January 9th, 2010
Why do scuba diving pressure gauges reach 5000 psi if a tank may only be filled to a max of around 3200?
Scuba tanks can be filled well past 3200psi. When they do a hydrostatic test it is well beyond any pressure that any dive shop will fill a tank to. The highest I’ve seen the pressure get in my tank is 4000 and that is when the filler at the dive shop forgot about it.
January 9th, 2010
Junto America Says :
Perhaps for the same reason car speedometers go to 120 when few in the US gets to drive that fast. It keeps your most common reading near or slightly above the halfway point of the dial for readability.
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January 9th, 2010
Chris C Says :
Because the more precise section of a pressure gauge is the middle "third" of the gauge. If you were to divide the gauge range into three equal parts, you would would want your working pressure to be in the top section of your gauge, or the middle "third".
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January 9th, 2010
tevasmurf Says :
because of what chris said, plus not all tanks go up to just 3200. Say you went to europe and started diving with tanks that use din valves at slightly higher pressures, I have many friends who use tanks that have normal operating pressures of 3600 to 3800. not to mention, if that punk kid at the local dive shop wasn’t paying attention and overfilled your tank you would want to know it, so that you didnt leave it in the sun too long and end up testing out that burst disk.
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January 9th, 2010
Trinity Says :
In Europe they fill tanks to a higher pressure. Also, when tanks heat up the pressure increases. I dive in the s.e. caribbean and they fill my tanks to 3200 – 3500, typical rastaman… more is better.
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I am a PADI Divemaster
January 9th, 2010
dir_buceador Says :
Scuba tanks can be filled well past 3200psi. When they do a hydrostatic test it is well beyond any pressure that any dive shop will fill a tank to. The highest I’ve seen the pressure get in my tank is 4000 and that is when the filler at the dive shop forgot about it.
References :