Advice on ali cylinders please

[annatrnr]

I have come to the conclusion that I really am going to have to buy my own cylinder as thanks to YD I have decided not to give up diving and ebay my kit but to use it instead - now I have buddies!
I picked up my friend's ali cylinder yesterday and was really surprised at the difference in the weight. Being only a weakling the prospect of lugging one of those compaired to a normal cylinder is infinately preferable. So what should I look for and what should I expect to pay. (I don't intend to need twins, very much a KISS girl!) Over to you all...x

[Woz]

Difference in weight in air is negligible between ally and steel as you need more ally as it's weaker. You'll need to add a pile of lead to your weightbelt though if using an ally cylinder.

I'd get a steel one for UK diving. Ally cyls great for stage cylinders in the UK but not alot else.

[steveharriss]

Er...I think you'll find that for a given size a steel cylinder will always be lighter than an aluminium one. There will be someone more expert along shortly, but because of the inherent strength of steel the cylinder walls have to be less thick than those constructed from ali.

Steel tanks, whilst suffering from rusting if abused, are also stronger and more durable than ali.

There are other factors to take into account when purchasing a stage but it seems this will be your back gas? Keep what you've got would be my advice.

What Woz said

[annatrnr]

Thanks chaps - it was much lighter than the dumpie 12 I had borrowed I asked why she said it was ali and I didn't know any better.

[Hellenic Diver]

wot he said - you'll lug less weightin the cylinder - but then have to lug extra lead

[annatrnr]

There are other factors to take into account when purchasing a stage but it seems this will be your back gas? Keep what you've got would be my advice.

Sadly I don't own a cylinder at all...yet

[PeeBee]

Sorry Anna
I should have explained yesterday when the conversation started. An ali may be a little lighter on land but it's much more buoyant in the water so you have to carry more lead to counteract this, normally most people go with steel for this reason, now since you like diving overweighted anyway......

[annatrnr]

Thanks for advice - I just cant resist the lure of the deep! :-)

[Woz]

My ten pennorth:

If you are a petite laydee then go for a 10 or a dumpy 12.
If you are a bit taller then a standard 12 should do most of your diving.
If you're a gas huffing truffle hunting swamp donkey then get a 15.

All steel for UK diving.

[steveharriss]

An ali cylinder is NOT lighter on land at any stage. For example a Luxfer Ali is 16.5kgs without any gas whatsoever, whilst a Faber Steel is 14.1kgs.

It is only 2.5kgs but there is no way that a company can make an ali cylinder lighter than a steel one, for any given size and working pressure, due to the amount of metal they need in the cylinder walls.

I'm a gas huffing truffle hunting swamp donkey by the way!!