SPG position? On the left? Why?

[DevonDiver]

Why is it on the left – Tradition.

In the 60’s the first single hose regulators with an SPG ran the SPG out opposite of the 2nd stage. Look at 95% of 2nd stages and ask why do they come over your right side, the answer will be the same – “because they always have been on that side.”.

I don't think there is much 'tradition' about it. I'd say that it is primarily to do with hose routing - which is mostly determined by the port availability on regulator 1st stages. Coupled with that is a logic that it is beneficial to prevent an SPG hose being confused with an AAS hose in an emergency.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Don't get so hung up on having everything DIR compliant. Besides, the compass goes on the left.
A couple of years ago, I began clipping my spg to my left chest D-ring. I can easily see it without unclipping it. It's not DIR, but it works even better.

 

[DevonDiver]

Don't get so hung up on having everything DIR compliant. Besides, the compass goes on the left.
A couple of years ago, I began clipping my spg to my left chest D-ring. I can easily see it without unclipping it. It's not DIR, but it works even better.

Re: DIR hose configurations.

If you're diving caves or wrecks, then it makes sense to have the spg on a short hose clipped vertically to the left hip D-ring. Less chance of snagging, entanglement and damage to the HP hose.

If you sometimes dive cave or wrecks, but then go into open water, then it makes sense to keep the same configuration for all your dives.

If you don't dive caves or wrecks ever, then it isn't a critical issue. You may choose to adopt it as a 'best practice', but it isn't going to feature in your diving to any great degree.

Clipping the SPG to a chest D-ring is a fine solution for dives that do not feature confined areas and projection hazards. I'd still recommend assessing the required hose length... and making sure that the method of attaching the SPG to the D-Ring was robust and not likely to accidentally leave it swinging or dragging. A bolt snap and line is perfect for this.

 

[Subcooled]

Lots of excellent advice. Thanks

I never had the SPG on the hip D-ring. It might actually work. It has only been on the shoulder D-ring where I found it a bit difficult to see (in darkness).

I will try the hip position next. If that doesn't work then shoulder D-ring and clip-off-clip-on method might. I might try the right hip position too, if I can manage the clutter.

-----------------
I will do wreck and cave diving in the future, but the caves will have to wait for a year or two. Wreck dives maybe sooner. Keeping the SPG hose short makes a lot of sense for that purpose. However... +2C water requires thick warm gloves/mittens. This means that all fine grained control (unclipping and such) will be difficult and slow. I'll see if I can manage it. Although minimizing snagging potential is very important, so is the ability to easily monitor gas consumption.

 

[The Chairman]

Why is it on the left – Tradition.

It's why the snorkel is on the left (if you wear one). it won't interfere with your breathing hoses. This is important while you're looking for your SPG and accidentally grabbing breathing hoses instead, or if you have had your reg knocked out of your mouth, grabbing the SPG several times in a row would be exasperating. Breathing hoses to the right and other crap to the left works just fine for traditional back mount.

I say that, but then I also dive sidemount, where I have an spg on both the right and left on 6 inch hoses along with the breathing hoses! :shocked2:

 

[Subcooled]

I guess you manage to fasten the spg in such a way to the hip d-ring that you don't need to touch it to see it?

If you are cave diving, carrying a reel and a dive light in your left hand, then there is a lot of hassle to grab anything with your left hand. Oh well, maybe all that is tought on a cave diving course. I would just prefer knowing it already...

 

[mikemill]

Are there any hidden dangers in having the SPG to the right?

Some situations, where it would really be inconvenient or a risk?
(besides the fact that it's different from others setup)

Trying to read the SPG while scootering would be one. Not a risk but an inconvenience.

Clipping it to the left chest D-ring works... until you add stages.

 

[Subcooled]

"if you have had your reg knocked out of your mouth, grabbing the SPG several times in a row"

The breathing hoses are above/outside the right arm and hence easily (...) found with one big sweep of the arm (except last time in pool when the reg. was too far behind).

Oops... big sweep in a narrow passage? The lost regulator scenario seems to deserve some more thinking. Right side might not be that good after all. Does it also mean: no light canister to the right? Canister, SPG, stage bottle to the left? It's goin to be crowded there...

The backup regulator is obviously easy to locate if the main reg would be lost, but finding the lost reg could still be annoying... esp. if the regulator gets between man and stone with the purge button pressed down... (also possible in a pool)

I also start to wonder how easy it would be to look down and right... Could the regulator be twisted in mouth? I already once experienced (JetStreams) "felixibility". I wasn't thirsty after that dive. I prefer tight fit now

I need to test these setups, it seems.

 

[Subcooled]

"Mine comes down my left side and then clips to either shoulder D-ring"

Deserves a comment too:

Diagonally over the chest would make it cover the drysuit inflator button. Hence inconvenient place in this case. It would also cross the diving light cable. With wetsuit and torch it could work.

 

[Blackwood]

There are no risks involved with clipping your SPG to the right. If you want it there, put it there.

Personally, I scooter fairly often, and do so with my right hand. Clipping my SPG to the left, I can check it while scootering.

1. clip the reel to harness
2. move the light to right hand
3. grab the SPG and view (or unclip-view-clip)
4. return the light
5. unclip the reel and take it into hand

instead of a 5 second procedure (grab the SPG to the right, turn the light, view)

Why are you clipping off the reel? Just put it in your right hand with the light during step 2. If you grab the spool part of the reel, you don't even have to lock it down.