Low Pressure Hose for Drysuit

[B.L. Justice]

I am starting into drysuits which means it looks like I need to add another low pressure hose to my first stage. I plan on diving more than half the time in a wet suit so I was wondering if the extra low pressure hose needs to be managed so that it doesn't get entangled and so that the salt water doesn't mess it up.

Needless to say, I don't know enough about this stuff to know what I don't know but I would appreciate the education.

Thanks,
B.L.

 

[skdvr]

Just remove the hose and put the plug back in the 1st stage when you are diving in your wetsuit. You could dive with it just hanging but there is no reason to. If you have never installed or removed any of your hoses from your reg, it is very easy. Your 1st stage will have several LP ports (small holes) and HP ports (larger holes). Just take an approiately sized alan wrench and remove the LP port plug on your 1st stage so that the hose can route easily to your inflator on yoru drysuit. Then just screw in the LP hose into that open spot on the reg. Just snug (not to tight) down the hose with a wrench and you are all done. Do Not over tighten the hose into the reg. They do not need to be super tight. Just go hand tight and then give it a little snug-up with a wrench.

Your LDS should be able to show you how to do it if you do not want to just do it all by yourself the first time. After you do it once you will see just how easy it is....

Phil

 

[padi613]

Hi B.L.Justice
Welcome to the world of dry suit diving. Salt water will not mess up your hose as it will have a valve to stop this from happening. If you do not wish to keep removing and refitting the hose trap it under your tank cumberband strap when you are wet suit diving.
If you have not already done so may I suggest that you do a dry suit course to aquaint you with the few problems that can occur.

Good diving
Les padi613

 

[flareless]

Just to add to what SKDVR mentioned, give the little O-Ring at the end of the LP hose a visual inspection between switches just to ensure no dirt got on it while in storage and that it's intact. It's handy to have a few extras of these in your toolkit just in case. And, especially, don't over-tighten as mentioned.

 

[skdvr]

Just to add to what SKDVR mentioned, give the little O-Ring at the end of the LP hose a visual inspection between switches just to ensure no dirt got on it while in storage and that it's intact. It's handy to have a few extras of these in your toolkit just in case. And, especially, don't over-tighten as mentioned.

Good call, on my hoses that I have in storage I either put a little plastic cap over the end, or a plastic sandwich bag with a rubberband to hold it on. Just to keep any sort of contaminants out of the hose. Good idea to check out the o-rings anytime you are installing a hose. Make sure that there is no nicks or flat spots in the o-ring. Very cheap to replace and well worth the effort...

Phil

 

[B.L. Justice]

Thanks a heap for the advice and guidance. Padi613, got the Drysuit class scheduled for the first part of March. Looking forward to this new angle on diving. Skdvr, I thought I could do it that way but wanted a little coaching before I took tool to reg. I'm not scared of working on stuff like that but I use that thing to breath with so playing it sfa eseems smart.

Thanks again y'all

 

[skdvr]

I use that thing to breath with so playing it safe seems smart.

Good call....

Phil

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The other option is to take a couple small bungees or pieces of inner tube and put them on the HP hose. I then slide the drysuit inflator hose thru it. It's out of the way, does not interfere with checking my spg, and I do not have to keep switching hoses. It also came in real handy when my suit bottle reg decided to freeze up on me at 100 ft. I just unplugged it, grabbed my spg, took out the drysuit hose and plugged it in. Continued the dive and the next one with no issues.