Need advice on setting up twins

[Narced Out]

I need some help here. I am not sure if my BC can take twins, the zeagle website says it can, i call them up and the person says it cant. My bc has a 44lb lift. I want to set my aluminum's up for twins. NO I wont save up for steels, i don't have time or money for that, and i can get the manifold and bands for under 200. I already have a 2nd set of regs.

Whats easier to go about this, would be diving with independent doubles be easier than having to hassle with the manifold and bands and all that stuff? Because i can get the tank sling for like 40 dollars, so im not sure what to do here.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Independent doubles are easier to set up but require more attention and care when it comes to managing your usage of them. Have you talked to any doubles divers in your area to get advice and direction on setting them up? It is not hard to manifold tanks but it does require some time and careful attention the first couple times you do it. What Zeagle do you have? Just because a BC can take twins doesn't mean it should. The fact that Zeagle told you it can't says to me you shouldn't. And it seems that you indicate that you are considering carrying a stage by the sling comment. Why do you need the extra gas is the first question? Answer that before you go slinging an 80 up. Or diving doubles. The other comment about not having time or money and seeming to need this right away concerns me. What is so pressing that you need to do this?

 

[Narced Out]

I have talked to some double divers, they say that manifolding is probably a bit easier, but i don't have the money to but a whole new BC for that.

When i say independent doubles i mean one on my back and one on my side. Not sure if that is the same....

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It is in fact not the same. Independent doubles can either be back mounted or side mounted. Slinging a bottle is not the same. Usually a bottle is slung as a stage or pony. Normally when using a slung bottle that is part of the gas plan as a stage the slung bottle is used as a travel gas or decompression gas. If used as a pony it is thought of as an emergency supply. That is how I was taught. I will use it as part of the gas plan after I have used the planned amount in my back gas. Independent doubles are often used together but you switch regs to keep them evened out. For example use 1/3 of the right tank then switch to the left. Use 1/3 of it and then go back to the right. Again why do you need to do this? I myself early on wanted to use doubles for more time on the bottom. A better choice for me was to just work on getting my SAC rate down and then around 200 dives I took an intro to tech and Helitrox course to learn to use them properly. Before you go slinging a big bottle do some more dives and find an instructor or mentor who tech dives. I would not sling an 80 starting out. My first slung bottle was a 19, then a 40 and now I also have a 30. I've slung them on about 75-80 dives. I am waiting until this next season to set up my al80 for slinging. Too much too fast is not a good idea.

 

[manni-yunk]

I need some help here. I am not sure if my BC can take twins, the zeagle website says it can, i call them up and the person says it cant. My bc has a 44lb lift. I want to set my aluminum's up for twins. NO I wont save up for steels, i don't have time or money for that, and i can get the manifold and bands for under 200. I already have a 2nd set of regs.

Whats easier to go about this, would be diving with independent doubles be easier than having to hassle with the manifold and bands and all that stuff? Because i can get the tank sling for like 40 dollars, so im not sure what to do here.

What zeagle has a 44lb lift bladder and can NOT handle doubles?? Ranger can and that has the standard 44lb lift.

What Zeagle do you have - it it an older model without the 11" gromets?

 

[diversteve]

If you have a Ranger, Tech, or 911 you have two options, their mounting kit or backplate:

http://www.zeagle.com/userfiles/image/Twinmount_description.gif

And there's a video: Mounting Twin Tanks - Zeagle Dive Systems

 

[DevonDiver]

Lots of talk about what is 'easier' and 'cheaper'.

If your diving has evolved to a stage where you need to use doubles, the criteria like 'easier' and 'cheaper' shouldn't have much relevance.

Exactly what sort of diving do you intend to carry out with the doubles? Let us know that, then we can advise you on what is safer and most appropriate.

 

[Narced Out]

deeper diving, 100+ range. And every now and then wreck penetration.

 

[DevonDiver]

No deco? What degree of penetration? What matters most is your total time to surface.

If you dive independant doubles, then you have redundancy, but won't be able to access the gas in both cylinders should one of the regulators fail. That would affect your 'turn-point' (as this should be planned to include the contingency of losing access to one cylinder and the gas contained in it). However, if your turn-point was restricted by NDL anyway, it may not be much of a factor. At no point in the dive should you not be able to exit the wreck and ascend on a single cylinder.

With isolated manifold cylinders, you can still access the gas from both cylinder if one of your regs were to fail. That would mean your turn-point in the dive could be calculated from your total gas supply. At no point in the dive should you not be able to exit the wreck and ascend on both cylinders.

Either scenario (for wreck penetration) would demand a much larger contingency reserve than a normal OW dive. Most divers apply the 'rule of thirds'. 1/3rd in. 1/3rd out. 1/3rd reserve.

 

[Narced Out]

Wreck penetration is not done nearly enough for me to worry about it. When i come across the money for a boat ticket, (once every 3 or 4 months) ill do wreck penetration. (im still in high school, money is tight) But i do love doing deeper dives at the shores, which is why im looking at getting doubles.

So in simple words, if its just a dive down and back up, what would be the most efficient way to go about this?