Question about single-tank rig regulator hose routing

[Vie]

I see, so basically you are saying that i should reverse the order of the two LP ports on my 1st stage? It's the Apeks FSR, so on the right side the port closest to my head is the primary and the one behind it is the backup.

With the FSR, the long hose is on the "right side" 3/8" LP (or medium pressure in Apeks-speak) port and the short hose/back up is on the only 1/2" port (closest to your head).

 

[theatis]

Thanks for the confirmation Vie. It's as i understood it, except there is no 1/2" port on my XTX FSR, they're both 3/8".

 

[limeyx]

I've got a newer version of the DIR video (from 2004) and at times George comes off as cocky. I think part of it is due to the video being something that anybody can make in their garage and everything is off the cuff with little organization on how the information is structured. There are times when he's presenting something where he's like "it's that simple" and he'll look at the camera with a grin and give a little chuckle as to say "what else do you want me to say? It's so simple that it doesn't need any more information."
..

Yeah, usually while some random piece of gear he just demo'd crashes to the floor, he trips over a hose, or has some webbing thats a good 3 feet too short

Gave me more than a few chuckles.

 

[limeyx]

Yea I have the video as well and was wondering about that myself. But he uses the same principles: donate what's in your mouth then go to what's around your neck. So the only difference in routing is the fact that it didn't go around the back of the head and instead the reg went directly in his mouth. He does say that in over head environments the hose should be longer and be routed around the neck. Non the less the solutions are the same.

I thought the shorter (5') hoses did go around the neck, just not down under the light.
Then you can use (approx) the same donating motions.

I use 7' for everything tho -- no problems.

 

[alpaj]

Oh yea my 5' makes it fine around my neck but I'm not sure that the long hose on George Irvine in the movie is quite 5' long unless the guy is massive. Yea I don't think there is a way to route it under a light and still make it all the way to your mouth. But with a 5 foot there is no need for routing it under the light. It's just to give the hose a place to be if using a 7'.

Yea I just looked at the video again and I'm pretty sure that he doesn't have 5'. Looks a bit shorter. The other thing is that the hose connection isn't in a DOWN attitude; it comes out horizontally. I'm guessing he is using a diaphragm first stage which might not have a connection that "points" down. So it being horizontal would take off a few inches in usefull length. It probably is closer to 4 feet maybe even a little less. He does say though that in an overhead you'd want a longer hose.

 

[*Floater*]

I'm signed up for PADI AOW and Nitrox in a couple of weeks; even though PADI changed their Nitrox requirements i'll be doing two extra dives on Nitrox. After that course i think (hope?) i'll be better able to compare these requirements.

GUE is apparently planning to add nitrox to their DIR-F, and in the meantime it's covered in their tech 1. If I could do everything again, I'd probably just skip nitrox and AOW, and go straight to tech 1, but that may not be practical for others...

p.s. My girlfriend and I both use the 7 ft. hose even though we are of different statures, and I prefer it that way because now i won't need to get used to a different length hose as i go into cave diving.