Hose lengths

[DaMaDo]

I think I have just about everything I need (except the tanks) for my BP/W setup and the only thing left seems to be hoses.

In case this is pertinent, my setup consists of the following:

2x Hollis 212 second stages on a Hollis DC1 first stage. I have a 24" Miflex HP hose going to a brass/glass SPG and an aeris transmitter on the DC1 along with of course the LP inflator hose.

The Hollis second stages are both the 28" factory rubber hoses. I'm wondering what I should change those to.

I know the octo is usually 36"+ and then there's the techy setup with the 5 or 7' + the 22" secondary.

I'm trying to decide what to go with. Right now my considerations are:
28" primary miflex
36" secondary miflex clipped in "the triangle" (should I go longer or shorter?)

7' primary miflex or rubber
22" secondary miflex on bungee

I like the idea of the 7' foot from what I've been reading. It just sounds more logical to me, but I'm not experienced so I don't really know. Maybe the 7' isn't even allowed on rec dives...

I know I'm just starting out, but I'd like to get used to a setup. I'm told one of the best parts about learning with your own gear is getting used to the same setup and knowing your gear. I think hose lengths is an important part of that.

Not sure what length will work for me on the inflator yet, but I'll probably opt for a phantom or miflex once I figure that out this weekend.

Any recommendations?

 

[Peter_C]

If you even think you want to go with a 5-7' hose get with an experienced diver and have them help you through a few skills and drills. The switch is easy and after a few tries will come naturally. One post in the DIR forum asking for a little guidance should yield some one willing to take you under their wing. Obviously I fall under the long hose category, with the bungeed backup being on a short hose. It truly is an excellent system.

FWIW my gal who is just starting to dive is going to be using the same set up as you from the beginning. Without a transmitter though. Nothing wrong with air integrated as long as you have a regular SPG which you do (Note it is not DIR).

 

[TSandM]

The 7' hose is certainly allowed on recreational dives! But it is something that takes a little bit of time to become facile with.

If I were you, I'd get in contact with Rick Riera-Gomez, who is in Miami, and ask him if you guys can get together for a dive, and if he has a long hose set up you can borrow to see how it works for you. That way, you'd get to check it out before investing in the hoses, and you'd have some experienced help for tips on how to make it work best.

 

[DaMaDo]

Thank you!

Peter, that's very encouraging

TS&M, Great advice. I'll keep the hoses I have on for the class this weekend then and get in contact with Rick. He works for my alma mater

 

[scubafanatic]

you might want to search the SB reg threads for more info on a possible problem with the Hollis regs.....there appears to be some incompatability between Hollis 1st-stages (ports) and MIFLEX hoses being reported. (as in MIFLEX hoses can't screw into Hollis 1st-stages)

 

[Dave1981]

I'd steer clear of miflex for the 7' hose, the memory function it has is quite annoying when deploying and stowing.

 

[DaMaDo]

Thanks Scuba, that is a valid concern.

I know the miflex HP hoses work (since I have it on with no leak), but I have yet to test out the LP ones. I'll try it tomorrow.

So far from what I've seen the problem has been on the DC2 first stage. I think the recesses are deeper or smaller. I have both first stages at home (DC2 is being returned), but haven't compared.

I also see someone in a post saying that the miflex HP hose fouled the DC2 HP port, but I tried the 6" miflex a couple of weeks ago on the DC2 and it never touched the sides of the recess. The reports seem to vary. I'm guessing there are newer versions of the first stages that are causing the report variance. I'll just test the LP tomorrow and be sure.

Also, in my search I'm reading that some people don't like miflex in the 7' because it doesn't seem to stay where it should, so I will consider that also.

 

[Amphiprion]

I have a 7' miflex hose for my primary reg on my doubles and a 26" miflex hose for my secondary reg which is bungeed. I tried a 22" hose, but it wasn't long enough to allow my head to turn to the left. This would probably be ok on a single tank setup however.

 

[rx7diver]

I'm trying to decide what to go with. Right now my considerations are:
28" primary miflex
36" secondary miflex clipped in "the triangle" (should I go longer or shorter?)

7' primary miflex or rubber
22" secondary miflex on bungee

If you do go with the long hose-short hose set-up (and, for the record, I'm not necessarily recommending this), think carefully about whether you want a 22" short hose rather than a slightly longer short hose. Twenty-two inches seems to be a "standard" length, but it's possible that you might one day need to buddy-breathe using your back-up regulator, and buddy-breathing using a back-up regulator on a 22" hose can be tricky (unless both you and your buddy are both practiced at doing so, of course; older divers will recall buddy-breathing using a two-hose regulator!).

I remember reading a hair-raising story involving a three-buddy team, all three divers of some renown, where one diver had one buddy breathing off of his long hose, while this same diver was buddy breathing with his second buddy using his short hose: both of this diver's buddies were out of air! This story has always led me to wonder why this 22" standard hasn't been revised to a longer length. Of course, even if diving in only a two-buddy team, if the donor's long hose reg fails, then he will need to buddy breathe his short hose.

There are plenty of divers extremely experienced using a long hose-short hose configuration on these Forums that might offer opinions on optimal length of the short hose.

FWIW.

 

[RJP]

I'd steer clear of miflex for the 7' hose, the memory function it has is quite annoying when deploying and stowing.

All I can offer as counter-point is that after 300+ dives, including s-drills on probably half of them, I have not encountered this "memory function" to which your refer.