Deco tank - left or right?

[SouthEastFloridaDiver]

I'm a beginner tech diver, and I have a rather basic question: Do you usually rig your deco tank on the left or the right side of your BCD?

 

[Diver0001]

Left

R..

 

[OWSI176288]

I'm a beginner tech diver, and I have a rather basic question: Do you usually rig your deco tank on the left or the right side of your BCD?

I use two deco bottles. One with EAN36 marked "MOD 110", the other with oxygen and marked "oxygen". Both get slung on my left chest and hip D-rings. The order depends on wether I am going to carry them or drop them. If I am going to carry them, then the oxygen bottle goes on first, and the deeper deco bottle is on top. If I am going to drop one or both, then the O2 bottle goes on last.

The regulators are pressurized, but the tank valves are off. Still, you always need to check the MOD and make sure that you turned the correct tank valve on and have the correct reg before making a gas switch. Don't ever get complacent!

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I'm a beginner tech diver, and I have a rather basic question: Do you usually rig your deco tank on the left or the right side of your BCD?

If I am carrying only one deco gas I carry it on my left. If I am carrying two deco gasses I carry the deeper mix on my left and the shallower mix (typically 100% Oxygen) on my right. The key is to be consistent, and to make sure that your tanks are well labled and your buddy knows what you are doing so he or she can easily double check your gas switches. Make sure that however you rig your deco bottles, you always keep the long hose clear.

Mark Vlahos

 

[MSilvia]

Regardless of whether it's one cylinder or two, they go on the left. Since I use AL40s, they don't throw off my trim that way, and I have a canister light on the right.

 

[MikeFerrara]

As a rule I carry all decompression and stage bottles on the left. You can carry a bunch that way especially if you hang one or two by the neck on your hip d-ring or even use a leash. I have carried some on the right when I was hauling in lots of bottles to stage them. I don't like to do it even then but we had low spots to get through and I didn't want them on a leash banging up the cave.

 

[matt_unique]

I'm an entry level tech diver too. So far I have used one tank for deco gas and I sling it on the right. I have always rigged for breathing gas right. All regulators are routed to the right and following that convention I rig my deco bottle on the right side. I use a 40 or an 80 depending on the dive. I don't carry a canister light so I shift my lead such that I am balanced with tank slung. I never remove my bottles.

--Matt

 

[jerryn]

left, I have done two 40 cu ft and one 80 cu ft deco bottle this way.

Jerry

 

[BigJetDriver]

I was trained to put tanks evenly, left and right, with the key being: "Rich is Right!" The highest oxygen content gas goes on the right. Just my PPO2's worth.

Cheers!

 

[AZ_Zoner]

I run lean on the left side and rich on the right side. And so do the divers I dive with.

CB