Apeks tec3 left/right - need help

[victorzamora]

On the left/right front: Most regulators only work with hoses on the right, so all hose routing procedures are dedicated to that. TBone and I have had many long conversations about reversible vs two "standard" regulators. He likes reversibles (not sure if always, but sometimes at least) and I'm sticking with my regulars. I DO have a reversible second stage....and I might use it as a reversed stage, but it will be on my stage bottle and NOT my primaries.

Edit: Just for reference, Tbone and I are like 1.94 and 1.97 or so.....and we're slightly above 77kg. Well, not "slightly" above

Edit2: Do your first stages have a "fifth port"? If they do, you can get much cleaner hose routing than what is shown in most of the literature by using the fifth ports for your "crossover" hoses (bungeed short hose and wing inflator).

 

[tbone1004]

VZ, the tek3's are just the Apeks DS4's or Hog D2's but with 4 port on one side only, no turrets, and instead of the ports being around the circumference there is a flat spot so they all come straight down.

In doubles I would recommend switching the regulator back to its original configuration. Apeks was probably just demonstrating that the regulators can be reversed.

Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to remake this with an XTX, but the reversing procedure is the same.
At 1:30, where the venturi lever is being put back on, on the XTX this part is two-piece and you have to rotate the venture 180*. Before you do this, there is a black plastic collar that is covering one opening on the barrel, the AT series doesn't have this part. That needs to be rotated 180* as well. Where the hose connects to the regulator is an insert that has to be moved to the right side so you can put the regulator back where it belongs.
[video=youtube;NVIFNaBqjdY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVIFNaBqjdY&list=UURL23esenhiW6IC3Eyzn4RA[/video]


The part that is on the hose side that has to be moved to the right
image of the barrel piece you have to rotate
and the venturi baffle. This pops out of the venturi lever assembly quite easily, and just needs to be flipped 180* to the other set of the serations.

 

[andrei_c]

Ge, guys! You are really great! Thanks a lot!

VZ, Tbone has right, the apeks tec 3 has only 4 ports. But the 2nd stages could be "converted" to left or right handed easily (well, that's what Apeks says). I already considered the ideea of change/convert the left-handed 2nd one to right-handed and now, after I saw your posts (thanks again Tbone!) I'm more than convinced.
Another option (just a thought) could be a shorter hose - a 22" or even 18" (43 cm or 23 cm) coming straight over the left sholder to the 2nd stage (the back up one).

---------- Post added December 22nd, 2014 at 11:18 PM ----------

Oh, by the way, still waiting the answer from Apeks technical support

 

[tbone1004]

you could run a very short hose from the left post, but at least in the GUE/DIR configurations, the left side is very cluttered compared to the right side, so it becomes a lot to have the extra hoses coming forward. Combine that with the fact that the hose really has to cross or go down from it's respective post it wouldn't be ideal. A 22" hose isn't abnormal for use when the reg crosses sides, so if you used that with the regulator reversed it would bend funny and be very much in the way. You can see that if you look at the Frogkick site that Dr. Lecter posted.

The reversible regulators are wonderful in sidemount and on decompression/stage bottles that are put on the left side of the body, but in traditional doubles configuration, the traditional routing really is the best.

View Profile: Repair.Tech.Kyle - ScubaBoard - Scuba Diving Forum - Diving Social Network
Kyle is the official Apeks guy for this board, so if you don't hear from Apeks, shoot him a PM. He usually only responds in the Apeks subforum, so PM is probably best

 

[andrei_c]

As I said, was already half convinced to reconfigure the "exotic" 2nd to a normal one and now I'm 100% sure I'll do it. All the possible issues mentioned by you crossed my mind too.

Thanks for directed me to Kile, Tbone! I'll contact him

 

[ajduplessis]

The Apeks Tec3 stages have the LP and HP ports on the bottom of the stages, the hoses will point downwards. The stages once connect are in a horizontal positions, not vertical (hence and left and right side stage).

i will post pic later this evening