Originally posted by a4lod
The tanks I currently use are Al80's. I plan on purchasing steel tanks in the future, but for this year's scuba 'budget', I can only afford a set of H-Valves. I thank all of you for responding, but I feel I am no further at determining if I should go with the Thermo H-valves, the Dive Rite valves or some other H-valves. The valves I have now are non modular so I will have to replace the whole valve. Thermo does make H-valves and they can be seen at www.abysmal.com. As for DIN, I understand the value of it and plan on doing so in the future. Since we are on this topic, I have a few questions about it.
1. Can I convert my regs to DIN myself or do I need a reg technician to do it?
2. How much does it cost?
3. When diving down south, is it hard to find dive shops who rent DIN tanks? If so, is there an adaptor that can be used to overcome this problem?
Please respond. Thanks.
Well, I didn't know that Thermo had the whole line up -- cool. Anyway, as I said before, the Dive Rite, Scuba Pro, and Sea Elite are all the same valve -- probably made by Thermo as you heard -- but sold at different prices. I believe Sea Elite's new valves now have rubber knobs rather than the plastic ones. The rubber knobs are easier to grip and less likely to break. I don't know about the others, but Thermo still uses plastic knobs. Whatever you do, avoid the OMS valve.
OK, there are two types of DIN: 200 BAR and 300 BAR (referred to as 200DIN and 300DIN). This can all get kind of confusing to discuss in writing, but I'll do my best. A 200DIN valve accommodates pressures up to 3000psi and 300DIN can go up to 4500psi. The lengths of the threads of a 300DIN reg are longer than the threads of a 200DIN reg (as well as the threads inside their respective valves, of course).
The primary reason for using DIN (for tech stuff) is not the pressures they can take, but the security between the reg and the valve. The 300DIN reg, due to its longer threads, offer a better connection than the 200DIN. Here's where it gets a bit confusing. A 300DIN reg will fit into a 200DIN valve. A 200DIN reg will not fit into a 300DIN valve. A yoke reg can fit onto a 200DIN valve IF you buy a little insert that screws into the valve. A 300DIN reg (as well as a 200DIN reg) can be used on a yoke valve using a DIN to yoke ADAPTOR. The adaptor screws onto the threads of the DIN reg and allows you to use the reg on a yoke valve.
OK, most everyone in the tech community, including myself, uses 300DIN regs and valves for their more secure connection. I have an adaptor that I can use for yoke valves if I so desired. Here's a curve ball, though. I don't like using an adaptor because they tend to bring the first stage closer to the back of your head. Rather than use an adaptor, I CONVERT my DIN reg to a yoke reg by way of a DIN to yoke CONVERTOR. I can convert my DIN reg to yoke in about 2 mins, and what Ill have is a regular yoke reg.
The cost of a yoke to DIN conversion is about $35ea. If you decide to go on vacation and intend to use yoke valves, then simply convert your DIN regs to back to yokes. I would not buy the DIN to yoke ADAPTOR for vacations since converting back and forth is so easy. The adaptor is nice if you intend to go back and forth a lot between a yoke valve and a DIN valve. Otherwise, they are less than optimal.
I recommend buying 300DIN valves with 300DIN reg conversions. If you go on vacation, simply convert a reg back to yoke and set it up for a single outlet yoke valve -- no biggie.
How's that?
Mike
