DIR Argon Rig

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

MASS-Diver

Contributor
Messages
1,517
Reaction score
4
Location
South Shore, MA
# of dives
200 - 499
Hi guys, I not sure if this a "tek" enough question to post here, but, I knew I would get the right answers, so here's goes:

I have a halcyon bp (on a side a note I had a dive rite TP for a week before someone offered to trade for their halcyon), and now as winter approaches I'm getting an argon set up. It's my understanding that the bottle goes on the left, but, what's the best way to attach it to the bp while avoiding metal-metal connections?
Also, I hear you should have a piston style primary stage and a special valve to prevent blowing your hose/suit in the event of a first stage failure? Is this info correct? Any other argon related advice anyone can offer would be apprecaited.

Thanks!:confused:
 
You need an OPRV (over pressure relief valve)... $20 LeisurePro.
No sense using argon unless you are going to purge your suit with argon before the dive so that it has argon in it already instead of air. The small amount of argon you add during the dive will not help if it is just squirted in on top of air. We use an old steel 72 fitted with a first stage and inflator whip to purge our suits... that way we can do the dive with small 6cf argon bottles. Others use larger 13cf argon bottles and purge from them.

here is our set up:
 
We use a short piece of weight belting to hold the bottle with a bungee loop around the valve handle to keep it from slipping down and out.
 
...I know those aren't zipties on there!
 
But if you are a weenie you can use a flange nut~n~bolt.
I was thinking Aquaseal...
 
Uncle Pug once bubbled...
You need an OPRV (over pressure relief valve)... $20 LeisurePro.
No sense using argon unless you are going to purge your suit with argon before the dive so that it has argon in it already instead of air. The small amount of argon you add during the dive will not help if it is just squirted in on top of air

Your status on the ng and experience notwithstanding, I have to disagree with this. If I am standing and put air, or whatever into my suit, it goes up to my neckseal and sits there. The only way I could see to really do this purge thing would be to literally stand on your head and inflate the suit, wave your arms around, then stand up.

I also disagree that argon does not help just using it while diving, as that is what I do, and it makes a big difference over air, whether using mix or not. I do not use my suit for buoyancy control, so I have very little argon in my suit most times, but it still makes a difference.

Phil
 
MechDiver once bubbled...
If I am standing and put air, or whatever into my suit, it goes up to my neckseal and sits there. The only way I could see to really do this purge thing would be to literally stand on your head and inflate the suit, wave your arms around, then stand up.
That isn't the way of things Phil.... though the mental picture is amusing... :D

When you fill the suit with argon it mixes with the air even though argon has greater density and tendd to sink toward the feet. You then purge that out of the neck seal and fill again. Three fills and purges and the suit only has a small percentage of air left in it. This can be demonstrated with an O2 analyzer for those who need proof.

Now if you think that a little argon added to your air is a good thing then you should try adding argon to argon... it goes beyond the placebo effect quite nicely. :D
 
Seriously, how much of a benefit are we talking about using argon instead of backgas (non-helium)?

At what temperature range do you think argon starts to become a necessity?
 
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom