BOV/gag strap vs. OC second stage on bungee necklace

[rjack321]

Didn't think that I would need a shutoff with the bailout valve in plain view on a sidemounted tank. I also check the BO SPG pretty frequently, and I don't think that a free flow would be unnoticed.

If the reg is stuffed on the bottle and sidemounted you can lose a significant amount of gas if it happens to get knocked while the mouthpiece is facing up. Same reason why deco bottles are stored pressurized but off.

If you clip the reg forward and in a way that keeps the mouthpiece down this is a lot less of an issue.

 

[RainPilot]

One of those octo mouthpiece holders cable tied to the neck strap of my BO / Stage cylinders does a nice job of keeping the reg where I need it and mouthpiece down. The excess hose is stuffed into the bands as normal.

 

[doctormike]

BOV on the loop. Second stage on the B/O cylinder(s) on a long hose. If you want to plumb your offboard to your BOV, that's totally cool, but if you're only diving within recreational depths I wouldn't have a problem running the BOV off of onboard dil since for me it's an intermediate step until you can get on a normal second stage on your bailout.

That sounds like a good configuration. Quickly switch to fresh, known gas, then off the loop to the larger supply. I like that.

 

[doctormike]

If the reg is stuffed on the bottle and sidemounted you can lose a significant amount of gas if it happens to get knocked while the mouthpiece is facing up. Same reason why deco bottles are stored pressurized but off.

If you clip the reg forward and in a way that keeps the mouthpiece down this is a lot less of an issue.

Or if I keep it bungeed under my chin - harder to miss a free flow.

 

[rjack321]

That sounds like a good configuration. Quickly switch to fresh, known gas, then off the loop to the larger supply. I like that.

If you actually have a Co2 hit at depth that dil bottle is going poof really fast. Not nearly enough time to stabilize your respiration rate.

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

I dive a rEvo which does not come with a BOV, I did the 50hrs with the standard configuration then swapped to shrimp.

My BOV is plumbed into both dil and off board bailout using a Y connector and QC6 to connect in the off board, and use difference in IP between on board and off board (on board higher off board lower) to determine which gas flows to the BOV first.

Basically this allows both on board and off board dil and bailout to be plumed into the BOV, and the gas will feed from the source with the highest IP. A Swagelok tap will shut off the dil supply if needed and gas will flow from the off board to the BOV etc.

I like this system as I can always have a breathable gas plumbed into my BOV which is an important consideration when diving with hypoxic diluents.

 

[doctormike]

That's interesting. That way you can quickly go to bailout but not drain your onboard dil.

Anyone use two OC second stages when diving with OC buddies? One on a bungee necklace for bailout, and one on a long hose (maybe with a shutoff) for donation? Or is that too complex?

 

[JohnnyC]

That sounds like a good configuration. Quickly switch to fresh, known gas, then off the loop to the larger supply. I like that.

It works great, except I always forget to put in the caveat that I do that with a Pelagian with 7L cylinders on both sides, so it's more than double the gas of most dil setups. A little 3L bottle of dil isn't gonna last long unless you're only doing a shallow NDL dive. When I dive the Meg it's a QC6 off-board direct to bailout.

 

[RainPilot]

That's interesting. That way you can quickly go to bailout but not drain your onboard dil.

Anyone use two OC second stages when diving with OC buddies? One on a bungee necklace for bailout, and one on a long hose (maybe with a shutoff) for donation? Or is that too complex?

I have a single long-ish hose with reg, a LPI hose and a second LP hose with QD.
I carry a spare 2nd stage with QD in my pocket on all dives anyway so if I bail I use my reg on the tank. If my buddy has a problem at the same time we buddy breathe till I can get my spare 2nd in place.

 

[rjack321]

I dive a rEvo which does not come with a BOV, I did the 50hrs with the standard configuration then swapped to shrimp.

My BOV is plumbed into both dil and off board bailout using a Y connector and QC6 to connect in the off board, and use difference in IP between on board and off board (on board higher off board lower) to determine which gas flows to the BOV first.

Basically this allows both on board and off board dil and bailout to be plumed into the BOV, and the gas will feed from the source with the highest IP. A Swagelok tap will shut off the dil supply if needed and gas will flow from the off board to the BOV etc.

I like this system as I can always have a breathable gas plumbed into my BOV which is an important consideration when diving with hypoxic diluents.

Why run the BO from your on-board dil at all? My on-board dil is far more likely to be hypoxic than my offboard BO. I can and often do use 10/50 dil with 18/45 or 21/35 BO.