Ultra Light weight CF Cylinders.....

P

Peter L

Active Member
Anyone interested in getting a set of these for travel? They make sense on a rEvo to get lead off you when wetsuit diving. I have been doing more overseas diving this year and it's now starting to make sense. We would need 14 participants for Worthington to do a run.

Due to dimensions the 2L's make more sense on dimensions even though they are a bit more of a faff for fills. Will also be looking at a neo sock or some such to protect them from scrapes and the jubilee band.

2L:
Length (without valve): 44 cm
Diameter: 9.7 cm
Weight: 1.4 kg

I will run a list for a while and see if it's worth the bother.

1. Petlowe
 
Last edited:
Are they rated for underwater use?

Its my understanding that the CF gives strength and a thin metal (steel or aluminium) layer seals the gas. Thin metal layers and salt water would be fun regardless of how much carbon you use ...
 
This is being coordinated through Carbondive / Worthington CE certed for diving use akin to the batch Alex bought. They would be M18x1.5 valves and would be the 300 bar ones with a 15 year life.

We need a batch of 26 to proceed. TBD on pricing, will confirm in a a few days but interest is the first step as we need 14 sets to even get to production.
 
Having gone thru this before....

They have some "areas of concern" when used on any rebreather with exposed cylinders, IE: not protected inside a shell. A nick that breaks the CF wrap and then further use in salt water and they are scrap. Take a look at the abuse most externally mounted cylinders get on (JJ, Meg, rEvo, etc.,) and just be a "bit" circumspect about these. They *are* tough, witness their use in fire fighting apparatus, but the combination of abuse and salt water... just use care, that's all.

On the Apoc, Prism, YBOD (in shell), Mark-15 (Draeger composite spheres)etc... they work. I would use them "with care" on anything "in heavy duty use" where the cylinder is going to get beaten up. If you do choose to use them for travel purposes on an "open bottle rigs" just use care. Maybe a "cylinder condom" made from an inner-tube slid over the bottle as a nick and abrasion protector would be one way to mitigate the (relative) fragility.

Not trying to put a damper on the fire, they are neat bottles and absolutely have their place. Just take care of them so they take care of you.

Pete, for your airline carry mission to the tropics, they are likely a good bottle. Post prices when you have them and perhaps I'll score a set or two for the same purpose here.


Dave

.
 
Last edited:
All very good points Dave and I agree kid gloves are going to be important. One idea I was already toying with due to the 2L reduced diameter relative to standard tanks would be some neoprene condoms made from 2 or 5mm neo that goes over the bottles to keep them away from nicks and acts as a cushion before the jubilee bands grab them. We have Bowstone Diving and Scapa Scuba here that can do them but anyone with wetsuit making facilities would suffice.

My wife has gotten sick of me only wanting to go diving in dry suit weather so it's this or OC. They are only for resort diving rather than every day usage but having something to take the first impact would help.
 
Peter
As said in our conversation I already use their 6.8L for bailout but they are in a cylinder bag made from Cordura, Mainly because of them rolling around a boat deck or getting dragged through holes in wrecks!
I do know somebody who has had 2 x 10l CFs for a few years & had no problems with them with out protecting them.
 
colinicky said:
Peter
As said in our conversation I already use their 6.8L for bailout but they are in a cylinder bag made from Cordura, Mainly because of them rolling around a boat deck or getting dragged through holes in wrecks!
I do know somebody who has had 2 x 10l CFs for a few years & had no problems with them with out protecting them.
Click to expand...

Not sure they are exactly the same process, these are 15 year life limited and the bailouts that I am now the proud owner 2 of same are not life limited. I think they will need a little more love than Nige's ones...
 
Peter L said:
Not sure they are exactly the same process, these are 15 year life limited and the bailouts that I am now the proud owner 2 of same are not life limited. I think they will need a little more love than Nige's ones...
Click to expand...

Interesting, did you get your bailouts from Worthington through their Dutch seller ?
When I enquired originally I was told in an email from Worthington, Austria that the 6.8L had a 10 or 15 ( cann't remember which) year life span :confused:

I believe Nigel bought his before they got CE approval.
 
colinicky said:
Interesting, did you get your bailouts from Worthington through their Dutch seller ?
When I enquired originally I was told in an email from Worthington, Austria that the 6.8L had a 10 or 15 ( cann't remember which) year life span :confused:

I believe Nigel bought his before they got CE approval.
Click to expand...

Nope from the Carbondive Austrian shop.

In discussion they put me onto the option for smaller units but in explaining about the smaller tanks stated "They are full composite, but they do have a limited life of 15 years (compared to our 6.8, 10 and 12 do not have a limited life)."

One presumes they know what they are talking about....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top