Question Realistic to use same set of Steel 12s for backmount AND sidemount?

[runsongas]

swapping would be too much work. either get two separate sets or pick one setup to stick with predominantly. if you dive sidemount the majority of the time, you could consider running independent doubles backmount for the few times you need it instead of using the cross bar. you can still use the bands to assemble without draining the tanks.

 

[tbone1004]

There possibly is diving in my future that involves both backmount doubles (North Sea wrecks for example, diving from a high freeboard boat with a crane/lift to get divers out of the water, probably in some swell too) and sidemount diving as well.

Suppose I get a nice twinset of steel 12L tanks. If I remove the metal bands and the manifold and plug the manifold holes, I have two steel tanks perfect for sidemount diving, right?

How easy is it to put the twinset back together? Just a matter of installing the manifold and metal bands again? Any risks involved that I'm not aware of?

unless you use Lola valves you have to drain them every time you want to switch back and forth. Not worth the hassle. Lola valves are an expensive solution for this. Alternate to get out of the VIP problem is to have a spare tank and a transfill whip that you use to put a few bar back into the tanks but then you have a spare tank and whip that you have to buy as well as fill periodically.

 

[Cheizz]

Yeah my idea was nice in theory, but not very practical...

About regulators then. I am trying to get my hands on a nice pair of 5lp port, swivel turrent first stages and matching second stages. Tecline R2 Tec 2 sidemount set, including hoses, SPGs etc.

I suppose these would work with backmount doubles too, right? Just have to switch out the short hose for another length and switch out one SPG hose as well. Is switching out hoses very bad for the threads inside the ports? Or is that doable if I keep things lubricated well enough?

 

[jborg]

Switching hoses is fine, it's easy and takes no time. I change my regs from single tank to doubles now and then, add and remove the drysuit inflator as required, etc. Those regs look perfectly fine for BM doubles.

 

[Cheizz]

Thought so too, thanks.

 

[Wibble]

Yeah my idea was nice in theory, but not very practical...

About regulators then. I am trying to get my hands on a nice pair of 5lp port, swivel turrent first stages and matching second stages. Tecline R2 Tec 2 sidemount set, including hoses, SPGs etc.

I suppose these would work with backmount doubles too, right? Just have to switch out the short hose for another length and switch out one SPG hose as well. Is switching out hoses very bad for the threads inside the ports? Or is that doable if I keep things lubricated well enough?

Turret stages are best for sidemount (IMHO) with the 5th port option. They work well for backmount and decompression stages too.

The Apeks DST is pretty cheap and a good deal. Look around for second hand ones. The 5th port option is easily fitted, so you can widen the search for a DST without that option.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Having dived backmount doubles for years and years, I can't imagine breaking them down to switch back and forth between backmount and sidemount. Occasionally ... if you're then going to keep them in the new config for awhile. But regularly? It is going to get VERY old VERY fast.

While I never dived sidemount, I used to dive doubles and singles. I had separate tanks for each configuration. A number of sets of backmount HP100 doubles/twinset and a number of single HP100s. I wouldn't swap them back and forth regularly. If I found I needed more singles, I may break down a set of doubles for a season, but I wouldn't swap around configurations any more frequently than at annual VIP.

 

[Cheizz]

Turret stages are best for sidemount (IMHO) with the 5th port option. They work well for backmount and decompression stages too.

The Apeks DST is pretty cheap and a good deal. Look around for second hand ones. The 5th port option is easily fitted, so you can widen the search for a DST without that option.

Found a good deal on the Teclines. Just used a handful of times. Entire set for about 60% of a new set.

 

[tbone1004]

Yeah my idea was nice in theory, but not very practical...

About regulators then. I am trying to get my hands on a nice pair of 5lp port, swivel turrent first stages and matching second stages. Tecline R2 Tec 2 sidemount set, including hoses, SPGs etc.

I suppose these would work with backmount doubles too, right? Just have to switch out the short hose for another length and switch out one SPG hose as well. Is switching out hoses very bad for the threads inside the ports? Or is that doable if I keep things lubricated well enough?

the seal is created by the o-ring so it's not like NPT fittings where you want to limit cycles. The real issue is how obnoxious it is going to be for you to switch.

Going from standard DIR-style to "standard" sidemount configuration with 5-ports.
Right Post becomes left post
All hoses removed
Long hose replaced with short hose for second stage
HP Port plug removed to put SPG
Octo removed from end and replaced with stub wing inflator.

Left post comes from right side
HP port plug removed and short hose SPG installed
Wing inflator removed from end turret and replaced with stub inflator hose
Long hose replaces drysuit hose on the turret.

It's obviously not terribly complicated, but I wouldn't say it takes "no time", easily 3-4 minutes if you're moving quickly. If you're doing it once a month, probably not egregious, but any more often than that and you will find that you want to have a second set of regulators.

 

[Cheizz]

We're talking less than 10 times a year that I would have to make the switch. So that seems doable.