Posted by Jeff B on March 20, 2001 at 11:18:43:
In Reply to: Re: Am I the only one who needs lead with a steel tank? posted by Murddoc on March 20, 2001 at 10:44:51:
Your right again, almost I think your looking at your weight belt as the key and not your weight with bouyancy figured in , lets say you have a 95, wetsuit and 20lbs of lead, you also have a 95 alum with same charecteristics as an alum 80(for arguments sake) same wetsuit and 25lbs of lead. Your suit will get you about 16lbs of bouyancy in either case, on the surface.
At 100' your suit gets you maybe 4lbs.
OK, with the 95 at topside you are +16lbs bouyant. with the alum at topside you are +16lbs bouyant.
Now to 100ft almost full tanks.
95 at -6, -20lbs belt plus +4 suit. = 22lbs
(effective overall weight, bouyancy figured in already)
95 alum -2, -25lbs belt plus +4 suit. = 23lbs
Now to 100' at 800psi for turn around to topside
95 at -4, -20lbs belt, plus +4 suit. = +20lbs
95 alum at +3, -25lbs belt, plus +4 suit. = +18lbs
Its not a huge difference but two pounds is two pounds (in this perfect scenerio)
You "loose" more overall weight with an alum tank then you do with a steel. Hope I didnt goof up the math to bad =)