scuba diving advice anyone
12 October 2006, 11:25 AM
#1
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scuba diving advice anyone
All,
Been leaning to dive over the summer and am now finally getting round to buy some gear.
One of the main items of contention is whether to go with A-Clamp or DIN fitting for the firs stage regulator. I've heard loads of stories of A-Clamps blowing off.
Anyone want to offer some guidance.
T.
PS. will be diving in the UK as well as aborad.
Been leaning to dive over the summer and am now finally getting round to buy some gear.
One of the main items of contention is whether to go with A-Clamp or DIN fitting for the firs stage regulator. I've heard loads of stories of A-Clamps blowing off.
Anyone want to offer some guidance.
T.
PS. will be diving in the UK as well as aborad.
12 October 2006, 12:37 PM
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DIN is the way to go as it is the safer option. A clamp is very old and nasty now.
Your regulator is sealed to the cylinder valve by an o-ring. WIth the A clamp you have a metal ring held against the o-ring with a tightening screw at the back of the cylinder post. With the DIN fitting you screw in the body of the regulator and the o-ring is captured. Its a much stronger fitting.
Hey its the DIVE show in the NEC this weekend - bargin hard with each of the stalls there and make them compete with each other on price.
Hope this helps!
Your regulator is sealed to the cylinder valve by an o-ring. WIth the A clamp you have a metal ring held against the o-ring with a tightening screw at the back of the cylinder post. With the DIN fitting you screw in the body of the regulator and the o-ring is captured. Its a much stronger fitting.
Hey its the DIVE show in the NEC this weekend - bargin hard with each of the stalls there and make them compete with each other on price.
Hope this helps!
12 October 2006, 11:52 PM
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No reason whatsoever to get A Clamp anymore.
Deffo get DIN fitting. Captive O ring is far more secure. Can use with 300bar cylinders.
Most dive centres abroad have DIN compatible cylinders now and if they don't you can get an A Clamp convertor but not the other way around.
Deffo get DIN fitting. Captive O ring is far more secure. Can use with 300bar cylinders.
Most dive centres abroad have DIN compatible cylinders now and if they don't you can get an A Clamp convertor but not the other way around.
13 October 2006, 12:58 PM
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300 bar - yep waste of time - too heavy and not many places pump them.
I haven't bought a reg in years. I use Oceanic Omega 2 on my bailout bottles as they are not handed. And I hand them from my OC days when I thought that posidens were out of my reach.
There are as many thoughts on dive regs as there are on scoob mods!
Chat to your buddies visit the manufacturers stands at the show.
I haven't bought a reg in years. I use Oceanic Omega 2 on my bailout bottles as they are not handed. And I hand them from my OC days when I thought that posidens were out of my reach.
There are as many thoughts on dive regs as there are on scoob mods!
Chat to your buddies visit the manufacturers stands at the show.
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13 October 2006, 01:21 PM
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A-clamp, Din, Z-clamp, dont worry about it all!! go old school!!
I use a 30 meter hose with one end tied to a balloon, you dont have to worry about "running out of air", which is something dive shops tell you so you buy more air, like you have to pay for air!!
If you do insist on a tank, and want a refil, just unscrew the top, hold the cylinder in the "air" for a few minutes, and it'll be full of air anyway, so you're good to go.
If you need any advise on goggles and flippers let me know, lets just say a unused goldfish bowl and a pair of extra large flip flops could save you a few quid.
I use a 30 meter hose with one end tied to a balloon, you dont have to worry about "running out of air", which is something dive shops tell you so you buy more air, like you have to pay for air!!
If you do insist on a tank, and want a refil, just unscrew the top, hold the cylinder in the "air" for a few minutes, and it'll be full of air anyway, so you're good to go.
If you need any advise on goggles and flippers let me know, lets just say a unused goldfish bowl and a pair of extra large flip flops could save you a few quid.
13 October 2006, 01:58 PM
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Agree, DIN + "A" adapter.
Make sure you try the reg' in your mouth to make sure it's comfortable, and remember it could be in there for an hour or more.
I always found the standard hard black rubber mouth pieces uncomfortable, and changed them for the softer clear silicon type.
Some reg's "breath" far easier than others, especially if you get into diving a little deeper. Some reg's can be very noisy, and this can be very irritating.
I've tried a lot of reg', and never found anything to match the Mares Abyss, if it comes within your budget.
Sorry, don't agree.
They may not be the best option for the normal recreational diver, but it depends on the diving you're doing.
They may be heavier, but they are also much more compact, and if you're doing wreck diving, that can be important.
Same goes for deco dives, and making sure you have plenty of head room.
Weight isn't an issue in the water, and it just means you can carry less lead.
So true
Mark.
Make sure you try the reg' in your mouth to make sure it's comfortable, and remember it could be in there for an hour or more.
I always found the standard hard black rubber mouth pieces uncomfortable, and changed them for the softer clear silicon type.
Some reg's "breath" far easier than others, especially if you get into diving a little deeper. Some reg's can be very noisy, and this can be very irritating.
I've tried a lot of reg', and never found anything to match the Mares Abyss, if it comes within your budget.
300 BAR cyls are a waste of time though
They may not be the best option for the normal recreational diver, but it depends on the diving you're doing.
They may be heavier, but they are also much more compact, and if you're doing wreck diving, that can be important.
Same goes for deco dives, and making sure you have plenty of head room.
Weight isn't an issue in the water, and it just means you can carry less lead.
There are as many thoughts on dive regs as there are on scoob mods!
So true
Mark.
13 October 2006, 07:11 PM
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I Had to check what make my regs are. 
Oceanic Twin DX4's as my main manifolded twins
Oceanic CDX as my back up.
Never let me down, been in 4 degrees c water and down to 55m.
A 300 bar cylinder, due to gas laws, only contains the same free gas volume as if it was pumped to 270 BAR.
Lastly the 300bar pressure causes undue stress on the manifold, the HP hoses and your regulators themselves.
Andy
Oceanic Twin DX4's as my main manifolded twins
Oceanic CDX as my back up.
Never let me down, been in 4 degrees c water and down to 55m.
A 300 bar cylinder, due to gas laws, only contains the same free gas volume as if it was pumped to 270 BAR.
Lastly the 300bar pressure causes undue stress on the manifold, the HP hoses and your regulators themselves.
Andy
13 October 2006, 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Fuzz
A 300 bar cylinder, due to gas laws, only contains the same free gas volume as if it was pumped to 270 BAR.
Lastly the 300bar pressure causes undue stress on the manifold, the HP hoses and your regulators themselves.
Andy
HP hose's are rated to 400bar (IIRC) & DIN, is a 300bar rating so I'm quite comfortable that those reg's will cope quite happily !
Mark.
13 October 2006, 08:23 PM
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You also have to cafeful as some twin 300 bar 10s come up short on your back so you can't take the weight off when sitting kitted, waiting for your turn to go.
230 twin 12s with 7s on the side were great but I couldn't lift the twin 15s so it was rebreather time....
and the twin 10 300 bar make a great gas bank for the whole season after just one blending session!
Anyway back to regs as that was the original thread.
The only place you will have have trouble with DIN is in the US.
Europe and the Red Sea do DIN no worries.
230 twin 12s with 7s on the side were great but I couldn't lift the twin 15s so it was rebreather time....
and the twin 10 300 bar make a great gas bank for the whole season after just one blending session!
Anyway back to regs as that was the original thread.
The only place you will have have trouble with DIN is in the US.
Europe and the Red Sea do DIN no worries.
i hope you dont mean the stuff you made me buy
18 October 2006, 06:59 PM
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It'll soon be a slippery slope, just like tuning the scoob.
Drysuit cos it's too cold
dry gloves so you can feel your hands after 20 mins
Sell the BCD for a backplate and wing
Another cylinder so that you can carry more air
A manifold so dont have to keep swapping regs.
A HID torch so you can see in the murk
A dsmb so you dont get hit by passing boats on your way back to the surface.
A line reel... no make that two, one for setting out a line and one for sending up the dsmb
and then you think you have it all and someone mentions "what's your back up"
LOL I forgot the wrist PC, as diving on tables is now too bloody complicated.
Andy
Drysuit cos it's too cold
dry gloves so you can feel your hands after 20 mins
Sell the BCD for a backplate and wing
Another cylinder so that you can carry more air
A manifold so dont have to keep swapping regs.
A HID torch so you can see in the murk
A dsmb so you dont get hit by passing boats on your way back to the surface.
A line reel... no make that two, one for setting out a line and one for sending up the dsmb
and then you think you have it all and someone mentions "what's your back up"
LOL I forgot the wrist PC, as diving on tables is now too bloody complicated.
Andy
Last edited by Fuzz; 18 October 2006 at 07:05 PM.
18 October 2006, 09:04 PM
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Thankfully I trod a different path to that of Divemaster, so wouldn't know about the teaching thing. 
Even when out in the Ocean, the last I see of my buddy is when he gives me the OK at the shotline.
Andy
Even when out in the Ocean, the last I see of my buddy is when he gives me the OK at the shotline.
Andy
18 October 2006, 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Fuzz
It'll soon be a slippery slope, just like tuning the scoob.
Drysuit cos it's too cold
dry gloves so you can feel your hands after 20 mins
Sell the BCD for a backplate and wingAnother cylinder so that you can carry more air
A manifold so dont have to keep swapping regs.
A HID torch so you can see in the murk
A dsmb so you dont get hit by passing boats on your way back to the surface.
A line reel... no make that two, one for setting out a line and one for sending up the dsmb
and then you think you have it all and someone mentions "what's your back up"
LOL I forgot the wrist PC, as diving on tables is now too bloody complicated.
Andy
Drysuit cos it's too cold
dry gloves so you can feel your hands after 20 mins
Sell the BCD for a backplate and wingAnother cylinder so that you can carry more air
A manifold so dont have to keep swapping regs.
A HID torch so you can see in the murk
A dsmb so you dont get hit by passing boats on your way back to the surface.
A line reel... no make that two, one for setting out a line and one for sending up the dsmb
and then you think you have it all and someone mentions "what's your back up"
LOL I forgot the wrist PC, as diving on tables is now too bloody complicated.
Andy
and Im not convinced they're not the pink glittery type
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