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).
![](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76/yaquinaguy/IMG_3350.jpg)
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