Poor Man's Doubles ???

[FishDiver]

Today I completed the last dive of my Deep Diver Speciality class. In previous dives, I used an independent twin set with one SPG and reg per tank. I learned to breathe both tanks down evenly so in the event of equipment failure I would have enough gas to ascend. This was shop gear, I have a standard rec setup.

Today the instructor decided to minimise the task loading for my last dive by having me dive using my own gear. I have a Zeagle Stilleto and Zeagle regs; two secondaries. The instructor wore a twin set and carried a 80 cf stage bottle as backup for me. He claimed the stage tank was barely noticable in the water.

I own all of my own gear including two 80 cf tanks. I don't plan on diving deep or solo often and don't want to spend the money to reconfigure my setup for these types of dives. I am considering buying an extra set of regs with SPG and using my second tank as a stage/de facto twin set when diving solo.

I plan to use the setup the way I was taught to use independent twins and breathe both tanks down evenly. Both tanks are the same size and I would not let either tank get below the volume of gas needed to make a safe ascent.

Have I overlooked anything, or is this a sensible rig for the applications I have in mind?

 

[Packhorse]

Sorry but how is this diffrent from your other thread?

 

[PerroneFord]

I wish I knew how to use independents as sidemount...

Nothing wrong with that or a single and a stage. Just do what works.

 

[Mr.X]

Seriously, you would best best served by buying a manifold & bands to twin your tanks. There is a lot less horsing around with reg. switches + far easier to manage.

In the end...if you want to play deeper, you have to have some pockets $$$ to fund the endeavour. Cheap and tech are not synonymous.

 

[Vicente]

I like what this guy has to say:

http://www.njscuba.net/gear/eqpt_05_tanks.html#tanks

That idea you MUST have banded fixed doubles or you are unclean smacks or religion and not logic to me.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

I like his disclamier better. With that you can say whatever type of nonsense you want.....

Disclaimer

I make no claim as to the accuracy, validity, or appropriateness of any information found in this website. I will not be responsible for the consequences of any action that is based upon information found here.......

They'll need that.

Some things just smack of stupid, not to mention inaccurate.......lol.

 

[TheRedHead]

My last 150 ft. dive I used 40 ft(3) of backgas. At 110 feet, switched to a 80 cu ft deco bottle of EAN 36. I used a HP 120 with an H-valve. It depends on the dive.

 

[rigdiver]

Seriously, you would best best served by buying a manifold & bands to twin your tanks. There is a lot less horsing around with reg. switches + far easier to manage.

In the end...if you want to play deeper, you have to have some pockets $$$ to fund the endeavour. Cheap and tech are not synonymous.

You nailed it. Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?

 

[Meister481]

I guess the big question is if you want to go tech anytime in the future. If you do, get the doubles of your choice. My advice if you're going to stay in the no-deco realm is to get a pony of sufficient volume to get you to the surface with a 3 min safety stop.

 

[FishDiver]

I don't plan on diving deep or solo often and don't want to spend the money to reconfigure my setup for these types of dives. I am considering buying an extra set of regs with SPG and using my second tank as a stage/de facto twin set when diving solo.

Have I overlooked anything, or is this a sensible rig for the applications I have in mind?

I hate to quote myself, but I am NOT looking for a permanent solution for deep dives. I do not plan on getting a twin set now or in the future. I estimate that I would use the single/stage setup for perhaps 10% of my diving.

I undestand this setup is not optimal. My question was, Is there anything wrong with this setup for the applications I outlined?