used tank buying thoughts

[mselizann]

Hey everyone- someone in my town has 2 tanks for sale...........an 80 and a 100. The 100 has a 1996 sticker! on it. The 80 was only dove once (brand new) and has been in storage for years.....
What are your thoughts? Are they worth picking up? If so, for how much- they asked me to make an offer. I just sent an email to ask if they are at least being stored with air in them..............

[Rainer]

Who knows...

In hydro? In vip? Original manufacturing date? Who made them? How have they been stored? Have you taken a look inside (pretty much a requirement)? Cost?

[MSilvia]

It's hard to say how much you should offer, but all my steel tanks were purchased used out of peoples' garages. I got a pair of 72s for $45 each, and HP100 doubles with bands and manifold for $550.

[MxDiver]

Steel or Al?

[mselizann]

I believe they are AL- I have to go look at them. The wife of the couple is the one I've been talking to about buying them- she's not too sure what they've got sitting there....
We can definately look inside of them- what should I be looking for?

[awap]

AL 80 & 100 --- Assuming they are out of hydro and produced after 1990, I'd offer $100 for the pair IF I wanted them. An AL 100 is a pretty big, heavy tank. A newer Steel 100 has more favorable attributes, except the price. If you look inside and see clean and dry, that is good. But there really is not much that you should be able to see inside a newer Aluminum tank that would warrant outright rejection. Even a nest of water rats would just demand a good cleaning. Steel tank interior inspection is another issue as they can be destroyed by oxidation.

[mselizann]

DH would probably love a big heavy tank, to reduce his weight on his belt.......
thanks for the tips- I'll look at them

[MxDiver]

If we take the luxfer especifications the buoyancy for the AL80@500 psi is +3.4lbs, the buoyancy for the AL100@500 psi is +1.9 lbs, a difference of 1.5 lbs, yet the tank is 10 lbs heavier. Something to consider if you have to haul you equipment to the dive site.

[awap]

Originally Posted by mselizann

DH would probably love a big heavy tank, to reduce his weight on his belt.......
thanks for the tips- I'll look at them

Oh. Along with big & heavy, the aluminum 100 is still fairly buoyant. If he wants to drop lead, he needs to look at an Steel HP 100. They are smaller, lighter, and less buoyant than an Al100.

See tank buoyancy specs: http://www.huronscuba.com/equipment/...ification.html

[Daz]

If they're AL, I'd recommend checking the manufacturer and manufacture date before buying. If they're Catalinas, then you're good to go, but if they're any other brand you need to make sure of the manufacture date and alloy. Many shops will not fill (even with current hydro/VIP) any 6351-T6 alloy tanks.

The Department of Transportation has released the
following list of scuba tanks that are most likely to be
made from the 6351-T6 aluminum alloy to which a
disproportionate number of tank explosions are
attributable:

All DOT3AL tanks manufactured under one of the following exemptions or
special permits: 6498, 7042, 8107, 8364, 8422;

All composite cylinders manufactured under one of the following exemptions:
7235, 8023, 8115;

All Walter Kidde DOT3AL scuba tanks;

Cliff Impact DOT3AL scuba tanks made before July, 1990;

Luxfer 80.8 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80.8) made before May, 1987;

Luxfer 72 and 100 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S72, S100) made before August, 1987;

Luxfer 80 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80) made before January, 1988;

Luxfer 50 and 92 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S50, S92) made before April, 1988;

Luxfer 30 and 63 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S30, S63) made before May, 1988;

Luxfer 40 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S40) made before June, 1988;

All other scuba tanks made in the U.S. before February; 1990 (except Catalina);

All scuba tanks not made in the U.S.