Is there any way to dive a pair of aluminum 80's with a manifold such as this:
DGX Premium Dual-Outlet Manifold w/Isolator | Dive Gear Express®
but only use 1 set of regulators to breathe both tanks? Is this advisable? If not, why?
I am looking to prolong bottom time in shallow water (30-40 ft) on EAN/36 without having to dump my pair of tanks for a steel cylinder.
Thanks!
You might think about an older type of manifold. Two options have been discussed above. But there is a third, whcih I have used for over 30 years now.
Sherwood double scuba tank manifold
(Note: the text states: "Sherwood Stainless Steel yoke style manifold for double AL 80's with isolator valve. Used, but in excellent condition." But this is a brass manifold, not stainless steel. It also is not a isolation valve, as both cylinders feed off each of the posts independently.)
This Sherwood manifold allows the use of redundant regulators if you wish, but you can also dive a single regulator on either post, and pull air from both cylinders at the same time. This manifold is no longer manufactured, but this one on E-Bay looks to be a good buy.
Here I'm diving that manifold with a single regulator, which is a Mossback Mark 3 modifaciton to a U.S. Divers Company Aquamaster (which allows the use of an octopus and gauge).
Note that the dive computer has tangled with fishing line. Also, the second post has no regulator on it, but only a rubber stopper on it. I was diving fresh water, so getting salt water into the valve was not a concern.
Here, I have two regulators mounted:
I don't think you need reduntancy for diving 30-40 feet depths. I have been doing that for decades now. The surface is your redundancy, so if there's a problem, simply swim to the surface.
SeaRat