Tanks Upside down? why not

[Hammerhead]

Because when you got back aboard the dive boat and plopped down on the seat, you'd break off your first stage regulator and take off into the stratosphere like Rocket Man ! ! !

the K

You say that as though it's a bad thing.

 

[watercooled]

It seems to me that everyone is missing a fairly obvious reason to have the valve at the top. That tanks are rounded on the to and would therefore move through the watter easier. Admittedly, divers are generaly not moving at speed through the water, but given the increased density at depth, I for one want as streamline a profile as I can get. I would think that the base of the tank would create a large drag while swimming.

If you look at all the pics of upside down tank configurations, they all had some way to stream line the profile and most if not all used double round tanks.

For the record, I know that firemen use upside down tanks, but I believe they are double rounded as well.

only the new composite modees. my originals(still in service) have flat bottoms. we wear them "upside down" to prevent them from hanging. 90% of the time we work we're crawling through debris. generally in zero vis and with the possiblity of overhanging items. this doesn't prevent all hang ups but does minimize it a smidge.

 

[victor]

only the new composite modees. my originals(still in service) have flat bottoms. we wear them "upside down" to prevent them from hanging. 90% of the time we work we're crawling through debris. generally in zero vis and with the possiblity of overhanging items. this doesn't prevent all hang ups but does minimize it a smidge.

Thus my argument for using this configuration in wreck, and cave diving stands.
That and the fact that it is much easier to reach the valves should make this configuration for diving doubles the DIR configuration of choice.
However that would require an admission that the current dogma was wrong.

No I suspect that inertia and dogma will win out.
If I ever reach the point of diving in an overhead environment then I will go for this solution.

 

[watercooled]

being the standard practice does not necessaily make it wrong or right, it makes it universal.
the guys who tend the nets in austrailia wear inverted tanks. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest this is the best/worst way. I would concede that this does work for them.
the inertia of a given practice is a powerful force. you might not change the world but you might adapt and improve your piece of it.

 

[Buano]

Due to a series of shoulder surgeries I cannot reach the right shutoff on my manifold. I've worked with instructors, tec-divers & commercial divers & they confirm that this is NOT a problem with my technique — it's a problem with my shoulder. SO, I am planning to rig inverted & see if it works BETTER FOR ME. (Whether this would be better for someone else is an issue that has been debated & will likely be debated until I'm too old to dive so I won't argue pro or con.)

Looking at the practical considerations, I would want a "OMS Stainless Steel Manifold Valve Protector — cylinder inversion unit" to protect my manifold & first-stages. This has been discontinued by OMS. Anyone know where I can get one? Any other manufacturer make a similar product?

Thanks for ANY help!
Ron