Oceanic CDX and reg hose placement

[krick]

I succesfully completed my certification dives this weekend and I just bought my first reg package from my dive shop yesterday. I got the Oceanic CDX / Delta III combo.

Up to this point, my only experience has been with the Aqua Lung Titan regs that my dive shop rents. They are designed a lot different than my reg and the hose placement is totally different.

Anyway, I was checking out my new "toys" last night and I'm beginning to question the hose placement on the first stage reg. The CDX reg is cylindrical and oriented vertically (in the same direction as the tank cylinder). Around the bottom are the 4 LP ports. Two point roughly 45 degrees forward, two point roughly 45 degrees backwards.

My instinct would be that the two that point forward should connect my primary first stage reg (the one over my right shoulder) and my BC inflator hose (the one over my left shoulder). Then my secondary first stage (octopus) reg should connect to the other port on the right side.

However, the shop connected the octopus reg to one of the forward pointing ports and my primary reg to the backward port. I'm sure that the hoses are long enough to reach in this configuration but this just seems wrong to me.

Does any of this really matter?

If I need to swap around the hose positions, can I just do this with a wrench or no I need other special tools as well? Is there any thread sealant/lubricant involved in swapping hoses? Does anything need to be readjusted or recalibrated after swapping hoses?

One more item... I noticed that the hose that connects to my primary second stage reg is only hand tight where it connects to the reg. I guess the dive shop missed it when they were putting stuff together. Can I just snug this with a wrench? Do I need to use a torque wrench?


Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
...
Krick

 

[rescuediver009]

If you look closely to the port where your primary second stage is attached, you will se a letter "R". This identifies the R port on Oceanic regulators. The R port is basically a port on the regulator that is designed to have a higher air flow to facilitate breathing. Why it is on the rear of the reg is a questionable, but if you were ever to take the hose off you would notice that there is more than one air supply hose inside. This port therefore gives a little bit extra flow when you are breathing.
As for you second question, no the reg should be attached a little more than hand tight. take an 11/16" wrench and just snug it up. Nothing tight at all. If you are still questionable as to how tight, just take it back to your shop and they should fix it for you.

 

[krick]

If you look closely to the port where your primary second stage is attached, you will se a letter "R". This identifies the R port on Oceanic regulators. The R port is basically a port on the regulator that is designed to have a higher air flow to facilitate breathing. Why it is on the rear of the reg is a questionable, but if you were ever to take the hose off you would notice that there is more than one air supply hose inside. This port therefore gives a little bit extra flow when you are breathing.

Thanks for your help. I have a question about the "R" port:

If you look at the lower half of this comparison chart on the Oceanic site...
http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/2004/pdf/compare_regulators.pdf
...notice that the only model with the "venturi assisted primary port" is the DX4. Is this something different from the port marked with the "R" ?

 

[rescuediver009]

...notice that the only model with the "venturi assisted primary port" is the DX4. Is this something different from the port marked with the "R" ?

If my memory serves me correctly, the older CDX first stages did have an R port. It may be the new ones that do not have the R port on them. One easy way to tell is to check your first stage and see if there are any ports with an R beside them. If there is it will be the one that you say your primary is hooked up to. If it doesn't it is not big deal. It may have been the older versions of the reg that had this feature, and your dealer set it up this way out of habit...

 

[krick]

I just checked. My CDX reg has TWO ports marked with an "R", one on each side. My primary second stage reg is attached to the "R" port on the right side.

I feel more confident with the hose arrangement now.

 

[rescuediver009]

I just checked. My CDX reg has TWO ports marked with an "R", one on each side. My primary second stage reg is attached to the "R" port on the right side.

I feel more confident with the hose arrangement now.

Yeah just as I thought. It has one on either side for flexibility of hose routing. If you ever get the curiosity, take off a plug from one R port and another low pressure port. It will make sense when you see the extra air supply hole in the R port.
Enjoy your reg...

 

[smay28]

I've been eyeballing the same rig for awhile now.. Let us know how it works out for you.. CDX5/Delta III and possible an Alpha 7 Octo.. Can't seem to turn up a D3 Octo, though I know they exist...

Looking forward to your performance appraisal..

 

[rescuediver009]

I've been eyeballing the same rig for awhile now.. Let us know how it works out for you.. CDX5/Delta III and possible an Alpha 7 Octo.. Can't seem to turn up a D3 Octo, though I know they exist...

Looking forward to your performance appraisal..

I have to ask why you would want a fully adjustable octo that is going to be hanging there never getting used??

 

[krick]

I've been eyeballing the same rig for awhile now.. Let us know how it works out for you.. CDX5/Delta III and possible an Alpha 7 Octo.. Can't seem to turn up a D3 Octo, though I know they exist...

Looking forward to your performance appraisal..

Yep. I've got the Alpha 7 Octo too.

I chose it in part because my instructor swears by the Oceanic Delta regs.

Not that you asked, but for the computer, I got the Oceanic Pro Plus 2 Navcon because one of the assistant instructors had one and really seemed to like it a lot.


I hoping to try everything out on Sunday up at Dutch Springs in PA.