Noob question: Small triples or doubles?

[Nemrod]

I was just pulling your chain Evil being inclusive with the "you guys" knowing full well that you are not one of them. N

 

[evil_xander]

I was just pulling your chain Evil being inclusive with the "you guys" knowing full well that you are not one of them. N

Too much on the Internet lately, to little diving, makes me edgy.

 

[5ata]

Too much on the Internet lately, to little diving, makes me edgy.

I know what you mean - not near enough diving this year for me... Freediving or scuba.

 

[PhilEllis]

We have just finished assembly of a set of small twin cylinder using the Worthington X5-40 steel cylinders. These are assembled with the new Dive Rite VA3003 short crossbar manifold and the matching Dive Rite bands, part number GM1035-SET. We have only taken one photo of this set, because the customer needs them this afternoon for weekend diving. We plan to assembly another set next week and will take more and better quality pictures. You can see the current photo at.......

Worthington Twin 40CF Cylinder Set

Phil Ellis

 

[WD8CDH]

What is the center to center spacing of that manifold? It looks only slightly narrower than a standard manifold. I prefer to have the tanks much closer to each other.

Ron

 

[PhilEllis]

What is the center to center spacing of that manifold? It looks only slightly narrower than a standard manifold. I prefer to have the tanks much closer to each other.

Ron

It is about 7 3/4". The only way to get them much closer would involve tooling special modular valve. That would be too expensive for the very, very limited market that would want these valves. The only thing different about this isolation manifold is the shorter isolation crossover bar.

Phil Ellis

 

[WD8CDH]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the measurement. It sounds like it is only about 1/2" closer than the regular manifold. That's about the spacing of manifolds from back in the 71.2 steel tank days. I have several manifolds that are narrower. One is interchangable with old style OMS manifolds and is 5.52" center to center. With a pair of Luxfur 40s there is barely room for a 1/4" bolt between the tanks. It makes a phenominally compact and comfortable set of doubles.

Ron

 

[Arcaporale]

What would you recommend for a manifold to work with these? From what I can determine, triple manifolds are virtually non-existent - I'm trying to distribute the tanks weight across my back instead of right in the center as well as being lower in profile across the back. How would a pair of double 40's work? I want something as streamlined as possible. What about BC? Wings? I know nothing about tech dive gear and this appears to fall into that category.

Any recommendations on this would be great.

Go talk to someone at a dive shop about this, hopefully they'll slap the stupidity out of you and sell you what you need, 1 tank.

 

[Thalassamania]

Way back when, DACOR marketed a tank valve that had a high pressure port on the neck for the attachment of an SPG whilst using a double hose regulator (Nemrod can turn you on the Phoenix II, a great modern solution to the same problem). I seem to remember people plumbing an HP line to connect up these ports and create a "poor-man's Benjamin Rig." If you just have to dive triples, and you can't find a manifold, you might be able to find three such valves and follow that example.

I guess you could also go to your local [SIZE=-1]hydrolic supply house and have them make you up two short 10,000 PSI Kevlar or Stainless connector hoses with fittings appropriate to the high pressure ports on your regulators and use three first stages thus [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]interconnected[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]. You could even put a couple of [/SIZE]quarter turn valves in and have isolators between all three tanks. Don't think it's something I'd do ... but I think that it would be possible.

Here are some DACOR valves on eBay:

 

[WD8CDH]

Go talk to someone at a dive shop about this, hopefully they'll slap the stupidity out of you and sell you what you need, 1 tank.

I take it you have never been diving with a properly set up rig of small doubles or tripples.

Ron