Integrated octo/LPH

[victor]

I know this is an older thread but I've just been diving with someone who has an Air2/Airsource and witnessed two non-safety related issues that might also influence a purchase.

1. Testing gas using a meter that connects to the LP hose couldn't be done without undoing his setup and putting a different reg on it to test the gas.

2. He rented a reg while his was being serviced. Then he found he couldn't adapt it to his bc and had to rent a new BC too.

Grandpa always said: When they make a tool to do two different things, it does neither one well.

I always have a standard LP hose as part of my backup kit. I needed one when I dived with a drysuit anyway so no big deal, that covers both situations.

I have a question though, what gas are you measuring, the gas in the LP hose or the gas in the tank?
How much gas do you have to bleed off to insure that you have flushed out the LP hose and the first stage?

Now that is a safety related issue. I think I would be looking for a different gas tester.

As for Grandpa, my response is, the PC

 

[split0101]

As for Grandpa, my response is, the PC

hehehe I guess your using a MAC then

 

[takito]

i have air2 type octo and it feels like the hose is not flexible so you would almost have to tilt or turn your head towards your right to comfortably put it in your mouth... Am I not using it correctly?

 

[victor]

i have air2 type octo and it feels like the hose is not flexible so you would almost have to tilt or turn your head towards your right to comfortably put it in your mouth... Am I not using it correctly?

It is flexible enough to be comfortable as long as I am not trying to turn and twist my head hard to the right. Then it seems to be a little bit short.
In the normal dive position it is quite comfortable.

I always use mine for a few breaths after I first enter the water, and normally for a minute or so at some point during the dive.

Now my hose is over 10 years old so it might have changed since then.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

We are currently debating this subject on our site. You may want to check it out as there is some good feedback. http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?t=280

 

[PerroneFord]

Interesting discussion on the other site. People sure do spend a lot of time arguing this one. I guess eliminating a hose is a big deal to some folk.

 

[vox]

I considered this option as well when looking to outfit me and the wife.

The biggest pro I heard was reducing the number of hoses. Ok. Fine.

The cons were legion. The different number of possible failure points in an OOA emergency gave me enough to go with the standard octo option.

K.I.S.S.

 

[blatter]

Long ago, when I worked as a divemaster/instructor, I used a seperate octopus. I think that this makes it easier to share air, especially if the reg you donate is on a longer hose.

Have used this set up a few times for real with no problems (not with my students or clients - I always managed to monitor their air - but with other people from charter boats I was diving from). As an instructor / divemaster I think it is helpful if you are set up to rescue/assist out of air divers easily and an regulatore on a long hose is an advantage there.

Having said that, since I retired from looking after other people underwater for $, I use an integrated inflator. Losing the extra hose is not significant, but it is very nice not to have the extra second stage.

The integrated inflators I have seen also inflate the BC much faster than many modern BC inflators - don't have to hold the button down during the whole descent and can very quickly adjust bouyancy.

Now I dive solo or with people who I can trust not to run out of air, but if an out of air situatin did develops I ma confident that the integrated octopus is fine - you donate the reg in your mouth and can inflate/dump air very easily while breathing from the integrated inflator. I don't understand why anyone should find this difficult after a minimum of familiaristion/practice. While not as easy for the out of air diver as using a long hose, I think if the alternative is drowning most will cope with the inconvenience.

Some brands appear to be easier to use/maintain/more or more reliable than others. I am not familiar with all current models, but have been using an Octo + (Apeks/Zeagle) for more than 10 years and well over 1000 dives, and have breathed from it under ice, in the tropics and down to 50 m with no problems. Compared to a normal octopus, inhalation effort is very easy although it is harder to exhale in deeper (>40 m) water - but it is still OK and you can always blow out thorough your nose. Regulating air in the BC is simple even while breathing from the integrated inflator.

 

[blatter]

Forgot to mention one disadvantage of integrated inflators - none of the ones I have seen use a standard BC type fitting on the LP hose - if you are on a live aboard or somewhere in the third would and the hose fails this could be a problem - I carry a spare when travelling.

 

[PerroneFord]

Having said that, since I retired from looking after other people underwater for $, I use an integrated inflator. Losing the extra hose is not significant, but it is very nice not to have the extra second stage.

Why is this? When you were using a normal backup reg, where was it? Did you have it bungied around your neck? That's where I keep mine, and I never notice it's there during the dive. I switch to it after decent, check it, then put it back. It disappears during the dive.

One thing that no one mentions in these discussions is that when you use these things you effectively go from 3 (one emergency) regulators to two. The inflator can be used in am emergency as a regulator by holding down both buttons. It's not pretty, but it's better than drowning. But with the integrated unit, this isn't possible when it fails. At least I can't see how it would work.