Inverted twin cylinders

[BigJetDriver]

Folks,

Unfortunately, some of this commentary seems to be based upon partisan beliefs and not fact.

(1) The Europeans who use the "inverted cylinder set-up" (---Ed. note: In their view, we are the ones who use an inverted cylinder set-up.---) do NOT have any worse of a safety record than do our divers. The configuration, in an of itself, is no more or less dangerous than our own.

(2) If one thinks about it for a moment, if the diver posesses enough arm flexibility and joint articulation to reach an isolator valve behind the head, he can also reach one in his lower back reagion.

(3) A lot of the "valve down rigs" are not fitted with an isolator valve, for various reasons. In this case a "Slob Winder" is not required. (Ed. note: It is interesting to observe that the writer employing this phrase has purposefully chosen to use a phrase freighted with negative connotations.)

In any case, this discussion seems to have slipped into something similar to the Englishman and the American talking about language.

Cheers, lads!

 

[Bob3]

Somewhere here on SB I posted a pic of the Divator inverted bottles. They were a bailout rig, but could have just as easily been used in that configuration for "normal" scuba.
Hose routing, streamlining, and resistance to fouling are all high ranking factors that come out on top.
That being said, "normal" scuba valves aren't built to handle the extra abuse, you need something like the AGA/Interspiro/Divator manifold that's specifically designed for inverted use.
If I can find my sister's camera I can excavate my old set of twin 40 HPs & snap off a couple new pics.

 

[sparky30]

Sparky - go ahead and do a valve shutdown without a slobwinder on an upside down set of doubles and let me know how it works. Honestly - I'm curious.

I'm also curious how you're going to get custom hoses just to try everything but hey - to each his own. I wouldn't dive with you, but I know that sure as heck wouldn't stop you.

You asked for an appraisal, I offered them for you, but if you're bound to go ahead and try, then good luck to you.

Thanks.

Thank you for your opinion. I appreciate the information. Just for the record, I wouldn't dive with you either.. I am pretty particular about who I dive with, and closed minded, brainwashed buddies are at the bottom of my list.
I find it amazing that you are so closed minded to even consider a different setup.. At one point a 7ft hose would have been considered radical, as was a BCD.
So far your only valid point in this argument is the slobknob failure point. I agree with you that it is an extra failure point, but does that single item invalidate all the other benefits.
How often do slob knobs really fail? (<- A valid question.. I've never used one..don't know much about them).
I'll try to flip the doubles on my TransPac (no.. I don't dive a backplate.. I don't find them comfortable..and no.. I'm not a tech diver.. nor do I have any aspirations of becoming one anytime soon.) upside down. I just want to see how difficult it is to reach all the valves.. I bet I might not even need a slobknob to reach the isolation valve.

 

[Bob3]

I just want to see how difficult it is to reach all the valves..

What's easier, scratching your back between the shoulder blades, or scratching yer butt?

 

[docmartin]

interesting discussion. i had been thinking about an inverted setup. unfortunately it is difficult to try one since i don't want to spend the money on valve protectors and new hoses and then find out that i don't like it.
to me a key consideration is if you really need the "slobknob" or if you can reach the isolator without one. if you need the slobknob to reach the isolator you will have to decide if you want to deal with this additional piece of equipment and its potential failure. i don't think it makes a lot of sense to avoid the issue by diving inverted independent doubles as someone suggested above. it kind of defeats the purpose. the improved ability to reach your valves is pointless when you dive independents. shutting off your valve with independents does not make the "saved" air available to you. your remaining gas is essentially lost. so reaching the valve to shut it off is not really a consideration (okay, there may be an exception or two such as shutting off a freeflow because of icing. in this case the reg could be used again later in the dive after the ice disappears).

 

[BigJetDriver]

What's easier, scratching your back between the shoulder blades, or scratching yer butt?

Bob,

It depends on how often you practice scratchin' yer butt!!

 

[BigJetDriver]

I'm also curious how you're going to get custom hoses.

Try:

Diver's Supply, Inc. www.diverssupplyinc.com

(The commercial diver's outfitters.) Tell Destry I said "Hi!"

 

[Scuba_Steve]

Thank you for your opinion. I appreciate the information. Just for the record, I wouldn't dive with you either.. I am pretty particular about who I dive with, and closed minded, brainwashed buddies are at the bottom of my list.

Ouch Spark!!!

That's my fellow close minded buddy you're talking about here

I can't believe for a second that you are as particular about diving with someone than Boogie is!, but I may just be wrong.

Let us know how it works out, but be REALLY careful when sitting down on the boat.

Steve

 

[rjchandler]

Try:

Diver's Supply, Inc. www.diverssupplyinc.com

(The commercial diver's outfitters.) Tell Destry I said "Hi!"

gotta get me one of them decompression chambers

 

[d33ps1x]

Wow! I didn't expect this much controversial debating on this topic...

I really doubt that somehow.