Button Gauge...

[Erik Il Rosso]

Using button gauge on decompression tanks can be considered DIR ???

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[RTodd]

No. Regular gauge with 6" hose.

 

[limeyx]

No. Regular guage with 6" hose.

Maybe (past) time for a DIR-FAQ sticky(ies) in the DIR forum ?

 

[Couv]

No. Regular gauge with 6" hose.

RTodd,

Is this because of an accuracy issue or is it because a button gage is more susceptible to damage? Or other reason?

Thanks,
couv

 

[Jason B]

Part of a proper gas switch involves monitoring the spg. It needs to be easily visible for this.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I keep a button gauge on my 40 that is used for a pony only, pony issue asside, that gauge only lets me know that the tank has air and approx (within 1000psi) how much and thats all a pony needs. With that said I have every intention of switching to the 6" hose before next summer.

 

[TSandM]

The button gauges aren't easy to read, even when they're new, and if they get anything crusting on the glass, they're nearly impossible. I have one on my Argon bottle (which is NOT DIR) just so I can look quickly and make sure I haven't forgotten to fill it. But it's not easy to read, even on land and in good light.

 

[SparticleBrane]

NESS has an OMS button gauge here for $50.
You can get a standard 'brass & glass' SPG + 6" hose for $75 from Soggy Diving.

Why not just shell out the extra $25 and have all the accuracy + readability of a standard gauge?

 

[Couv]

Makes sense to me. I used to work for an aquarium and some of our rigs had the damn button gages. My 53 year old eyes could not read them so I would have to call one of the young troops over to help the "old man."

Quite a few years back, ScubaPro had a tank valve that had a pin gage. It was basically an indicator pin recessed into the valve body that you could read 1/4 1/2 etc on it.

 

[rjack321]

The button gauges aren't easy to read, even when they're new, and if they get anything crusting on the glass, they're nearly impossible. I have one on my Argon bottle (which is NOT DIR) just so I can look quickly and make sure I haven't forgotten to fill it. But it's not easy to read, even on land and in good light.

I have one on my argon reg too. Its basically worthless at this point due to scratches. Can be read but with great difficulty. Since HP failures are never volumetrically very large and its suit inflation anyway, I have not removed it. There's not much to go wrong with them but they are so challenging to read on the surface I can't imagine actually using one underwater to monitor required gas.