Regulator for tec

[LanceRiley]

Im contemplating on going tec

presently diving scubapro mk17, s600 and s620ti

mk17 and s600 is like 8yrs old and running fine. i bought a 620ti just recently since i wanted to try a long hose. . before that was an air2

then realized that tec instructor will require a din 1st stage. my mk17 is yoke.

shall i just buy a mk17 or mk11 din?

or just leave this gear for recreational as most dive shops use yoke. Im in the Philippines btw. then get an apeks ? xtx50s and one of their 1st stage?

suggestions?

 

[swimlikethefish]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DYVG3/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_w2LwEbJH3ZMP6

Save your money, just buy that. It will convert your current reg to DIN. You might need to go to your local shop to have it installed. Then when you travel carry this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NX8UIY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_OiLwEb5MA614Y

It will allow you to hook to yoke valves.

 

[Caveeagle]

Are you renting tanks? Access to DIN tanks vs yoke?

Depending on what kind of diving you are wanting to pursue, you will likely need at least 3 first stages for a typical tech dive. Being able to swap regs around is a big advantage.

Nothing wrong with keeping a dedicated single tank reg for times you are just doing a fun recreational dive. But you could also convert that reg to DIN and keep a yoke adapter around for times you need to use a yoke tank. *pro valves are becoming more common every year, and are yoke/din convertible.

So.. no easy answer to your question.

....when you cross over to the dark side, you will no longer have a monogamous relationship with one regulator.

 

[LanceRiley]

ok my most common scenario.

all over philippines its usually yoke. But.... these are mostly Din tanks with the attachemwnt on the valve that makes it a yoke tank. most local scuba divers have yoke regs. i dont really know why this is so. but with tourists bringing din regs, most shops will have din tanks with the adapter removed.

ill check out that converter to din. no problem with tech, there are local guys who will do this over beer. and get the adapter when i need to do a yoke dive thanks for the link.

ok so tec will need at least 3 1st stages. i didnt know that. i guess twin tanks and a stage right? ok lets say i can get my mk17 to be converted to din... what will my other 2 1st stages be. should i get more mk17 din? or shud i just get the mk11 which are basically chopped down mk17 without the fins?

 

[LanceRiley]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DYVG3/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_xfLwEbF91ABAF

Save your money, just buy that. It will convert your current reg to DIN. You might need to go to your local shop to have it installed. Then when you travel carry this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NX8UIY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_OiLwEb5MA614Y

It will allow you to hook to yoke valves.

i cant see the 1st link.

2nd link i can see, converts din to yoke

 

[Angelo Farina]

Im contemplating on going tec
presently diving scubapro mk17, s600 and s620ti

This is an excellent setup.
Just buy the original Scubapro Universal DIN Adaptor, which is inexpensive and very easy to install.
Here the first link corrected: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DYVG3
I converted three of my first stages with it, and of course I also purchased the DIN-to-Yoke adaptors for the very rare case when a DIN cylinder is not available (it is rare, but it can happen).
A single DIN first stage is probably safer than using two Yoke first stages, so it is fine for first-level tech diving.
However, going to higher levels, you will definitely need to own at least two first stages, and probably three second stages.
Perhaps not immediately, but in some time you will need to purchase a second MK17 (DIN, of course) and another second stage (I would choose one identical to one of the other two you already own).
The additional second stage is useful when using two independent tanks (as in some side-mount configurations, or when using twins with a separation manifold). For these setups you can do well with just the two second stages you already own.
In other situations, indeed, you will need to have a deco or pony cylinder with its own complete reg (first plus second stage), and your "main" reg with an octopus on the main tank.
In the extreme case, you need THREE first stages: two on the twin cylinders on your back, and the third one one on the side or chest mounted pony/deco cylinder.
Well, I own all these regs, bit I did never have occasion of really needing to use such a complex setup in all my life.
So make one step after the other (perhaps one per year):
1) Buy the DIN converter and the Yoke adapter (cheap)
2) Buy another first stage
3) Buy another (third) second stage
4) Buy a third first stage.
You do not need to spend all this money NOW....

 

[Caveeagle]

Yes, you will need redundant first stages for either backmount doubles, or sidemount. And you will need a stage/deco regulator. I think it’s better to just keep all your regs O2 clean so you can swap around when needed.

I don’t dive scubapro, but know several divers who use the Mk25 scubapro(or Halcyon). Without having done a ton of research, I have heard most positive reviews centered around the Mk17 and the Mk25. I suspect those are the two safest bets if you intend to stay with scubapro.

You see mostly yoke regs, just because that has been the standard for recreational diving. Sounds like your region is also getting into pro valves. That makes your life easy.. just carry some stainless Allen wrenches in your gear bag, you can pull out the din/yoke plug in 30 seconds.

 

[loosenit2]

ok my most common scenario.

all over philippines its usually yoke. But.... these are mostly Din tanks with the attachemwnt on the valve that makes it a yoke tank. most local scuba divers have yoke regs. i dont really know why this is so. but with tourists bringing din regs, most shops will have din tanks with the adapter removed.

ill check out that converter to din. no problem with tech, there are local guys who will do this over beer. and get the adapter when i need to do a yoke dive thanks for the link.

ok so tec will need at least 3 1st stages. i didnt know that. i guess twin tanks and a stage right? ok lets say i can get my mk17 to be converted to din... what will my other 2 1st stages be. should i get more mk17 din? or shud i just get the mk11 which are basically chopped down mk17 without the fins?

the MK17 is a very capable first stage and could be used for technical diving, however, it is not ideal. I say that because it has 2HP ports and 4LP ports with no rotating turret. Hose routing on doubles is simplified when you have 2 HP and 5 LP ports on a rotating turret, like on the scubapro MK25. There are lots of manufactures that make make first stages in this configuration (deep6, HOG, Apeks, Scubapro, Mares, Hollis etc etc etc). Most folks recommend (not required just recommend) that you keep all your regulators the same models so that you can easily swap them, again that is convenience not required.

pics of mk17 hose routing...works but you can see a lot more potential for hoses getting bent to get them where you want them....

vs a first stage with a rotating turret and 5th LP port, the routing is just a bit cleaner.

 

[Caveeagle]

This is an excellent setup.
Just buy the original Scubapro Universal DIN Adaptor, which is inexpensive and very easy to install.
Here the first link corrected: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DYVG3
I converted three of my first stages with it, and of course I also purchased the DIN-to-Yoke adaptors for the very rare case when a DIN cylinder is not available (it is rare, but it can happen).
A single DIN first stage is probably safer than using two Yoke first stages, so it is fine for first-level tech diving.
However, going to higher levels, you will definitely need to own at least two first stages, and probably three second stages.
Perhaps not immediately, but in some time you will need to purchase a second MK17 (DIN, of course) and another second stage (I would choose one identical to one of the other two you already own).
The additional second stage is useful when using two independent tanks (as in some side-mount configurations, or when using twins with a separation manifold). For these setups you can do well with just the two second stages you already own.
In other situations, indeed, you will need to have a deco or pony cylinder with its own complete reg (first plus second stage), and your "main" reg with an octopus on the main tank.
In the extreme case, you need THREE first stages: two on the twin cylinders on your back, and the third one one on the side or chest mounted pony/deco cylinder.
Well, I own all these regs, bit I did never have occasion of really needing to use such a complex setup in all my life.
So make one step after the other (perhaps one per year):
1) Buy the DIN converter and the Yoke adapter (cheap)
2) Buy another first stage
3) Buy another (third) second stage
4) Buy a third first stage.
You do not need to spend all this money NOW....

I agree with nearly all of this, Just not that a need for 3 first stages is “extreme”. It really just depends on what kind of diving the OP has in mind. One of the first “tech” classes will be advance Nitrox/ deco procedures (often combined in my area). You will need a third reg for this.

I do agree with the advice to proceed slowly! You do not need to buy all this at once. You could just get a matching mk17 and learn to dive doubles. Only point, is that when you start diving with other divers using double tanks... you are probably getting into deco territory unless you are staying very shallow.

 

[swimlikethefish]

i cant see the 1st link.

2nd link i can see, converts din to yoke

Fixed it for ya.