vintage 2 hose regulator setup

[jcarpini]

I'm new to Double hose regs. but not diving. I just rebuilt a Dacor r-4. and well, no HP port or "J" valve left me a little apprehensive. So I scrounged through my Boxes of old dive gear and I found a Dacor "K" valve with what could only be a port for a pressure gage. bingo I installed a gauge on the valve and it worked. I was a little concerned about buoyancy So ... with no Auxiliary ports on the Dacor R-4 my solution was to use a pony bottle. I hate having too many things haning off of me so..on my pony I have a mark 25 1st stage with only one hose to a scuba pro air 2. that gives me a safe octo and BCD control. I dont have a pool to try this out. so I have found a protected shallow site scoped out in the ocean.I am aware that 2 hose regs clear different. other than that are there any other considerations that I have not thought of?....... any bodys input would be greatly appreciated
Mahalo

 

[halocline]

Did you post this on the vintage diving forum? If not, you should, that's where the doublehosers hang out. (what an image that one is) Also check out vintagedoublehose.com, it's an excellent site for doublehose divers.

It's a bizarre combination, a doublehose reg with an air 2....you're going to really offend the purists! I'm not familiar with your dacor reg, but most of the US divers regs have hookah ports that are good for an octo, and you can use a banjo fitting with some yokes to attach an SPG.

Maybe the biggest thing I notice with doublehose regs is that they are very position-sensitive. This can be mitigated by using a simple backpack or vintage style harness that positions the reg low and against your back. Typical jacket style BCs are about the worst for diving with them.....that's a shocker considering that they pretty much suck for everything else too.

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board, check the other place you posted this question, I left you a fairly long post there.

Actually Matt, one of my buddies dives his DA like that some times when he is not diving with some of us vintage types. It gives him a LP inflator and a octo for his buddy off the hooka port on the DA.

 

[halocline]

I was kind of kidding with the "offend the purists" comment. An air 2 does make some sense given that you have one hose off the hookah port. The problem is, you'd have to donate the air 2 in the event that your buddy was OOA.

 

[james croft]

I was kind of kidding with the "offend the purists" comment. An air 2 does make some sense given that you have one hose off the hookah port. The problem is, you'd have to donate the air 2 in the event that your buddy was OOA.

I am sure he would take the AIR2 if he was out of air and not care if it was on a 7 ft. hose. It would be easier to breath from an air two then to share air by buddy breathing from a double hose. Anybody who is diving a DH reg should train with their buddy on how to buddy breath from a DH reg and how to clear the reg. I also agree that is an efficient way to use a single hose off the hookah but if a diver really needs to have a seperate inflator hose and a standard octopus he should put a swivel adapter with additional ports on the hookah or get a Phoenix.

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

I have and use an older Mistral, but the Phoenix double hose is the way to go. It is a great blend of modern technology and "old school" technology. Tim

 

[jcarpini]

I usually dive solo. most of my buds have moved away, and my other pals would rather sit around and do nothing on a beautiful weekend. anyway I was a dive master for a few years here in hawaii and well I just got tired of babysitting other divers underwater. I know its quite a taboo to dive alone, but I really feel safer. Also with the double hose I will primarily dive the shallow reef at Honaunau, which is pretty like diving in a warm pool. Thanx for your reply much appreciated Johnny

 

[Gilldiver]

I have a Phenix and a good number of other double hose regs. I also solo dive, meaning I jump off the boat same day, same ocean style. There are others in the water, but not in sight much of the time. They also tend to be rebreather divers and are used to two hoses and cary their own bail out.

For the PRAM I have a Scubapro R109 as a second reg but for the others I use a H-valve. On the H-valve I have a Poseidon that runs the inflators for my dry suit, BC, SPG, and a second 2nd stage. I also have a set of 72's with a Sherwood manifold with the reversed manifold so that any double hose is on the center post and a "modern" reg is on the "left" post.

These are with a PRAM but will work with any double hose

 

[Couv]

Hey Pete,

Very nice. Looking at the second picture from the top….the yoke does not seem very thick. Have you had any problems with 3000psi or greater service pressure?

c

 

[TN Traveler]

I would say that picture #2 is his Mistral. It is a single stage regulator that you would not use with a 3000# tank. Mistrals don't breathe real well at any pressure above 2500# - the lower the pressure, the better they breathe. I dive lp steel 95's and usually let out enough air to bring them down to 2500# when diving my Mistral.

I bet Pete does the same.