Draeger 6.8L Composite Cylinders

[Matt-75]

Are these any use for diving?

Have come across them on good old ebay, but can only find one vague reference to them being used for diving, on a cave diving site. Does anyone use them, or have any views or advice (apart from the need to weight them down alot, since they seem to be ultra buoyant according to the cave dive site).

Apparently they are ex fire service but in test until 2008. There are some that arent in test, but for an extra tenner you may as well get them in test, if they're useful that is.

The ebay listing:
eBay.co.uk: Drager COMPOSITE 300 Bar Cylinder (item 190035851662 end time 07-Oct-06 08:48:28 BST)

[Scuby]

Very little use for "normal" diving - just too light.

Potential ways in which they could be used:

- to take on a boat to use for decanting into your main cylinders between dives (top-ups)

- if you had maybe 300bar 15's or something then *maybe* you could put a small one of these on each side to take some of the weight off again?

- join the fire service who need breathing apparatus but don't need to be able to sink!

David

[Matt-75]

Thanks David,

I just wondered, for the sake of wondering.

[NotDeadYet]

I've read of people using fibre wrapped cylinders on rebreathers. I don't really see the point myself, you've got the put the lead somewhere.

They've been used for cave diving too as you say because they are easy to carry but another downside is that if you ding the fibre wrapping then it doesn't take much for them to fail test.

[Paddy Diver]

Have two 9L's alright, never used em in the sea but have tryed them in the pool, as has been said there very light & bouyant so you'd need weight to use them. Im gonna try and use em next year in the sea and see how I fair out with them, probably wont use them as main or stage cylinders but I might use them as spare gas on the shot.

You'd need to change the valves aswell, because the ones they come with are a b*lls to work so underwater you wouldnt want this problem, but you can get M18x1.5 vales alright so thats not an issue. I must do this next.


Ian

[David Parker]

I dont know about these but from what I have come across I have only seen drager tanks with a funny fitting?? However you can buy an adapter to convert them to a DIN fitting approx £25.00

Dave

[bang-on]

Originally Posted by Matt-75

Are these any use for diving?

Have come across them on good old ebay, but can only find one vague reference to them being used for diving, on a cave diving site. Does anyone use them, or have any views or advice (apart from the need to weight them down alot, since they seem to be ultra buoyant according to the cave dive site).

Apparently they are ex fire service but in test until 2008. There are some that arent in test, but for an extra tenner you may as well get them in test, if they're useful that is.

Hi Matt,

I have been using composites that look like the ebay cylinders but mine are 4.3 ltr x 300 bar, for keeping the CCR units weight down they are perfect but to sink one 4.3 ltr empty takes 4 kg so they need to be used as part of a kit set-up to be practical.

Ask the seller to check they are 6.8lt and not 4.3ltr?

Below is an old'ish pic but show's the idea.

Regards
Barrie