OMS Setup

I have just purchased an OMS IPaq BCD with a ATX 200 Reg. The OMS has a single tank adapter and I am wondering what the proper positon to mount the tank is. I am a newly certified diver and was taught to attach the tank to the BCD at a height where the 1st stage is meets middle of the BCD back curve. It appears that with an OMS setup, this is not the case. I also usually run about 30 lbs of weight. With the OMS, I am assuming the aluminium backplate is about 2lbs and the single tank adapter is an additional two. This means I should run about 26lbs of lead?

Thanks for the help

Wow,
Thats pretty heavy..

You might want to think about a SS backplate which would take off about 6# from your waist, and even a weighted STA would get another 4-6# off as well.

I dive with my valve right about in the small of my neck....I dive a Scott Koplin 6# SS plate, an unweighted SS STA, and I wear 16# on my waist now, with a full 7mm Farmer John on and 5mm gloves, boots and hood. I dive a single AL80 tank and Halcyon 45# wings (while a bit much, but..).

Keep in mind, you should be able to reach the valve on your tank while you have it on...

By the way, do you like the OMS IQ? I almost bought one at one point.

My OMS STA is either 4 or 6 lbs.. I guess I need to weigh it.

With dual bands I normally set the top band about an inch below the shoulder of the tank. Any lower and I'm banging my head on my first stage.

I can't comment on your weighting because I don't know your exposure protection or body comp. If you carry that much weight why not a steel plate instead of an Aluminum?

TwoBit

PS.... I really like my IQ pack.

I have not tried my OMS setup yet. I weight about 240lbs so I figure 10% of 240 + 6 = 30lbs of weight. I don't have a pool to test any of my gear out with. This is going to be my first dive since being certified, so I am a little nervous diving with new year that I have not tried before.

Also, the boat trip I have planned for this weekend is in an ARC RHIB boat (Inflatable) and we have to inflate our BC's first, place them in the water and then put them on while in the water. I am not sure how hard this is going to be with an OMS setup?? I guess I will just have to practice a lot before I go out in the boat. I do plan on getting the SS blackplate in the future, but right now I just want to get back in the water and dive!

I used my BP and Wings for MY OW check out dives where we Had to doff the BC and then don it on the surface - and I had no problems doing it. Getting the crotch strap up thru my crotch and the wasit belt threaded thru it was a tad more trickier than with a normal BC jacket - but it wasn't 1/2 of the deal I'd thought it would be...just keep the wings fairly inflated and you'll be fine - but do not over inflate or the wings will want to ride TOO high out of the water and you need it partly above and below the water to get INTO it after doffing it.

Good luck!