Help needed on hookah diving

[BRT]

You need at least 140 PSI (8 bars) for an hookah operating at shallow depth (3m max).
Add 1 bar even 10m depth, so 10 bars for the hookah working down to 20m (which is the max depth I reached with an hookah, and perhaps it was already too much).
You must also deliver a significant air flow, at least 50 liters/minutes at shallow depth, 100 liters/minute at 10m, 150 l/min at 20 m, and so on.
So you need a very powerful compressor, at least 1000-1500 W.
You must be a proficient and certified scuba diver for using an hookah, which can be far more dangerous than a standard scuba system.
I started using an hookah after 200 scuba dives and being certified CMAS ***.

Not true. I built and dove with one that ran on much lower pressure. At 25' it was just fine. At 50, you had to breathe slowly and steadily.

 

[JanNL]

The Airbuddy delivers air at 2 6 bar, it is written in the Q+A section of their web site.
I did not find this info for the Nemo/Nomad.
These systems do not use a standard balanced second stage regulator.
They seem to employ another kind of regulator, which I never experienced.
This makes hard to build a DIY apparatus working at such low pressure, you must source these special regulators designed for operating at low pressure.
Both manufacturers clearly state that these devices are very dangerous and require proper training for being used safely.
These devices are expensive (1000-1500 USD): in most cases, a compact air tank plus a standard regulator provides a cheaper, safer and more versatile solution.

Hello Angelo,
That is very interesting info, thank you for that. It looks like a reality check before even setting out on an adventure with unknown difficulties.

 

[JanNL]

20 psi is about 1.36 ata which will get you down to about 12ft/3.5m. Even at that shallow depth, you can still get yourself into plenty of trouble with lung over-expansion injuries.

Do not play around with these things. If you are serious, get the training.

Thank you Arkstorm. That is very helpful info! Did not know about possible lung expansion injuries at that depth. I willl study that topic. Thans again!

 

[Angelo Farina]

Thank you Arkstorm. That is very helpful info! Did not know about possible lung expansion injuries at that depth. I willl study that topic. Thans again!

Lung expansion injuries is just one of a dozen of dangers encountered with underwater breathing systems.
Albeit there is not a "safe depth" which zeroes any risk of lung overexpansion, when we started training my sons to breathing underwater using a small pony tank I and my wife analysed this (and others) risks, and found that with small children it is reasonable to allow them playing with a regulator down to 1.2 m max.
A depth of 3m (10 feet), instead, poses a significant risk of lung overexpansion, as the largest expansion rate is in the first meters of depth.
Other significant risks are damaging eardrums or other parts of the hearing system, getting a CO2 intoxication, and in some cases suffering of pulmonary edema if sucking from a crap regulator not providing enough air.