DIN 200 Bar and 300 Bar Confusion

[Mantaray52]

I'm new to SCUBA and I just picked up an Aqualung Titan reg set used for next to nothing. I'm also looking at getting the 300 Bar DIN conversion kit for it (there's no 200 Bar kit available). What I'm having trouble figuring out is, I keep reading that DIN 300 connectors don't have yoke adapters available, only the 200's do. If that's the case then I don't want to make the DIN switch. Can anyone shed some light on what my options would be if I made the switch to 300 Bar DIN and needed to use a tank set up for yoke?

 

[cbrich]

It's alright if your regulator has a 300 Bar Din connector on it. The regulator 300 Bar Din connector will fit either a 200 (230) Bar Din valve, or 300 Bar Din valve. The 200 Bar Din valve, are your Pro Valves which can be Din or yoke by installing the doughnut. The 300 Bar Din valve is only used for Din regulators only, no adapter is available to convert these to yoke.

All of my regs have the Din connectors on them; but when I travel, I switch out the Din connectors for the yoke connectors. If you go the Din route, you also have available a Din to Yoke adapter for the rental tank with yoke valves.

 

[elan]

They are referring to a converter for the tank valve , not for the regulator. 300bar tank valve will not take an insert that allows to connect a yoke regulator.

300DIN reg will connect to both 200 and 300bar valve.

I'm new to SCUBA and I just picked up an Aqualung Titan reg set used for next to nothing. I'm also looking at getting the 300 Bar DIN conversion kit for it (there's no 200 Bar kit available). What I'm having trouble figuring out is, I keep reading that DIN 300 connectors don't have yoke adapters available, only the 200's do. If that's the case then I don't want to make the DIN switch. Can anyone shed some light on what my options would be if I made the switch to 300 Bar DIN and needed to use a tank set up for yoke?

 

[Mantaray52]

So somthing like this would work just fine to connect my 300 Bar DIN reg to a yoke valve tank?: Amazon.com: Aqua DIN to Yoke Regulator Converter (A100): Sports & Outdoors

 

[mathauck0814]

The main difference between a 200 BAR DIN valve and a 300 BAR DIN valve is the number of threads. I believe they have 5 and 7 (respectively). The 5 thread valves can be converted between yoke and DIN via an insert that you screw in with a hex key. The 7 thread valves cannot be converted (though for the life of me I can't figure out why no one makes a 7 thread converter).

If you had a 300 BAR DIN valve, you're stuck with it being DIN (any DIN regulator will have sufficient thread depth to work with either 200 or 300, the additional threads give the regulator additional surface area and are thus rated to a higher pressure). If you need a yoke valve you'd be out of luck.

So either convert your Aqualung reg to DIN (in which case it would work in either 200 or 300 BAR valves as it would have sufficient threading for either) and would require a yoke conversion for that purpose OR leave it as yoke and you can use all but 300 BAR DIN valve tanks (provided you have the necessary accessory hardware). I'd go with whatever is more prevalent in your local area or areas you wish to dive in and avoid conversion wherever possible. Just more crap to carry around and/or break.

 

[whaylonsmithers]

It sounds from the original post that you currently have a yoke fitting. If you are in the States you are unlikely to need anything else short term. Techies and Cavers insist on DIN for safety reasons but in a recreational setting yoke is good to go and near-universal in the States. Yoke is most common tank valve and for 232bar DIN tank valves there are thread-in plugs that convert them to take a yoke regulator.

The major of advantage of a reg having 300bar DIN and a 3500psi (232bar) yoke adaptor is that its travel friendly. It will go on 200bar DIN, 300bar DIN and any yoke that you find. The drawback is the 1st stage sticks out from the valve a bit more and may push your head forward a bit. I've got 300bar DIN with yoke adaptor and it doesn't bother me. Some guys find it very irritating.

The thing you don't want in 300bar DIN is the tank valve (unless you are using 300bar tanks). It is specifically designed to be incompatible with any other first-stage regulator fitting.

 

[kwinter]

The 7 thread valves cannot be converted (though for the life of me I can't figure out why no one makes a 7 thread converter).

Because using a yoke connection at pressures higher than 3000 psi is not safe and 300 bar valves are designed for HP tanks. At those pressures, a secure, screwed in DIN connection is required. Actually, they virtually eliminated the difference by rating tanks and valves for 232 bar/3442 psi instead of the old 3500 psi. Donuts can be used in 232 bar valves, which are still considered safe even though it is only 58 psi/4 bar less than true HP rating considered unsafe without a 300 bar valve. Go figure.

 

[Peter69_56]

The main difference between a 200 BAR DIN valve and a 300 BAR DIN valve is the number of threads. I believe they have 5 and 7 (respectively). The 5 thread valves can be converted between yoke and DIN via an insert that you screw in with a hex key. The 7 thread valves cannot be converted (though for the life of me I can't figure out why no one makes a 7 thread converter).

If you had a 300 BAR DIN valve, you're stuck with it being DIN (any DIN regulator will have sufficient thread depth to work with either 200 or 300, the additional threads give the regulator additional surface area and are thus rated to a higher pressure). If you need a yoke valve you'd be out of luck.

So either convert your Aqualung reg to DIN (in which case it would work in either 200 or 300 BAR valves as it would have sufficient threading for either) and would require a yoke conversion for that purpose OR leave it as yoke and you can use all but 300 BAR DIN valve tanks (provided you have the necessary accessory hardware). I'd go with whatever is more prevalent in your local area or areas you wish to dive in and avoid conversion wherever possible. Just more crap to carry around and/or break.

The reason why there is no 7 thread converter is that you could hook up a 235 BAR K regulator to your 300BAR DIN/K valve. Not really recommended.

So for the OP you have like I have, a 300BAR reg, you can buy a 232 BAR K valve converter or a 300BAR K valve converter to allow you to attach your 300 BAR regulator to a 232 BAR (or less) K valve/cylinder.

SO the options you now have is;

attach directly to a 300 BAR DIN valve/cylinder
attach directly to a 232 BAR DIN valve/cylinder
using a 300 or 232 BAR converter connect to a K valve/cylinder

I like this setup over owning K regs and then having to buy DIN if you go to tech.

I have now converted all my K valve regs to DIN by buying converter kits which replaces the K fitting on the reg. I bought one 232 BAR K valve converter and so can attach to anything. You just have to check to ensure the regulator is actually rated to 300BAR (usually stamped on the body of the reg (as compared to the associated K valve fitting on it which is usually stamped with 232 BAR). I suspect most manufacturers make only 300BAR regs and then fit either DIN or K attachment to them.

I see little point in buying a 232 BAR DIN reg (if they are available) as this limits you to 232 BAR cylinders. Having 300 BAR DIN means it will fit 300 or 232 BAR valves.

 

[Bob DBF]

Because using a yoke connection at pressures higher than 3000 psi is not safe and 300 bar valves are designed for HP tanks. At those pressures, a secure, screwed in DIN connection is required. Actually, they virtually eliminated the difference by rating tanks and valves for 232 bar/3442 psi instead of the old 3500 psi. Donuts can be used in 232 bar valves, which are still considered safe even though it is only 58 psi/4 bar less than true HP rating considered unsafe without a 300 bar valve. Go figure.

If pressures higher than 3000# are not safe for a yoke regulator, why are they used routinely on 3445# tanks? Granted I wouldn't use any of my vintage regs, save one, on the HP100 but all my modern regs have been working fine on it for years.

As a historical note, Sherwood made a 4000# yoke valve in the early '70's. Unfortunately, the yoke was made to fit valves of that era, they can handle 4000#, but will not fit the modern, especially convertible type, valves. I, personally, don't know of other HP yokes made for this pressure, but that doesn't mean there were no other mfgs which produced them.

There are a number of reasons to choose DIN or Yoke, pressure doesn't enter into it until you get into cave fills or a tank that only uses a 300DIN valve.

To the OP, use it as a yoke and convert it when you have to.



Bob
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There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.

 

[kwinter]

If pressures higher than 3000# are not safe for a yoke regulator, why are they used routinely on 3445# tanks? Granted I wouldn't use any of my vintage regs, save one, on the HP100 but all my modern regs have been working fine on it for years.

As a historical note, Sherwood made a 4000# yoke valve in the early '70's. Unfortunately, the yoke was made to fit valves of that era, they can handle 4000#, but will not fit the modern, especially convertible type, valves. I, personally, don't know of other HP yokes made for this pressure, but that doesn't mean there were no other mfgs which produced them.

There are a number of reasons to choose DIN or Yoke, pressure doesn't enter into it until you get into cave fills or a tank that only uses a 300DIN valve.

To the OP, use it as a yoke and convert it when you have to.



Bob
-------------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.

That's what I said. They improved yokes and will rate them to 3442, but not 3500. Its a fine line. But unless you have an old 7/8 neck PST 3500 HP tank, you won't need a 300 bar valve and can therefore use a donut. The question was why they don't make donut inserts for 7-thread 300 bar valves. Asked and answered.