Please comment on my setup and hose routing

[scubafanatic]

Yes, I was told about the jet seat upgrade. But when I took the 1st into Anywater Sport in Santa Clara (one suggested and highly recommended) by Darcy, the tech/owner told me I do not need it. If I have extra $70 to spare, he is happy to do it for me. So what is the deal with the jet seat? Is upgrade a necessary?

As for STA, I do have a STA in there already, made by Deep Out Door, maybe it is one of the lower profile one. If I don't use it, the tank is even closer to the wing. As for DIN to Yoke, I have some experiece with that too. I came from a DIN hollis DC2 with Yoke adapter. With that setup, the reg stick out more. DC2 is shorter than the Atomic, and LP hose come out parallel to the side, so hose banding isn't a issue. However, it sticks out too much and hit my head when I look up.

What plate you are using? I found DiveRite plate is one of the flattest plate out there, so it make the tank very close to the plate. I wonder if this is the cupit here.

I'm using Deep Outdoors SS STA's and DSS (Deepsea Supply) light weight KYDEX (medium size) BP's. (and Oxycheq 40# EXTREME 'singles' wing and Oxycheq 42# EXTREME 'dual' wing)

(plus I use a 90 degree HP swivel-elbow on the bottom LP port for my 4' octo hose.)

 

[Peter_C]

The transmitter can be mounted anyway one wants. It does not need to be solidly mounted to the first stage either. It just needs to conencted to a HP source. The reason many put it on a short hose is not for the owner's convenience but to protect it from deck dorks grabbing and reefing on it when schlepping your gear on board.

What the heck is a deck dork doing touching your gear? Please stay away from my gear deck dork. I can take care of myself. Anyhow I can't convince anyone to lift my tanks into my boat, so I have to do it myself. There aren't any commercial boats that I know of in CA that setup peoples gear for them.

Having more failure points accomplishes nothing. Yes you could put 5 more connections onto a reg, but that is 5 more failure points. Less is better. The whole transmitter argument ends fairly quickly with it not being acceptable to have a transmitter during a GUE class. Essentials I believe is a little more flexible, but will leave that one up to Don. Both classes are great, and one can learn from all the excellent training/instructors we have available from GUE and UTD.

 

[eelnoraa]

I'm using Deep Outdoors SS STA's and DSS (Deepsea Supply) light weight KYDEX (medium size) BP's. (and Oxycheq 40# EXTREME 'singles' wing and Oxycheq 42# EXTREME 'dual' wing)

(plus I use a 90 degree HP swivel-elbow on the bottom LP port for my 4' octo hose.)

Can you post picture of your setup? I am interested to see it especially the 90 degree LP elbow part. And where did you get one?

 

[eelnoraa]

Ok, I tried a few different things tonight.

1. Lose the 6" HP to transmitter. Swap DS & LPI hose. Move tank slightly upward to reduce wing pressing into LP hose.

Swapping DS & LPI definitely improve things because 1) when DS hose just need to come out and go down. It is still band but far less than LPI because LPI needs to band up over the wing. 2) all of sudden, my LPI hose is not too long anymore. It looks just about right or at most slightly long.

Moving tank up also help, but there is only so far I can do it before it is too high and it hit my head.




Next, mounting 1st stage turret up. I dont think it works too well for me. Even when the tank is at the lowest (camband at the neck round off boundary), the turret is way too high. First picture below with 1st stage only. The 2nd with all things attached.




I think turret down and move tank up more makes more sense than turret up with tank all the way down.

 

[Scared Silly]

What the heck is a deck dork doing touching your gear? Please stay away from my gear deck dork. I can take care of myself. Anyhow I can't convince anyone to lift my tanks into my boat, so I have to do it myself. There aren't any commercial boats that I know of in CA that setup peoples gear for them.

Ya know, there is diving outside of California . That said, I too try to keep the deck dorks away from my gear as well but sometimes when one travels the only way one can get back into the boat is by removing your gear while in the water. Guess who schleps it into the boat? the deck dork. And guess what they grab? Your reg and transmitters make for nice hand holds. And guess where cylinders go? Sometimes not where you want them. As such, one may not always have the control one wants over their gear.

Having more failure points accomplishes nothing. Yes you could put 5 more connections onto a reg, but that is 5 more failure points. Less is better.

Fewer failure points is always better but if one wants to use a transmitter one needs to weight cost/benefits. For myself, I see there being a greater potential deck dork failure than o-ring failure. Especially, given that a hp hose or o-ring will cost me a few dollars whereas a deck dork failure could cost me several hundred dollars.

BTW adding a short piece of hose adds two potential failure points. Three depending on how one wants to count the spool.

The whole transmitter argument ends fairly quickly with it not being acceptable to have a transmitter during a GUE class. Essentials I believe is a little more flexible, but will leave that one up to Don. Both classes are great, and one can learn from all the excellent training/instructors we have available from GUE and UTD.

If it is unacceptable and is not be used, then who cares whether is mounted directly on the reg, a short hose, or some other place. Besides part of the GUE thinking is just that - to become a thinking diver. As such, one needs to decide when they feel the use of a transmitter is appropriate.



Ellnoraa - it looks like you got things worked out better. Also you figured out why I suggested swapping the LP drysuit and BCD LP hoses. Little better routing for both and slight less strain.

Can you post picture of your setup? I am interested to see it especially the 90 degree LP elbow part. And where did you get one?

Second Stage - Swivel Elbow - Northeast Scuba Supply

BTW - IIIRC such elbows are also frown upon within some circles as they too are additional failure points.

 

[Couv]

Let's back up to the beginning. I'm far from an expert on Atomic regs or hose routing for that matter, but it appears that the turret is rotated 180 degrees. (I don't mean inverted) But as I said, let's start from the beginning. Anytime you start with a new hose configuration it's best to remove all hoses and plugs. Mount your BP/W on the tank, then the bare first stage. Now, start screwing in the hoses one by one only hand tight for now to get the best hose routing.

 

[eelnoraa]

Peter, I am with Scare Silly abut dive boat crew here. In CA, especially NorCal, we setup our own gear in dive boat. With my limited exerience, dive boat crew in south east asia country do handle dive gears. That is their tradition. You can try to avoid it but you cannot avoid it 100% of the time. They only need to grab the transimitter once to destroy it. They once try to grab the elbow on my wing when they try to help me to get my gear out of water. Luckily, they didn't broke it.

Couv, I think I know what you mean by turret rotated 180. Atomic's LP port location is unevenly distributed. I have the hoses flare out toward the tank side. Most think the opposite should be the right way, but in my case, it won't work because the 2 LP hoses closest to the wing will get band severely. The SS plate I used is from Dive Rite. It is relatively flat. I think with a plate from OMS, the tank would be further from the wing. Your way would probably work.

 

[Peter_C]

This looks good to go!

I must admit I have never seen anything like how your bungee backup attaches to the reg. Can you better explain it or post a picture showing it clearer please? (FWIW GUE is probably not going to accept it. Typically they want it mounted under the zip tie holding the mouth piece.)

Regarding transmitters, has anyone seen a transmitter break from grabbing it wrong? If a crew member did break one I would expect to be reimbursed for replacement. Working with thousands of scuba gear kits a year, they should know how to handle them. I know the dork deck may not be the smartest person. At least with a hip mounted pressure gauge, all you need is a plug and you are back in business.

 

[eelnoraa]

I must admit I have never seen anything like how your bungee backup attaches to the reg. Can you better explain it or post a picture showing it clearer please? (FWIW GUE is probably not going to accept it. Typically they want it mounted under the zip tie holding the mouth piece.)

Wow, you are really attended to detail. I won't even think anyone will look at that. OK, the bungee is necklace I got form (I think) CaveAdvanturers.com (don't remember exactly), as it is, no further modification made. Basically it is just a one piece bungee with both ends tight onto itself and create a loop to hold the octo. The plastics cone things are just a cover, not needed. I am just too lazy to untight the bungee and take it off.

 

[rjack321]

If you are planning on taking Essentials anyway... Take your rig and go talk to Don in person. He can help you out. Here are some basic guidelines on a proper single tank setup for the Atomic and SP first stages with the bottom turrent.

No console, no AI, sell that.
Long hose off the bottom port, 1st stage bottom of stage ~10deg to diver's right for clearance
LPI for suit and another for wing off left side (divers left when you are wearing it)
LP hose for backup reg off the right side.

You have the turrent backwards, the ports should mostly face forwards with the larger gap in the ports towards the tank. But really what is causing all your pain is having the wacky "standard" hose lengths. Get new hoses, they are cheap and well worth it.

Hose lengths:
5-7' longhose primary regulator -ok
22" necklace/backup regulator hose - yours is too long
24" hp/spg hose - again yours is too long
lpi hose of appropriate length for the wing's corrugated hose - again yours is too long
lpi hose for suit - ok

Take hoses and rig to Don and discuss getting setup for Essentials in person. Or take it to Beto if you are going that route.