Size tank for Argon?

[RoyN]

Hi guys, as I move forward into tech, is a 13cuft tank good for argon fills?

RoyN

[ppo2_diver]

Any tank will hold argon. I use a 6 cu ft and that gets me a couple of 200+ foot dives. You will not get full fills of argon to 3000 unless you have a booster. If you get a low pressure bottle, you will get full fills as they are rated to 2015psi.

[texdiveguy]

I use a 13cf as I had it available at the time I set up my delivery system. I use air as the fill gas 90% of the time.

[Rainer]

I personally consider 13s pretty awful.

I have both an AL6 and and AL14. I really only use the 6. It's small, out of the way, and perfect for a couple of dives. I prefer the 14 over a 13 just due to fill pressure. If I'm going to have to tank mount the cylinder anyway, the 14 is fine. The 14 is most useful if you can't get 3000 psi argon fills. For recreational or wreck diving, the 6 seems just fine.

[MSilvia]

After completely flushing the suit with argon several times (which is necessary if you want argon and not an argon/air blend), I'm suprised there would be sufficient gas left in an al6 for a couple of dives.

[Rainer]

Originally Posted by MSilvia

After completely flushing the suit with argon several times (which is necessary if you want argon and not an argon/air blend), I'm suprised there would be sufficient gas left in an al6 for a couple of dives.

We usually bring along a larger bottle for suit flushes (either the AL14 or an old AL40 or steel 45; I've even seen an AL80 used for such).

Edit: This is all only for trimix dives in colder water (MA in winter is often 36F). When diving nitrox or in warmer water, the AL6 is usually filled with air.

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by Rainer

We usually bring along a larger bottle for suit flushes (either the AL14 or an old AL40 or steel 45; I've even seen an AL80 used for such).

Seen lg. bottles brought to the site or on board also for flushing ....... persl. never found much difference in argon over air, so I save the money, get a full fill and enjoy the dive. The 13cf saves me from having to top up as often.....what ever works, works for me.

[Rainer]

Originally Posted by texdiveguy

The 13cf saves me from having to top up as often.....what ever works, works for me.

The nice thing about a (2000psi) LP bottle is that it's easy enough to build an Ar booster and just get a bottle and do your own fills/top-offs. Not much more work to fill the 3000psi bottles, but noticeable.

Where I'm at currently, Ar fills are basically "free" (included in the "all-you-can-eat" gas plan I have) so filling extra bottles / topping off isn't a big deal. In any case, I only noticed a difference (air vs. argon) in colder water (<45F) and on mix. Otherwise, air works just fine.

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by Rainer

The nice thing about a (2000psi) LP bottle is that it's easy enough to build an Ar booster and just get a bottle and do your own fills/top-offs. Not much more work to fill the 3000psi bottles, but noticeable.

Where I'm at currently, Ar fills are basically "free" (included in the "all-you-can-eat" gas plan I have) so filling extra bottles / topping off isn't a big deal. In any case, I only noticed a difference (air vs. argon) in colder water (<45F) and on mix. Otherwise, air works just fine.

Yea, wish I was on the free gas 'plan' you have! sweet ---- do you thing it is in the upcoming new Washington adm. plans for us divers!!!!

Argon at retail fill stations in my area is $1cf.........but I am glad I persl. even on cold/mix dives have never experienced a big difference between the 2 gases, some folks swear by it though.

[Rainer]

Definitely a sweet plan. $85/month buys you unlimited Nitrox, Ar, O2, and Trimix (GUE standard mixes only).

Ar at LDS prices is really pretty high, especially when it's often not needed. Home-mixing with a cheap (~$50) pump is one way to go.

In any case, I agree, I too don't notice HUGE differences between air and Ar. That said, I did notice enough of a difference in winter waters in MA to warrant the Ar. Since being here in CA, I'll dive Ar since it's included in the gas plan, but really don't think it matters much.