YOKE vs DIN

[Tracy]

Sorry Tracy but it is exactly the opposite. DIN O-rings are by far more reliable than YOKE. I worked with both valve types for many years, had dozens of failures with YOKE and none that I can remember with DIN.

The reason is the YOKE O-ring is quite smaller / thinner and exposed to the elements. Also the way they work is different. DIN O-rings are 'encased' within a groove while YOKE O-rings are 'sandwiched' between 2 pieces of metal, that's why they cannot withstand higher pressures like DIN. That's also why if you accidentally bump your A-clamp you'd probably get a leak. Those O-rings get 'chewed' constantly and dried out by the elements.

'Every hundred tanks' (???) you should be changing those O-rings anyway

Just for a size comparison:

I don't think you understand what an auto clamp is or how it works.
They are used for filling tanks, it is an automatic pneumatic clamp that uses tank pressure to seal itself instead of a hand wheel.
With a yoke auto clamp, the end is steel and it seats to the tank's O-ring. Every tank has its own O-ring, so it is just one cycle of wear on a 100 tanks.
With a DIN style, the O-ring is in the clamp and that one O-rings get 100 cycles in the same number of tanks. That style wears out every few hours when filling tanks constantly.
One more reason why a dive operator would choose yoke over DIN. They are faster and easier for filling. When you are doing 100-300 tanks per day, time becomes rather important.

I am somewhat familiar with how the various valves work and seal. I also filled a tank one time.

 

[lexvil]

I don't think you understand what an auto clamp is or how it works.
They are used for filling tanks, it is an automatic pneumatic clamp that uses tank pressure to seal itself instead of a hand wheel.
With a yoke auto clamp, the end is steel and it seats to the tank's O-ring. Every tank has its own O-ring, so it is just one cycle of wear on a 100 tanks.
With a DIN style, the O-ring is in the clamp and that one O-rings get 100 cycles in the same number of tanks. That style wears out every few hours when filling tanks constantly.
One more reason why a dive operator would choose yoke over DIN. They are faster and easier for filling. When you are doing 100-300 tanks per day, time becomes rather important.

I am somewhat familiar with how the various valves work and seal. I also filled a tank one time.

I’m getting more of a jibe that his “German” invention is superior and the Americans and Asians are to stupid to understand.

 

[Belzelbub]

While I've heard this my whole diving career, let's take another look. Both o-rings are in a groove and both mate against a face. The bigger and somewhat more forgiving o-ring (DIN) is only seated when the diver who owns the set dives. The yoke o-ring gets banged around, gets used far more often, and is otherwise ignored until it fails.

Yeah, that's true. I've had a DIN o-ring come out of the groove before (prior to attaching the reg), and I've seen this happen to yoke tanks more than once. I've also seen a yoke o-ring protrude, but haven't seen that on DIN.

I've seen one failure mode happen on a yoke that I think would be pretty unlikely on a DIN. The sealing surface on the yoke clamp was so scratched up that the seal to the o-ring was compromised. Changing the o-ring didn't fix it, but changing the regulator did. This was on a regulator that most likely sees a lot of use. Not a rental per se, but close enough. Used by a team of volunteer divers. I can only imagine that the frequent, and not quite gentle, attachment and removal from tanks scratched the sealing surface enough.

With a DIN valve, the surface that the o-ring seals against is deep in the valve. You'd need to really try to scratch that surface.

 

[The Chairman]

With a DIN valve, the surface that the o-ring seals against is deep in the valve. You'd need to really try to scratch that surface.

Don't challenge them!

 

[sourdough]

Definitely get a DIN setup in 2022, yoke is for vintage yokels.

Plus if necessary you can always strap on a yoke adapter, which I've yet to require.

 

[broncobowsher]

20 years ago DIN regulators were an oddball and maybe 5% of the market
10 years ago DIN regulators rarely seen and were 15% of the market
5 years ago DIN regulators were 30% of the market
Now DIN regulators are 50% of the market
*Not actual numbers, would be cool if someone had access to actual numbers, but just observation of what I see available. Old school dive shops still sell old school gear, because that is what dinosaurs know. New dive shops tend to have a lot more DIN in the inventory.

But you can see a trend in where things are going.

 

[Jcp2]

Definitely get a DIN setup in 2022, yoke is for vintage yokels.

It’s a good thing I have LP 72 to go with my Conshelf

 

[rx7diver]

Keep in mind that a DIN tank valve doesn't have to suffer a very hard bump at all to be bent out of round. And then you won't be able to screw in your DIN regulator--unless you can somehow ream (?) out the bend. Maybe.

Make sure your DIN tank valve is "wearing" a DIN plug (or, in the case of a pro valve, has the DIN insert in place) whenever it isn't "wearing" a DIN regulator.

rx7diver

 

[broncobowsher]

It’s a good thing I have LP 72 to go with my Conshelf

Filling that with your compressor that tops out at 2250 as well?
Incandescent flashlight still working good as well?
Don't forget to check the position of your reserve valve in case it gets bumped during the dive.
Not going to let you use a computer either, strictly analog watch, depth gauge (I will let you have that modern feature) and the old set of Navy dive tables.

 

[RobPNW]

Just get a DIN and a $20 Yoke adapter and you're covered either way.