twinhose regs and H-valves..anyone ever tried this combo?

[scubafanatic]

I've never seen or heard of this configuration, but if I wanted to enjoy twinhose regulator diving, while at the same time benefiting from the safety/redundancy of modern single hose regulators , would it be possible to attach the twinhose reg to one outlet on the tank H-valve, while attaching a modern 1st stage to the 2nd H-valve tank outlet (so I could attach things like a BC inflator hose/SPG/octo) ?

Has anyone ever tried this configuration before?

Thanks !

Karl

 

[Bob3]

Hi Karl,
There's no reason using an H valve wouldn't work. I never bothered to try it tho, as for years my standard ice diving rig was a double hose w/bailout bottle.
The only consideration would be if using a "Y" valve the reg wouldn't be centered, a minor consideration.
Some of the better late model double hose regs actually did have HP ports, and the hookah port on regs like the Aqua Master & Royal Aqua Master can have an LP hose run off of them.

If you haven't used them before, have fun & remember that the hose clearing is a LOT different on 2-hose regs.

 

[pescador775]

The H valve should work OK. For twin sets, Sherwood made a manifold with twin ports. The double hose could be centered in the normal (low) position and a single hose could be mounted on the right post. However, there was no isolation capability in the usual manner. Air to the individual regs could be turned on and off, of course. These valves show up on EBay from time to time, usually with J valve on left post.

 

[Walter]

The only reason it might not work is space. Depends on how far apart the valves are, those alarm clocks take up lots of space. If you've never used a double hose, get an old timer to show you how in a pool.

 

[Bob3]

Sherwood made a manifold with twin ports.

I have a set of twin 50s I made up with one of those (no J tho), used a couple of steel SCBA bottles. Managed to slap the rig together for under $75, including hydros.
The little critters have great balance.

 

[pescador775]

Walter, good point about the spacing. Might be that the box dia is too large. AMF/Swimaster made a double hose with really small case. Had HP and LP ports, too.

Bob, sounds like you got a nice rig for little money.

 

[scubafanatic]

Thanks for the input, double hose fans! I've collected a number of twinhose regs as follows:

I have 3 Voit Trieste II's (including one new on box) , and pescador775 made a good point about the box diameter on these units being a lot more compate than the traditional US Divers twinhose reg.......plus the Trieste II is 'semi-modern' in that it has 1 HP and 1 LP port built into the case, so I could attach, say, a BC hose and a console, but I'd still like to attach an octo, so I'm one LP port 'short' of ideal.......but I guess I could manage without the octo if I had to.

Got a couple of Nemrod Snark III's.....an older one with just 1 HP port for a SPG.......and a 'new' one which has 1 HP and 2 LP ports, so on that one I've attached an Oceanic Datamax air-integrated computer, a BC hose, and a Scubapro octo.

Have a number of Healthways and US Divers regs......the Healthways are single-stage with no extra ports, and the US Divers regs are all 2-stage, but while none have extra ports, some do have a hooka-port, and one has the long-yoke with a banjo-adapter SPG with a hooka-port.

(Bob3 makes a good point about the usefulness of the hooka port, I'm planning on ordering a few of those LP BCD hoses from VintageScuba Supply, so I can at least run a BC hose off of the Aquamasters) This way I can have at least 1 US Divers reg with an SPG and BC hose.

I'm considering the H-valve in order to use some of my 'port-challenged' twinhose regs.......so I can attach all the modern 'extras' I want.

I'd thought about maybe a Y-valve on the tank, but those are uncommon, and the only one I see these days is a Beuchat model available sporadically @ Leisure Pro......but like Walter says, I'd have to be careful about the spacing, the Triestes, being smaller, are more likely to fit than the US Divers or Healthways regs.

Bob3 and Walter, thanks for the safety tip....I've not had a chance to dive any of my twinhose regs, so I fully plan to play with them in a pool first...I know hose clearing is a bit tricky.......but most dive shops look at me funny when I enquire about 'lessons'.......I do have one local shop I frequent that seems interested in playing with them
(the owner has a collectable twinhose himself) and he has expressed an interest in test diving some of my regs, especially my 'modern' twinhose Nemrod Snark III...so I'm hoping I can get some lessons from him this spring.

It still amazes me how people dove these regs with just J-valves......no BC, no SPG, no octo...WHEW!!! I still think twinhoses are cool though, I just want to increase the safety level on them before I actually dive them myself........I don't want to get into quite as much trouble as Mike Nelson did!

For now I'm sticking to single tanks.....I'm not a big person, and I'm not as young as I used to be, so doubles are bulkier/heavier than I really want to get involved with......I'm diving Faber LP120 steels right now.

Even if I only fill them to 2400 psi (I think that's the max pressure most twinhoses can take....except for my 'modern' 3-port Snark III which handles 3000 psi) I still get a 109 cu. ft fill.....which is fine for now.

Guess now I'll have to see if any of my local shops have H-valves on tanks so I can bring my regs and experiment with the 'spacing' issues.

Karl

 

[pescador775]

Karl, the twin hose regulator won't perform very well when used with a big fat tank. When swimming horizontally, the regulator, which is position sensitive, won't inhale very easily because of the distance between the regulator and the diver's chest. Also, the regulator, on average, will breath better if mounted low. This is especially true with Nemrod because the inlet is offset from the center of the case. The regulators were traditionally used with multiple tanks. They will work best with twin 70's or 40's, the old steel type.

The Aquamaster LP port points to the diver's right side. The best way to run a LP hose is to the left. A cheap way to do this is to buy a brass oxygen elbow adapter. Cut off the female threaded end, drill and tap to 3/8-24. Counterbore the mouth to accept O ring. This needs to be done on a drill press. It is very easy to do but you might feel more comfortable having a machinist do it. Once this is done, any standard LP hose will fit and the hose will point to the left (10 O'clock).

WRT your Voit Triest. There is still available the old fashioned swivel adapter for 3/8" fittings. If your reg uses this port then the swivel can be fitted and will accept multiple LP hoses. Divers discount.com carries this item.

Pesky

 

[Walter]

Karl,

The reason noone wants to give you lessons is they don't know how to use them. Before you get lessons, make sure the person giving the lessons has dived a double hose.

Trim is a topic which comes up from time to time on the board. When diving a double hose, it's important to have perfect trim. That trim is different than when diving a single hose. With a double hose you'll want to be slightly head up. This keeps your mouth at the same depth as the tank valve. Regulators are designed to give you ambient pressure at the second stage. With a single hose, the second stage is at your mouth. With a double hose, the second stage (really old doubles don't have a second stage) is at the tank valve. If your mouth is deeper than your valve, it is difficult to draw in the air. If your mouth is shallower than your valve (when you turn over on your back) the air is forced into you.

It is a vastly different world.

Should we discuss buddy breathing?

 

[TCDiver1]

Walter once bubbled...

It is a vastly different world.

Should we discuss buddy breathing?

Isn't technology a wonderful thing. Buddy breathing a two hose ... like trying to race a model-T in a Nascar race.