Diving Concepts inflator valve stem and hose

[chevv58]

As some of you may or may not know, Diving Concepts uses a proprietary valve stem on their inflator valve. However, the valve itself seems to be a standard Apeks valve. This leads me to believe that the valve stem on a standard Apeks valve would fit in the Diving Concepts valve.

The reason I am trying to do this, is I would like to be able to use custom length hoses for double tank, single tank, and sidemount configurations, and getting Diving Concepts custom hoses could get pricey. Plus, with a standard valve stem, picking up a new hose if one sprung a leak on a trip wouldn't be a hassle.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[wmspdi]

I had a DC suit and I also had to order an extra hose for my doubles rig, and yes they are a little pricey. My current DS suit is an Andy's DS3 that has Si-Tech valves (I beleive the same as Dive Rite). It uses a standard BC inflator hose fitting (although I think there may be a flow restrictor in the fitting). You could have a shop replace the Apex valve with a Si-Tech and keep the Apex as a backup (or sell it here). Standard BC inflator hoses are cheaper and easier to get.

 

[do it easy]

Yup, I converted my CEJN fitting to a standard BC fitting.

 

[bythesea]

the valve itself seems to be a standard Apeks valve. This leads me to believe that the valve stem on a standard Apeks valve would fit in the Diving Concepts valve.


Does anyone have any experience with this?

Hi Chevy,
I'm not familiar with the DCI set-up but the suit inflator nipple is probably a 3/8-24 thread w/o-ring like most low pressure regulator ports. DUI has used the SI-TECH and Apeks valves and they just use a regular BC QD nipple. The DUI hose is basically an inflator hose with a built in hat to grip it easier. You can buy the nipple easily from Northeastscubasupply.com or there is another possibility. You could switch to the CEJN standard which is becoming more popular with the Rebreather crowd. This is a higher flow fitting suitable for use on breathing hoses as well(ie Octo inflator or making a QD second stage). That fitting is also available from Northeast $5) and even better they sell the hose ends that let you convert any second stage hose to CEJN QD for about $18. If you go out to buy any new drysuit hose these days you're looking at $50-70 easy so cheaper to get one set of CEJN fittting/adapter and then buy second stage hoses in whatever length you need. Look under "rebreather" in their online catalog for the cejn stuff. They are cheap and fast.

YMMV, Brad

 

[do it easy]

Hi Chevy,
I'm not familiar with the DCI set-up but the suit inflator nipple is probably a 3/8-24 thread w/o-ring like most low pressure regulator ports. DUI has used the SI-TECH and Apeks valves and they just use a regular BC QD nipple. The DUI hose is basically an inflator hose with a built in hat to grip it easier. You can buy the nipple easily from Northeastscubasupply.com or there is another possibility. You could switch to the CEJN standard which is becoming more popular with the Rebreather crowd. This is a higher flow fitting suitable for use on breathing hoses as well(ie Octo inflator or making a QD second stage). That fitting is also available from Northeast $5) and even better they sell the hose ends that let you convert any second stage hose to CEJN QD for about $18. If you go out to buy any new drysuit hose these days you're looking at $50-70 easy so cheaper to get one set of CEJN fittting/adapter and then buy second stage hoses in whatever length you need. Look under "rebreather" in their online catalog for the cejn stuff. They are cheap and fast.

YMMV, Brad

I simply swapped out the nipple as well, but I was told that they are slightly different sizes. Seems to work for me. YMMV.

I have the old CEJN nipple- there are more threads and they have a slight taper towards the end. The barrel also appears slightly narrower, but that could be an optical illusion from the taper.

 

[bythesea]

I simply swapped out the nipple as well, but I was told that they are slightly different sizes. Seems to work for me. YMMV.

I have the old CEJN nipple- there are more threads and they have a slight taper towards the end. The barrel also appears slightly narrower, but that could be an optical illusion from the taper.

There are definetly many variations on the CEJN. They come standard on the older Poseidon UNisuit but thats a tapered thread with no o-ring. Leisurepro sells some that are just a little different as well for FFMs. My Zeagle Octo+ used the CEJN nipple but not threaded in 3/8-24. Anyway it's an easy test to see if the DCI is 3/8-24. Just unscrew it and compare to the regulator end of a standard low pressure hose. The nice part about the cejn is you can put a hose onto your deco/backup bottle reg and then plumb it into a rebreather BOV, a drysuit, a wing-assuming you are using one standard. The CEJN flows enough gas to breathe deep, thats why rebreathers divers are moving towards it as a standard. Easy gas switching/sharing when it hits the fan.

 

[boomx5]

Yup, I converted my CEJN fitting to a standard BC fitting.

So did I. I ordered one from DC so I got the right threads.