looking for an odd doubles manifold

[DM240897]

Putting 2 regs on 2 tanks is going to take less 'fooling around' than this manifold setup you're talking about

According to your profile you have a Nomad sidemount rig so why not use that with independant doubles

Doubles with only 1 first stage is limiting your redundancy

What type of dives are you planning on doing?

im just trying to do extended shallow dives. I will be taking photos underwater and as you know sometimes you have to wait a good deal of time before your subject cooperates for the perfect shot. this is why I want to use doubles but it is not possible for me to bring a real doubles set up. I will be renting tanks , this is the reason why I want this "suicide or cheater device."

thanks for the input and I appreciate all the advice. you guys are great...

Mike H

 

[DM240897]

What you need is a new version of something like this - since it's vintage, the spacing will be wrong for AL-80's.

what size tanks do you think will fit this device?

 

[captain]

what size tanks do you think will fit this device?

They were originally made to fit steel 72's or any cylinder that is 6.9" in diameter, AL 80's are close enough to 6.9" that one should work.

 

[Luis H]

I don't have photos of it right now but a lot heaver one was made by Sherwood or Dacor, I forget which off hand.

Well, since Sherwood actually made the Dacor valves (for Dacor and several other dive companies, Healtways, White Stag, etc.), I guess it wouldn't matter.

Dacor was not happy when Sherwood started selling Scuba gear directly, using the Sherwood name.

 

[oxyhacker]

One problem with the cheater bars is that a lot of them were just brass tubing silver soldered together and, since they often ended up being used with tanks that were not solidly banded together, or the right distance apart, they could easily get overstressed and break. Hence the pigtail section on some of them which added a bit of flex to the bar.

There was a guy who died using a cheater bar, not too long ago, in Florida, I think, when it came unglued.

All the same, a lot of serious diving was done with them before better alternatives came along. If you decide to use one, be sure that the tanks are banded rigidly together (no duct tape and 2"x4" spacers, please) and that the manifold is not under any stress when it is fastened to the tanks.

 

[diversteve]

They were originally made to fit steel 72's or any cylinder that is 6.9" in diameter, AL 80's are close enough to 6.9" that one should work.

That's good to know, my comment was based on what someone told me who wanted to buy it once. I've never actually installed it on a set of doubles - IDK if it even holds air.

Another problem with it is that the flanges around the fittings into the yoke are too big for my Atomics yoke - since it tapers slightly wider near the bottom it won't mount properly to this manifold. I have a Zeagle Rezort also, it works since there's no taper. But it's a really close fit.

im just trying to do extended shallow dives. I will be taking photos underwater and as you know sometimes you have to wait a good deal of time before your subject cooperates for the perfect shot. this is why I want to use doubles but it is not possible for me to bring a real doubles set up.

Me too - I want to dive two yoke tanks at a resort location with one reg. I shoot a lot of shallow video - some above 32' or less so I'm looking for more air w/o independent doubles. Now I just dive a 100' when they have them.