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Discussion of diving methods and equipment available prior to the development of BCDs beyond the horse collar. This forum is dedicated to the pre-1970 diving.
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Nemrod
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Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:50 pm

I don't like those high pressure steels. They are HEAVY in the water. In fact, many people do not like them because they are so heavy and diffucult to trim out. The LP steels just work better and can be over filled, balance out better and just work better for me and they don't abuse your equipment--old or new with high pressures.

Dare I bring up the DIR word but for the same reason, increased reliability they mostly use LP steels.

Which RAM is it that you want a picutre of----? The round label RAM with factory heavy yoke?

Image

Don't worry Allan, those gray hoses were removed from the RAM, it wears silicone blackhoses from Stuart.

Nemrod

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capn_tucker
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Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:15 pm

Nemrod wrote:I don't like those high pressure steels. They are HEAVY in the water. In fact, many people do not like them because they are so heavy and diffucult to trim out. The LP steels just work better and can be over filled, balance out better and just work better for me and they don't abuse your equipment--old or new with high pressures.

Dare I bring up the DIR word but for the same reason, increased reliability they mostly use LP steels.

Which RAM is it that you want a picutre of----? The round label RAM with factory heavy yoke?

Image

Don't worry Allan, those gray hoses were removed from the RAM, it wears silicone blackhoses from Stuart.

Nemrod
I am interested in the hi cap steels because they hold so much. But yeah, I did notice the weight of them. I have seen the LP 2460 psi models too, but was not aware you could overfill them. I know aluminum ones when new can be 10% overfilled; I used to do that with my old ones.
How much over do you routinely fill your 2460s?
Oh, and thanks for the picture. Yours looks like the one in the diagram that came with the factory heavy yoke. I was curious about those because they have a different model number than all the other RAMs..

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captain
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:15 am

Aluminum tanks were never + rated for a 10% overfill only 3AA steel were + rated.
Captain

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Nemrod
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:30 am

I have never heard of an over fill on aluminum either though there are a few aluminum tanks that are rated at 3,300 psi and I think that is where this belief came to be.

How much do I overfill my LP steels--as much as I can bribe the dive shop to do so. The 2400 psi at 10% overfill is 2640 and I occasionally get them on up to 3,000 but I am in no way recomending any such thing.

Don't those high pressure steels generally have DIN valves?

If you look in that picture closely you will see that there is a serial number on the rear can. All round label RAMs and DAs had the serial number on the rear can unlike the square labels that of course had it on the label.

James

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capn_tucker
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:35 am

captain wrote:Aluminum tanks were never + rated for a 10% overfill only 3AA steel were + rated.
OK, I went and took a look at my old alum. 100s, and they actually are 3300. Most of the tanks at the LDS were 3000s, as were my first set of tanks, alum. 80s. When I got the 100s, they always filled them to 3300; I never really paid much attention to the tank numbers, I just assumed they were 3000s also, and when they said they could fill them to 3300 I assumed I was getting a 10% overfill.
You guys were right again. There goes another long-held misconception, like believing only 2250s could be used with double hoses...

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capn_tucker
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:43 am

Nemrod wrote: If you look in that picture closely you will see that there is a serial number on the rear can. All round label RAMs and DAs had the serial number on the rear can unlike the square labels that of course had it on the label.

James
Yes, my RAM is a round label also, and the serial is on the reverse of the can. But it has the "tire" knob and long yoke. My serial is in the 128XXX range, 1972 or 73?

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Nemrod
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:55 pm

I better qualify something, when I said LP steels, I should have said modern Fabers, Worthingtons and PST steel LP tanks---NOT----the steel 72 of vintage era. While we did cave fill them in the day I am no longer overfilling them beynd the plus ten and usually around 2250 but if I can bribe the shop into 2,500 that is fine.

Yes, the early round labels came with the tire knob yoke, the factory heavy yokes are relatively rare, not like hens teeth or anything like that but not entirely common either. There is no difference in the first stage assembly so you can installeither yoke--if they were available---like Bryan says, you can modify Conshelf yokes to accomplish this.

Nemrod

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capn_tucker
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Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:58 pm

Nemrod wrote:I better qualify something, when I said LP steels, I should have said modern Fabers, Worthingtons and PST steel LP tanks---NOT----the steel 72 of vintage era. While we did cave fill them in the day I am no longer overfilling them beynd the plus ten and usually around 2250 but if I can bribe the shop into 2,500 that is fine.

Yes, the early round labels came with the tire knob yoke, the factory heavy yokes are relatively rare, not like hens teeth or anything like that but not entirely common either. There is no difference in the first stage assembly so you can installeither yoke--if they were available---like Bryan says, you can modify Conshelf yokes to accomplish this.

Nemrod
I'll be sending my RAM in very soon for Phoenix conversion, so it'll have the heavy yoke..

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Nemrod
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Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:12 am

Well, when you get it set up and go dive, take some pics, we all like hearing reports of each others misadventures, cut some single hose guys snorkels off and things like that :shock: .

Nemrod

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capn_tucker
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Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:18 am

Nemrod wrote:Well, when you get it set up and go dive, take some pics, we all like hearing reports of each others misadventures, cut some single hose guys snorkels off and things like that :shock: .

Nemrod
There will most definitely be pictures! Don't know about snorkels, but maybe I can cut a few single hosers' BC hoses with my 7" blade USD knife.. :mrgreen:

WD8CDH

Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:45 pm

Didn't Cousteau use yokes thru the 90's at least to 300 bar (4350psi) and possably to 5000 psi?

I have a couple of pictures of the silver 4 tank backpacks with yoke style regulator fittings. I understand the Cousteau steel tanks were 300 bar and the Titanium ones were 5000psi.

Ron

michael-fisch
Diver
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:49 pm
Location: Bruehl, BW, Germany

Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:10 pm

I routinely fill my LP steels hot to 4000psi. After cooling they are at 3600psi, which is right where I want them at for cave diving. My new Luxfer S080s and 40s are also filled to 3500psi.

I don't do this on older tanks, tanks that I have not personally done a visual on, or other peoples tanks that I don't know the complete history of. I refuse to fill 6351 aluminum tanks, since I know of no one in germany with either the training or the equipment to do an eddy current inspection of the threads and shoulder of older aluminum tanks. Old steels that have been recently hydro'd are happily filled to slightly over rated pressure after having the rust, caused by the hydro facility's inability to dry tanks quicky enough, removed with phosphoric acid.

Michael

WD8CDH

Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:52 pm

Michael,

Are you using yokes or DIN valves?

-Ron

michael-fisch
Diver
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:49 pm
Location: Bruehl, BW, Germany

Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:09 am

I'm using DIN for all my modern gear. The only exceptions to the DIN rule are the 6 INT double hose regs, the Broxton Ave steel '72', a Luxfer S080, and am old set of double 7L tanks with DIN/INT valves and reserve that are used with my old treasures.

Michael

WD8CDH

Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:04 am

Since the US Navy was using 3000psi aluminum tanks back in around 1959 with Aqua-Lung regulators, I think it would be safe to assume that any Aqua-Lung regulator with the same yoke would handle 3000PSI.

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