How to route can light cord

[eelnoraa]

I also prefer light core over long hose. I have tried both way and came to this conclusion. My reason is with core over long hose, there is an extra step cleaning up the light cord after the donation, but it actually does NOT affect the initial donation. This step is obvious, you can't miss or forget this. With cord under long hose, ac extra step is need when clipping off the light head. This step isn't obvious and you (I) tent to forget. And if you do, the long hose is trapped, you won't know until you need to donante. And at that time you may or may not be able to deploy the long hose.

 

[cascas]

Please Note: I have no experience in tech diving, canister lights, and BP/W's. So my question is purely a curiosity.

If there seems to be a slight issue with the cord of the light running across the body, why don't divers just mount the canister on their left hip? Seems like an easy solution, but I'm guessing there is a significant downside to this. I'm Just wondering what that would be.

If your cannister is on your left hip, you would have to route your longhose somewhere else in the first place. Second ( actually the primary reason ) is that on your left hip you have your d-ring where you clip off your SPG and your stages when doing more advanced diving.
Third is that if you have to temporary clip off your light, the right D-ring is the preferred location, this would then trap your longhose. The right D-ring is preferred also because of clipping off stages when doing advanced dives.
Another reason to keep your light in your left hand is that when using a scooter, you will want to do that right handed ( even lefthanded people in tech diving do ).
So why not do thing different when you first start tech diving ? Everything is done with the end in mind. If you start off doing things differently, you will have trouble readjusting and getting used to handling your stuff in new places. You will benefit if you start off doing things right when you start doing them.

The light cord running from the right hip to the left hand is not an issue if you ask me (or any other technical diver).

I hope this answers your questions....

 

[TSandM]

I think what you have seen here is that there are differences of opinion on just how things should be set up.

Light cord over or under is a perpetual discussion.

The advantages of running it under are that at any time that you are using the light head, you can donate the whole length of the long hose without doing anything with the light. The disadvantage is that, if you have to clip the light off to shoot a bag or do anything else with your hands, you have trapped the long hose and basically rendered it a short hose, and that's not an easy thing to fix.

Running it over means that, if you donate while you are using the light, you will have to pass the light under the hose to deploy the full length -- but you will have plenty of hose to get gas to the OOA diver, and plenty of time to pass the light after the airshare has been established. On the other hand, if you clip the light off, the long hose is entirely free -- and since most out of gas emergencies in TECHNICAL or cave divers occur as a result of issues with stage pickups or gas switches, it makes sense to have the hose most available during the times when your light is clipped off.

For a recreational diver, who never intends to carry stages or use a scooter, running the cord down the right arm might work just fine. But if you get the cave or tech bug, or buy a scooter (the use of which is not confined to tech divers) you'll find the right arm strategy no longer works. Why not learn something that's universally applicable from the get-go?

 

[NickPhillips]

Let me add a question to this topic, I am buying a long and short hose later today, do you guys recommend braided or non braided hoses? I saw on another post someone not recommending braided long hose because it feels like sandpaper on the back of your neck. Any quick suggestion is welcome!

 

[jonnythan]

I just switched from nonbraided to braided. The braided hoses are fantastic, but I haven't used them without a hood yet. I keep the old hoses in my dive bag so I can switch between dives if needed.

Also, since the braided hoses have such tighter bends, 7' is actually a bit too long for me. There's a lot of slack when routing behind the wing, under the can light, and around my neck. I wish I had gotten a 6' hose instead. I'm only about 5'9 though.

 

[50Fathom]

Let me add a question to this topic, I am buying a long and short hose later today, do you guys recommend braided or non braided hoses? I saw on another post someone not recommending braided long hose because it feels like sandpaper on the back of your neck. Any quick suggestion is welcome!

I use the braided for my inflator hose and backup reg hose. My longhose and HP hose are standard rubber. Once the longhose gets "set" to your body, the rubber has a "memory" and it lays the same way every time, at least for me. Miflex, or other braided hoses don't lay that way. They're also more floaty and abrasive over time. YMMV.

 

[nimoh]

similar to NE_SSI_DIVER, I have a question out of curiosity.

From what I have read, it seems that the most popular reason for putting the light in the left hand is for using a scooter, and I am guessing this is because it is easier to control the scooter with the right hand. I have only used a scooter a few times, and definitely find this to be true...for me.

However, what about a left handed diver. Would a left handed diver still operate a scooter with their right hand?

EDIT: I apologize...hadn't read through all of the posts before asking my question, and it was already answered by cascas

 

[jonnythan]

Another significant reason to put light in the left hand is to leave the right hand free for reg donation.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Try it... as soon as you extend your right hand with the reg in it ( alway by the hose, never by th cover, the OOG diver needs to be able to reach the purge) you will blind the OOG diver.
Your light goes left....

It depends on your light head. If it prevents your wrist from bending upwards then you are correct. With a small light head that lets your wrist bend, it's not an issue. Light heads are generally getting smaller, so it might be worth revisiting at some point.

---------- Post Merged at 11:23 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:13 AM ----------

For a recreational diver, who never intends to carry stages or use a scooter, running the cord down the right arm might work just fine. But if you get the cave or tech bug, or buy a scooter (the use of which is not confined to tech divers) you'll find the right arm strategy no longer works. Why not learn something that's universally applicable from the get-go?

Switching from right to left is something that a diver adjusts two in about 1-2 dives - it's not a major deal to switch.

And, as noted above, too many divers end up dragging the cord on the bottom when they run it across the chest, if it's too long, and even when properly proportioned, when the light is shifted to the right hand, the cord is then too long as the distance is shorter.

Most divers also operate their wing inflator with the left hand and unless they switch the light or switch hands on the inflator, they end up moving the light around the cave/wreck etc. That's distracting to other divers on the team who will note the large arc in the light beam. It's not a major problem, but it is more work to avoid.

So it's a question of eliminating downsides for the diving a diver actually does, rather than accepting down sides in order to avoid other downsides that may occur later if the diver starts operating a DPV.

I fully recognize the GUE doctrine and point of view, I've just never been real good at accepting dogma, and I enjoy playing devil's advocate.

Once you go sidemount, carrying the light in the left hand is a total non problem with no downsides, so maybe GUE should re-consider the whole back mount thing.

 

[PfcAJ]

Too many divers are diving in areas they aren't ready for. If you can't pick up a light cord and keep it out of the dirt, you have no business being there to begin with. I imagine that the same jokers who are dragging gear through the mud are the same ones leaving handprints and fin marks.