Small Double's Kit

[DaleC]

SETUPS

I know you just provided the pic link Micklock but that setup freaks me out (BTW did you notice they use the same tank cradles as you have).

What would the point of independant twins and a pony bottle be? And why would there be a SPG on one independant twin but not on the other?

 

[Blackwood]

Im also researching ways to be able to cut flow to the inflator in case of a free flow failure

Disconnect the LP hose.

If you are having problems doing so when the interface is charged, change out the hose to this kind (which provides enough 'grabbing area' to pull it off even while charged/while air is flowing):

 

[micklock]

I know you just provided the pic link Micklock but that setup freaks me out (BTW did you notice they use the same tank cradles as you have).

What would the point of independant twins and a pony bottle be? And why would there be a SPG on one independant twin but not on the other?

Yea I noticed that too, I have a spg on both of my tanks. It seems like it would better to just sling a pony (with a spg) if you need one and it says it's for wreck diving but I'd be worried about getting stuck with that setup. I have some Ultimate Velcro Double Bands I got ten years ago for my worthington 40's and some aluminum ones I made for about 20 bucks for my 80's. One thing I like about independent doubles is hauling them in to get filled as singles. I have free air for life on my tanks (best 200 bucks I ever spent) so cost for fills isn't an issue.

 

[DaleC]

I'm in the process of DIYing a set of soft bands for independant 80's (like the set up in the link but without the middle metal bracket). I thought of using 2" Al bands but worried that the bolt hole might not be strong enough and distort under load. It seems all the bands I see are SS. How do your Al bands hold up that way? I'll edit in a pic of my Al band idea in a few minutes to show you what I was thinking of.

 

[Thalassamania]

Upside down can be a very good way to go. It's fairly common (as was noted) in Europe and I've never understood why (especially for doubles) it was not more common here.

 

[micklock]

I'm in the process of DIYing a set of soft bands for independant 80's (like the set up in the link but without the middle metal bracket). I thought of using 2" Al bands but worried that the bolt hole might not be strong enough and distort under load. It seems all the bands I see are SS. How do your Al bands hold up that way? I'll edit in a pic of my Al band idea in a few minutes to show you what I was thinking of.

Check out the way Floater does his. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/do-yourself-diy/246601-diy-travelling-twin-cam-band.html

These are the ones I made. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/do-yourself-diy/243915-twin-brackets.html

 

[WD8CDH]

This is a bit off topic but this discussion reminds me of an odd setup I saw once many moons ago. I saw it parked on a dock with some other gear waiting to be loaded onto a big commercial work boat. It wasn't light by any stretch of the imagination, though, just odd. It consisted of three steel 72s with two mounted in the standard double style and the third mounted between those in a sort of pyramid configuration. The diver was using a US Divers Aquamaster mounted on the doubles with a single hose of some kind on the third. He was a pro diver who worked on underwater construction projects. That was the first, and last, time I ever saw such a rig. Anyone else ever see such a thing?

US Divers made a triple 72 set similar to that back in the late 60's but all three tanks were connected together. It only had one regulator fitting.

 

[WD8CDH]

I know you just provided the pic link Micklock but that setup freaks me out (BTW did you notice they use the same tank cradles as you have).

What would the point of independant twins and a pony bottle be? And why would there be a SPG on one independant twin but not on the other?

Not much of a point to independent twins and a pony bottle other than three independent air sources. I much prefer two of the three tanks manifolded with independent shutoff regulator fittings on the manifolded tanks. That makes gas management much easier. I also prefer the third tank to be the same size as the other two tanks. That follows the rule of thirds with the 1/3 for emergencies being totally independent. The tanks are also side by side rather than in a triangle configuration for lowest profile.

That is how almost all of my rigs are now configured.

As far as SPGs, I use a button gauge or short hose gauge on the independent third tank. Since the third tank is only for emergencies, unless it is leaving a trail of bubbles, it's pressure will be the same throughout the dive as it was during my pre-dive check-list.