Adaptor for single tank regulator redundancy?

[bdives85]

Hi all,

The more I learn about regulator designs, the more I find myself looking into redundancy. I've read about H-valves and Y-valves, but neither seem very travel-friendly.

In my imagination, it seems like there should be some kind of manifold adaptor that had a DIN port on either end for two DIN regulators to be connected, with either a DIN or Yoke connector in the middle that could be attached to any normal tank. Easy to take on charter boats, just connect and disconnect from tanks the same as you would a single reg. I have searched and searched and haven't been able to find anything like this.

Does such a thing exist? and if not, why?? Surely I'm not the first person to imagine such a thing. (Although perhaps there's something wrong with the idea that I'm not thinking of.)

 

[davehicks]

I've seen comments that suggest these are more common in some part of Europe. But I think most folks here on ScubaBoard will tell you to either go for Doubles or a slung Pony Bottle for true redundancy.

 

[inquis]

Nautilus T- Adapter 300 bar- Male G5/8 - 2x Female G5/8T- Adapter 300 - Oyster Diving Shop

oysterdivingshop.com

What are you worried about, in particular? Even for a free flow, you can still breath just fine as you're ascending.

 

[Outbound]

I'm not sure what you are asking. It seems like you are describing a standard H-valve but one that can connect on the fly to rental tanks. Why? The only potential benefit of an H-valve is if you are worried about cold-induced free-flows in an otherwise standard rec diving configuration. If that's the case, then just get a pony bottle. Or dive doubles or SM.

 

[gmerick]

I'd want a solution to cope with rental failures I've been near:
Tank o-ring extrusion
Burst disk failure
Yoke o-ring extrusion (once it was the o-ring under the DIN insert)

They are manageable, but no H or Y adapter would have helped. Again, for redundancy - pony, doubles, or SM.

 

[grantmac]

Two tanks is actual redundancy.

 

[bdives85]

@inquis Cool, Thanks! Do you have experience with this T-adaptor? Works well? Issues? Weird looks from charter operators?

The concern is the opposite of free flow, it is the potential for failure mode in the closed state.

I realize that doubles or a pony are "better" solutions, but they complicate travel. I am a firm believer in "the solution that you take with you is better than the one you left at home."

I realize that the frequency of regulators failing in the closed position is low, but it happens. Having a dive buddy nearby to share air is a theoretically great idea, but the random dive buddies one gets paired with along the way tend to have short attention spans and questionable skill levels.

 

[Outbound]

Regulators are designed to fail safe, meaning they will fail open and not closed. Unless I’m not understanding what you’re saying.

 

[MarkA]

Nautilus T- Adapter 300 bar- Male G5/8 - 2x Female G5/8T- Adapter 300 - Oyster Diving Shop

oysterdivingshop.com

What are you worried about, in particular? Even for a free flow, you can still breath just fine as you're ascending.

A long time ago, I saw the A clamp version of this being used. A buddy pair of divers in the club I used to belong to both used this. So primary second stage and drysuit off one and BC and octopus off the other.

About the only failure mode this protects against is if the first stage fails closed. As there is no ability to shut off the regulators independently, it does not have the functionality of a twinset or Y valve. Suppose in air sharing it could put less strain on the first stage?

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The only time I saw a diver diving with the valve fully closed and open half a turn was one of these divers. So does not solve everything.

 

[rongoodman]

I think you're over thinking things. I'd be much more worried about not paying attention and running my gas too low instead of a regulator failing.