Need cave divers opinions

[Rich Keller]

My thinking was something like this could be good as a bail out for someone using side mount tanks, not as a primary set to make the dive with. The tanks could be set upside down on the back plate so you could reach the valve to turn it on if needed. This is a manifold that they stopped making in the 80s, my interest is to update and remanufacture an old idea with a new purpose. Not sure how to work in an isolation valve between three tanks though. The same thing could be done with double 30s or 40s but I did not think that would be enough air. The same triple set could also be done with 40s that have the same diameter as the 30s. What do most cave divers use as a bail out now?

 

[Rich Keller]

what they said & more........Its ridiculous & has no place anywhere near a cave, or in any diving application as far as I am concerned.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but...its useless, totally.

:bs:

It did have one use for me, as a bail out when doing narrow pipe penetrations. That is why I thought something like this could have an application for cave divers. Capt. Jim are you a former Navy Master Diver?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Capt. Jim are you a former Navy Master Diver?

No, I am a former Navy Diving/Salvage/Special Operations Officer, thus the Gold pin. Master Divers are enlisted men & wear a silver pin very similar to the one officers wear except for the color.

 

[techintime]

I saw one of these setups once. A guy was showing it to us something he had picked up at an estate sale. He had fun diving with it, but recognized for what it is...an antique setup. And like many antiques, it was neat to look at, probably fun to tinker with, but it is an obsolete piece of equipment.

 

[Rich Keller]

I saw one of these setups once. A guy was showing it to us something he had picked up at an estate sale. He had fun diving with it, but recognized for what it is...an antique setup. And like many antiques, it was neat to look at, probably fun to tinker with, but it is an obsolete piece of equipment.

Agreed, I am looking at using an idea like this, not this exact item. This is just the closest example I had to show. What about two sets of double 30s or 40s attached to a single custom back plate? That way the low profile could be maintained and you get the redundancy of an isolation valve on a pair of 80s. What are cave divers using as a bail out now?

 

[ianr33]

What are cave divers using as a bail out now?

My other sidemount tank.

 

[Rich Keller]

My other sidemount tank.

So you are making the dive with one 80 or larger and the other in reserve as a bail out? Nothing else correct? I assume you are side mounting to get into tighter spaces then a back mount would allow. So for that application are you using a wing BCD or something like the old horse collars?

 

[Rich Keller]

No, I am a former Navy Diving/Salvage/Special Operations Officer, thus the Gold pin. Master Divers are enlisted men & wear a silver pin very similar to the one officers wear except for the color.

Special Operations as in SEAL or EOD?

 

[PfcAJ]

Cave. Class.

That is all.

 

[Rich Keller]

Cave. Class.

That is all.

I have no interest in taking a course and going cave diving myself. That is why I am here, to find out from the people who know. I am just interested in the type of equipment being used with an eye towards providing something that may be of use.