Question about hookah's system intermediate pressure

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Texasguy

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Fort Lauderdale, FL
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I just don't log dives
I don't know much about hookahs therefore - questions. Say, in a non hookah setup, 1st stage feels what depth you are at, giving you always a bit higher intermediate than ambient pressure at your current depth. This way you don't get free flows (from too much of intermediate) and gets you to breath without effort, let us call it - a just right of intermediate pressure. But if a hookah is at the surface, how does it know what intermediate pressure it needs to send? I guess it always sends the same pressure through LP hose (which is long and probably needs more pressure to fight resistance)? Does it mean that with hookah you can free flow near the surface? Do you need a special 2nd stage that made only for hookahs? Does anyone have any numbers on what hookah sends in LP hose and how 2nd stage works with that at different depths and different hose lengths?
 
there is no depth compensation which is why these are typically restricted to somewhat shallow use. 2ata/30psi is not hard to compensate for, especially with an adjustable second stage, 3ata is possible but will start breathing a bit tight at 100ft. 2nd stages have a somewhat wide working range for IP, but the WoB won't be even throughout the depth like it would with a typical first stage.
 
My hooka is set for around 85 psi, and yes, there are special hooka 2nd stages, like the Sherwood HK. I've noticed that it has a softer spring to account for the lower IP. I don't use it at depth but I imagine a non-tunable second stage would have noticeable performance degradation between surface and depth.
 
My hooka is set for around 85 psi, and yes, there are special hooka 2nd stages, like the Sherwood HK. I've noticed that it has a softer spring to account for the lower IP. I don't use it at depth but I imagine a non-tunable second stage would have noticeable performance degradation between surface and depth.

I know hull cleaners who have used off-the-shelf SCUBA 2nd stage regs in a hookah setup with no issues. I have about 25,000 dives on hookah and have always used 2nd stages specially designed for it (ie: lighter spring.)
 

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