int -din

[bubblemonkey]

about to buy my first reg as we are going to egypt in April and off on an extended dive trip this time next year and i cant remember which 1st satge connector i need, all the diving i did in S/E Asia used the same conection on the tank.

can anyone help with the differences.....thanks

 

[Marek K]

Hi... To summarize greatly, a DIN connection is where the 1st stage screws into a threaded hole in the valve; the o-ring is on the 1st stage. An Int/yoke connection has a yoke that fits around the valve -- it's secured with a knob very similar to the one you turn on your air with; the o-ring is on the valve. See photos attached.

Not sure what you may have used in SE Asia; I suspect it could have been either type. I'm pretty confident the vast majority of systems you'll see in Britain are DIN.

I'm sure you're going to hear a lot about the respective advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Red Sea? Where I've dived there, they've had tanks with DIN valves, but that also have adapter inserts so that yoke 1st stages can be used (see photo below).

So it really depends where you're going to be diving the most in the future; that is, what kind of tanks and valves you'll be renting.

--Marek

 

[Vie]

Yoke is the most common in SE Asia. You will be able to find DIN in places with technical oriented diving shops, such as Singapore, Krabi/Phuket and Pattaya, Thailand, and Puerto Galera, the Philippines, but generally speaking DIN would be considered uncommon.

One option is to get yourself a DIN first stage and a Yoke adapter, if you want to be able to use your reg anywhere in the world.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I bought a Dive Rite 2500Ice and it's DIN but comes with a yoke adapter--very nice option and something to think about if you may end up going from one tank valve type to another.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[bubblemonkey]

thanks guys the one i have used had a rubber o ring on the valve attached to the tank, you then fitted the 1st stage into this (no thread) and screwed it tight, the first stage looks very much like the 3rd thumbnail that Marek has attatched above...so its yoke i'm after, an adaptor you say i guess that would be called an int-din adaptor?

sorry if i sound like a noob, but its been 3 years....and yes i am doing a refresher )

 

[Vie]

You're after a Yoke, mate.

Otoh, the adapter (a "DIN to Yoke adapter") turns you DIN first stage into a Yoke first stage.

 

[bubblemonkey]

right thanks, so can you not get a yoke to DIN adaptor?, i dont think we are going to do any tech diving but we will be going to a number of different countries, is the yoke the more common fitment worldwide?


another question, if the reg comes delivered in bits (which i am sure it will) do you need to get them build up by a service centre or can you do it yourself?

 

[Marek K]

Well, I'm not sure you're necessarily after a yoke... but yes, you were using a yoke in SE Asia.

North America and Caribbean rental tanks are almost universally yoke. SE Asia seems to be the same. Parts of Europe (Germany, France, Britain?) are mostly DIN. Other parts of Europe (Switzerland, Nordic?) are half-and-half. Destinations like the Red Sea are prepared to deal with both types of 1st stages.

So where are you most likely to be diving in the future? Or rather, what kind of tanks/valves are you likely to be using the most? Living here in Central Europe now, I've converted all our family's regulators to DIN.

If you're mostly going to be diving in SE Asia, then yoke might make more sense.

If Red Sea, then either type will do -- though if yoke, make sure that the dive operation knows that, and has adapter inserts available -- along with the compatible valves.

Like Vie mentioned, it's possible to get a DIN 1st stage, and then a yoke adapter. That's not the adapter insert I mentioned above; it's a threaded yoke that fits over a DIN fitting, adapting your DIN 1st stage to fit onto a yoke valve. Problem is, it moves the 1st stage closer to your head -- potential bonking problem.

Another option is to get a yoke 1st stage (they tend to be cheaper than DIN), and a separate DIN fitting (about $50 or so). That's what we did with all our four regulators. You can easily remove the yoke fitting and replace it with the DIN fitting as you need it; it completely converts your 1st stage from yoke to DIN when you need that. And you can then switch back again.

It's certainly possible to assemble your regulator yourself; but I'd advise having it done at a shop (who won't scream at you for mail ordering -- you'll have to pay for the work!)... they can make sure everything is adjusted... it isn't always, straight out of the box...

--Marek

 

[bubblemonkey]

thanks again.
we will be doing our DM in Malaysia then working for a season in Thailand, then probably onto Indonesia......after that we dont know as we will have been away for over a year by that point. We would like to go to South Africa to do a cage dive and possible central America, Maldives, Simolan(sp?).
so all over the show.

thanks again for all the advise people )

 

[tzeyap]

Practically all cylinders in Malaysia are fitted with yoke/a-clamp valves. If you expect to be diving in places which use different types of valves, you have 2 options :

1. Get a Din fitting 1st stage and carry a din-to-yoke adapter. This adapter cost between 10 to 20 pounds and should be readily available in most dive shops.

2. Get a yoke fitting 1st stage and carry a din insert. Again the insert should be readily available in most dive shops. The din insert is a little less costly than the the yoke/a-clamp adapter.

With either of the above options, you should be able to dive anywhere irrespective of whichever type of valve is popular there.

Personally I prefer the 1st option.