Backup Regulator Necklace Hose Routing
- Thread starter RobPNW
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I see some have a 20" inflator hose in their setup. I order the DGX gears BP/W kit. They suggest a 22" hose.
www.divegearexpress.com
Any advantage to the shorter inflator hose? Would it matter if it was standard rubber vs a flex hose?
DGX Custom - DGX Gears Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package
A basic DGX backplate/wing/harness package for single tank diving at a value price.
www.divegearexpress.com
Any advantage to the shorter inflator hose? Would it matter if it was standard rubber vs a flex hose?
I see some have a 20" inflator hose in their setup. I order the DGX gears BP/W kit. They suggest a 22" hose.
DGX Custom - DGX Gears Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package
A basic DGX backplate/wing/harness package for single tank diving at a value price.
Any advantage to the shorter inflator hose? Would it matter if it was standard rubber vs a flex hose?
The length of the inflator hose is defined by the length of the corrugated hose from the wing plus the reach to your first stage LP port. Usually 22 inches works out about right. Unless you have purchased a shorter corrugated hose as I have on some of my wings needing therefore a 20 inch LP hose.
James
But you need to account for the reach/distance to the regulator port. Just enough ideally that it lays over your shoulder and reaches the inflator without bowing out behind you.
Use two bicycle tube rubber bands on the corrugated hose to run the LP hose through to keep them neatly together.
N
Don't over complicate this. A 22 inch LP hose on the backup is fine for most divers. If it's a bigger person or someone using a bulky drysuit, they may prefer a 24. The difference is that the 24 doesn't need an elbow. A 22 is sometimes more comfortable with one.
For the primary, if routing under the arm only a 40 inch is the minimum I would use and the first time you donate you see why. I also prefer using an elbow on the 40 because it makes for cleaner routing. With a 5,6, or 7 ft hose an elbow is not needed.
Braided hoses. I've tried them and don't like them on the second stages, especially diving dry, because they are floaty, take a set if stored coiled more than rubber, and are not friendly to drysuit seals and the hairs on the back of your neck. Some overhead instructors (myself included) do not permit them in classes because they can be kinked and cut off the air supply. The weight savings for me is insignificant. The cost does not justify any perceived benefit as well.
DO not use two rubber bands on the LP inflator. Only one up near the elbow is necessary. You want the LP inflator hose to be able to move in the bungee on the left chest d ring so if you need to raise the inflator to dump you can. There is no pull dump on the wing and the hose is short enough, unlike many jacket bcs, that there isn't enough length to worry about two bungees.
If you use a shorter than recommended inflator or longer than the recommended the inflator will curl in or out due to the pulling or pushing and negate what you are trying to achieve in terms of a neat, tidy package.
Depending on your first stage, ideally it will have a bottom port to run the long hose out of, watch putting a transmitter on the right side that it does not interfere with hose routing. Some transmitters on certain 1st stages will limit where you can place the second stage hoses. Also, being on the right side, will it interfere with a valve shutdown if you need to do one? You don't want to mistake the transmitter for the valve handle. If the 1st has a turret your likely ok as the LP hoses are far enough below the HP ports to not be an issue with a transmitter.
Also if it's on the right side, more than a few boat hands are used to grabbing a BC and tank by the valve. In a rush, they might mistake the transmitter if not looking and lift it by that. Good way to break a transmitter off.
Look at this video by Lamar Hires at Dive Rite that he did in 2013 with their rigs. This is all you need.
For the primary, if routing under the arm only a 40 inch is the minimum I would use and the first time you donate you see why. I also prefer using an elbow on the 40 because it makes for cleaner routing. With a 5,6, or 7 ft hose an elbow is not needed.
Braided hoses. I've tried them and don't like them on the second stages, especially diving dry, because they are floaty, take a set if stored coiled more than rubber, and are not friendly to drysuit seals and the hairs on the back of your neck. Some overhead instructors (myself included) do not permit them in classes because they can be kinked and cut off the air supply. The weight savings for me is insignificant. The cost does not justify any perceived benefit as well.
DO not use two rubber bands on the LP inflator. Only one up near the elbow is necessary. You want the LP inflator hose to be able to move in the bungee on the left chest d ring so if you need to raise the inflator to dump you can. There is no pull dump on the wing and the hose is short enough, unlike many jacket bcs, that there isn't enough length to worry about two bungees.
If you use a shorter than recommended inflator or longer than the recommended the inflator will curl in or out due to the pulling or pushing and negate what you are trying to achieve in terms of a neat, tidy package.
Depending on your first stage, ideally it will have a bottom port to run the long hose out of, watch putting a transmitter on the right side that it does not interfere with hose routing. Some transmitters on certain 1st stages will limit where you can place the second stage hoses. Also, being on the right side, will it interfere with a valve shutdown if you need to do one? You don't want to mistake the transmitter for the valve handle. If the 1st has a turret your likely ok as the LP hoses are far enough below the HP ports to not be an issue with a transmitter.
Also if it's on the right side, more than a few boat hands are used to grabbing a BC and tank by the valve. In a rush, they might mistake the transmitter if not looking and lift it by that. Good way to break a transmitter off.
Look at this video by Lamar Hires at Dive Rite that he did in 2013 with their rigs. This is all you need.
I use the DGX braided hoses for a couple years now, and have no complaints... I haven't check the buoyancy, per se, but they seem to almost disappear in the water due to being so much more flexible than rubber hoses.
For what it's worth, I run a 22" necklaced alternate, and a 40" primary run under my arm with a 110 degree elbow so the hose runs almost straight down off the side of the second stage. A bolt snap is held on to the elbow by an O ring so I can clip it off when not in use and it can be a break away if I'm on my alternate for practice and some one grabs for my primary (paranoia, I know). A buddy just switched from 40" to 48" for his primary (still under the arm with no particular "stowage") and it works out the same, just with a bit more room for donation. I might do the same!
Respectfully,
James
The primary is always clipped off to the right D-ring, be it on a 40, 60 or 84 inches when not in use as when the rig is sitting in a tank rack or being shed off for examples. Clipping the primary to the RH D ring is one of the first things you do getting out. This is so that the primary does not get drug across the deck, stepped on and smashed.
(Side note, I have been looking for a couple of additional G250 second stages. In my search, so many have bent knobs and badly gouged or even cracked exhaust manifolds on the left T that it is disheartening. This is from dragging the second stage along the deck and then smashing the tank down on top of the loose second stage. Ouch! Do not mash your regs!)
I like an elbow at the LP to primary connection on both a 40 inch or a 60 inch hose. I find that without, at least for me and I have observed the same on many others, that without the elbow there is a tendency to pull the second stage.
More like this:
And not this:
The only difference above is the inclusion of a 110 degree elbow on the primary and I think I may go to a 20 inch from the 22 on these for the secondary, maybe.
But,
, there is always this, no hose push-pull here, forgive the blown out sun ball and fisheye lens distortion:
There can be differences between cave and open water execution as a pound plus of weight out of my dive bag per reg set is significant to me thus my preference for braided hoses in non technical (overhead, soft or hard) environments. Both Piranha and DGX have house brands of braided hoses that are inexpensive enough. Since I always bring a spare regulator set the weight begins to add up when traveling via big jet airplanes
. When my truck is my conveyance, yes, I might prefer standard rubber hoses by a small margin.Again, most people get along fine with a 22 inch inflator hose but if their wing has a longer corrugated hose, and some seem to come with a very long hose, then some adjusmtent in LP hose length will be needed to prevent bowing. Usually the best thing to do is to go to a shorter corrugated hose unless the diver is very tall/large or I guess short or small. My tiny wife seems okay with a 22 inch LP inflator hose, there is a little bow.
The 24/26 inch spg HP hose. Well, yeah, I used to use a 24 and still do but I cannot see it so I recently bought two 30 inch hoses to try and I like that better (for me) and they do not bow out.
A single band at the elbow on the corrugated hose is enough, I like two, the other down at the inflator. I am sure that I am doing it wrong (DIW) but I run both the LP hose and the corrugated hose inside the bungee loop at the D ring. I have no problem doing an overhead dump if I need to though I mostly vent through the butt valve.
As you can see, lol, there are some opinions. You will develop your own opinions in use. Hose lengths, you often hear the word "streamlining" and what is really meant there is not really so much reducing water resistance when swimming but keeping everything tucked in so that it is neat, does not flap and drag about and does not offer itself to being hung up. As long as you stick to the basic Hog formula and keep everything minimal and well thought out, minor variations to suit your purpose and diving are just fine. But think about what you are doing and how it all will work together in use. You would not think it such a volatile subjects, hose lengths, turret up or down, DIN vs yoke, one rubber band or two, lol, yeah
!James
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