poll?

Ari

 

[FredT]

Originally posted by Ari
From what I hear, you buy it, test it and in the water it goes.

Ari

Not quite that simple, but pretty close. Check first to see if the valve is rebuldable for minimal cost. At less than $30 almost any tank with a repairable valve is not a money-looser. Valve rebuilds takes about $3 worth of parts each and a stormy afternoon to do a dozen or more of them. Steel tanks will almost always clean up unless badly abused internally. Once you have the tools the cost for a tank clean is about $4 for chemicals and electricity, and a couple days on the tumbler for the worst of them. A tumbler can be made from a discarded clothes dryer with a bad heater and a few lengths of pipe for almost no $. It won't be pretty, but it will work. Purpose built from new parts I think mine was about $80 total + the media for about the same $s. I split the cost with my dive buddies so it paid off in the first dozen tank rehabs that didn't go through a shop. Between 3 of us there are over 80 personal tanks to deal with, so the savings over the years was substantial!

Al tanks most often fail from internal pitting, and once started AL pitting CANNOT be stopped. If there is ANY pitting started internally on a light metal tank take a pass on the tank, unless it's a gift, or you need an umbrella stand.

Originally posted by Ari
have you ever bought a used tank and found out something was wrong with it, in a way it could not be used?
Ari

A steel tank can ALWAYS be used for something! If all else fails several steel tanks can be appropriately trimmed and hung to make a real nifty set of base range garden wind chimes. Al tanks make lousy gongs!

Most governments frown on using them to store ANFO or similar chemicals, :devious: but outside of that you can use your imagination and get creative.
FT

 

[Ari]

And what is ANFO?

Forgive my lack of understanding.

So it seems like a good looking steel will be a best bet, especially if you still have some time to the next hydro. Will you hydro it right away or wait till the next scheduled test?

Ari