Noob question: Small triples or doubles?

[WD8CDH]

Spectrum brings up a good point about doubles or triples--most shops will charge you per tank, so $12 per fill instead of $4, for about 80 cubic feet of gas either way. <Snip>.

So far, I have been able to talk the shops into charging me only by the total cubic feet of each connection they have to connect their filler hose. My double 35s, my triple 40s and my single 71.2 cost me the same to fill. Sometimes the shop will charge me a buck extra for the triple 40s since it is over 100 Cu/Ft.

Ron

 

[Jimmer]

I don't know how much you are looking to spend, but Dive Rite has a new manifold in their collection now, that is a smaller cylinder centre to centre than standard, specifically for use with 5.5 inch diameter tanks, like steel LP45's. It's a DIN manifold, with full isolation capability. The other option, which I see myself doing someday is just use a standard manifold and have custom bands made for them. I had originally planned to do this for shore diving, but was having serious problems finding lp45's around here, so I ended up doing double steel 72's instead. A little heavier but I'm young a foolish still haha. Anyway here is the link for the Dive Rite manifold.

SCUBA Diving Equipment and gear for Technical, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - 200 Bar 5.5" Tank Manifold
and bands
SCUBA Diving Equipment and gear for Technical, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - 5.5" Tank Bands

Jim

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Ron,

Welcome to the board and congratulations on your first post.

Thalassamania and TS&M are two different individuals. The former has inserted a quote by the latter into his "signature line", or the space beneath each of his posts.

You are addressing a post made by Thalassamania, not TS&M. (But he will likely forgive you and not flame you too severely!)

I admit to curiosity, and thus will inquire of you:

What benefit do you perceive from diving triples - three skinny tanks - over a set of doubles (specifying a set of 8" steel tanks such as PST E8 130s, for example)?

It would appear at first glance that there are drawbacks (costs of O2 cleaning/VIPing/Hydro-ing 3 tanks as opposed to 2) that are not offset by any advantages that I can identify.

So I'm curious as to what you consider advantages of "triple tanks"?

Thanks, and again, welcome to ScubaBoard.

Doc

 

[Jimmer]

Doc, I think for the OP being a freediver it's an issue of wanting low profile and streamlining, to get as close to the feeling of freediving as possible. Double 130's are definetly not in his list from what I gather. He's not looking for overheads, just recreational diving, but more streamlined and better balanced.

 

[5ata]

Doc, I think for the OP being a freediver it's an issue of wanting low profile and streamlining, to get as close to the feeling of freediving as possible. Double 130's are definetly not in his list from what I gather. He's not looking for overheads, just recreational diving, but more streamlined and better balanced.

Exactly.

The challenge I'm having is wrapping my head around all the tech lingo with regards to my question.

What I truly want is a stream;lined setup to run 32/36 nitrox with my poseidon regs attached.

May sound a little out there, but I have my reasons - I figure the smaller doubles or triples will be better balanced and save wear and tear on my back.

 

[muddiver]

Why don't you contact a shop like Compressed Air Specialties and make a project out of building a triple manifold.

High pressure breathing air compressors, scuba air compressors, Scuba air

These are the guys that built the original air system for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and I have had some discussions with them on building a surface supply air rack that uses standard SCUBA cylinders for small, short jobs. It would be eaisier for me to lug around 6 to 8 AL80's than it is to drag a 5120 compressor or a bank of K size cylinders behind the work truck for four to eight hours worth of work.

They should be able to bend up some stanless tubing to fit three little cylinders for you with DIN screw-in's and a central outlet to screw your 1st stage to.

I also ran across a shop in Costa Mesa, CA that has a custom fabricator who builds doubles tank bands and other tech diver toys out of stanless - Contact Liburdi's SCUBA Center.

Liburdi's Scuba Center - Southern California's premier scuba store and PADI 5 star education center

 

[scarefaceDM]

if you really want to avoid having a mass on your back...and save your back...Sidemount is the way to go. you can sidemount any tank any size. and you do not have to haul them from site to site on your back which is where everyone has issues with. And that is when you can get hurt. One slip and down you go. Where as side mounting tanks is, from what I have seen, easier to manage and does not require you to haul stuff on your back. just clip on and clip off...

Regardless of what your reasoning is. Smaller tanks as 40'S, 50's and 72's etc will mean a backplate and wing setup. not the conventional BC. or as it was posted the old style harness and tank with no bouyancy compensator.

 

[Jimmer]

It's not that far out there Cliff, I was looking at doing the exact same thing, I just couldn't find the cylinders I wanted. A regular old doubles manifold, and a custom set of bands and you'll be good to go. But like Scareface said, you'll need to use a backplate and wing setup.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I've no issues with the utility of a small set of doubles for what the OP wants. I dove a set of double Luxfer aluminum 50s for over 20 years.

Its the perceived utility of *triples* that has me perplexed. I see no advantages, multiple disadvantages, so wonder what I'm overlooking.

Doc

 

[Jimmer]

I've no issues with the utility of a small set of doubles for what the OP wants. I dove a set of double Luxfer aluminum 50s for over 20 years.

Its the perceived utility of *triples* that has me perplexed. I see no advantages, multiple disadvantages, so wonder what I'm overlooking.

Doc

I'll agree with that, triples seems like a hassle that small doubles would take care of easier.