aquaknott
Contributor
From my experience as a Volunteer Fire Fighter I have put the SCBA's on many times and we always store our tanks valve in the upright position (If our tanks are in a side compartment on the truck) so that way when we reach in to put the tanks on the tank just goes over our head and the harness is on with out any problems. But our new trucks have the seats with the tanks mounted in the seats so how the tanks are positioned does not matter in that case (by does not matter I only mean that the seat are designed to hold the tanks). However they are still valve down because that in my opion is a safer way to wear the tanks if you are entering a building.
There are several reasons that can be brought up but next time you are putting on your SCUBA gear borrow a firemans turnout suit and then put your BC and tank on. Now try putting your fire helmet on, I don't think it will work because of the valve and other stuff in the back of your head. I have been inside of many fires and I can only say that the SCBA setup has been designed that way for ease of use and again if it works "why change it"?
With that in mind you could turn your SCUBA tank upside down but my thought is that the BC's most people use are not really built with the plan of putting your tank in upside down. So with all the other arguments aside I just think it "if it works good why change it". But like PerroneFord said earlier do what makes you feel better. Although I can only imagine going against the design of the BC/Tank setup could not feel better.
Well that is my two cents worth.
There are several reasons that can be brought up but next time you are putting on your SCUBA gear borrow a firemans turnout suit and then put your BC and tank on. Now try putting your fire helmet on, I don't think it will work because of the valve and other stuff in the back of your head. I have been inside of many fires and I can only say that the SCBA setup has been designed that way for ease of use and again if it works "why change it"?
With that in mind you could turn your SCUBA tank upside down but my thought is that the BC's most people use are not really built with the plan of putting your tank in upside down. So with all the other arguments aside I just think it "if it works good why change it". But like PerroneFord said earlier do what makes you feel better. Although I can only imagine going against the design of the BC/Tank setup could not feel better.
Well that is my two cents worth.