Whats the difference between DIn or Yoke?

[kiko]

Whats the Difference between DIN or Yoke?
w/c one is better?

cheers,
kiko

 

[miketsp]

DIN or Yoke.
Almost certainly you learned to dive with a Yoke fitting. A simple horseshoe shaped clamp with a single large screw to hold the first stage of your regulator against the oring. Some sites and operators call this the "International" fitting. Commonest type to buy or rent.
But if you intend to do technical or higher risk diving, caving etc then there is a more reliable, and more expensive option, the DIN fitting which screws into the tank valve. Using DIN the risk of an oring blowout is supposed to be much lower and it is also supposed to be rated for higher pressures.
Some regulators are available with conversion kits for use with either type.
Note that the tanks are also different.

 

[fan(t)a(s)tic]

...
Note that the tanks are also different.

Over here in Europe, many (or even most of the tanks I've seen) are hybrid. That means you can quickly convert them from yoke to DIN compatible, simply by removing a plug from the outlet.

I use DIN fittings and if I go to places where they use yokes, I have an adaptor.

Steve

 

[miketsp]

Over here in Europe, many (or even most of the tanks I've seen) are hybrid. That means you can quickly convert them from yoke to DIN compatible, simply by removing a plug from the outlet.

I use DIN fittings and if I go to places where they use yokes, I have an adaptor.

Steve

That's interesting, I haven't seen one like that.
Doesn't it introduce an extra point of failure in an additional seal? Presumably the tank comes with the din threaded female into which you screw a plug piece which has the oring on the face?

 

[ChrisA]

That's interesting, I haven't seen one like that.
Doesn't it introduce an extra point of failure in an additional seal? Presumably the tank comes with the din threaded female into which you screw a plug piece which has the oring on the face?

Yes, your description is exactly correct. Only I might add that
DIN valves found on high pressure tanks (3500 psi and up) are
built such that the litle plug adaptors will not work This prevents
you from putting a yoke reg. on a tank that holds more pressure
than a yoke can handle.

All the new steel tanks made my PST come with convertable DIN/Yoke valves. While DIN might be a more secure fitting if you need to
travel and use rental tanks you would need an apator as all the rentals takes will be Yoke. The adaptor defeats any advantage the DIN fitting might have.

 

[miketsp]

This prevents you from putting a yoke reg. on a tank that holds more pressure than a yoke can handle.

I seem to remember reading that modern yokes, which are built much better than those of say 10 years ago, are fully capable of handling equivalent pressure to DIN.
They are just not rated as such.
The oring will just have a shorter life as it deforms more.
This is why I used the word "supposed" twice in my original post as I have read conflicting opinions.

Obviously I'm not recommending anybody to go and do this.

 

[rescuediver009]

The oring will just have a shorter life as it deforms more.

Negative. The life span of the o-ring is affected very minimally pending your ability to tighten the yoke screw to the right torque speck (two finger tight). There is 300 pounds of pressure holding it in place. So you couldn't unscrew it if you tried. It is when you twist the first stage around that you stress the o-ring.
Next, DIN is capable of much higher pressures than yoke. This has been mentioned previously. Most yoke regulators are stamped 232 bar (3365 psi). good for a standard Aluminum tank but not quite enough for those high pressure tanks. Most DIN regs come in a 300 bar fitting (4351 psi) thus they are able to handle the higher pressure.

Tank valves come in either 200 or 300 bar. As mentioned the inserts cannot be used with the 300 bar valves.
This is the valve insert that seemd to be causeing a confusion shown with the insert. Also it was mentioned that this could pose a further failure point. I doubt that it would fail considering that the inner o-ring works on the same principle as the DIN o-ring, in that it is "captured".
Have a nice day