Opinions on separate Wing inflate (drysuit inflation bottle?)

[PfcAJ]

Except doesn’t have tangible benefit over air unless you’re flushing the suit several times before the dive…

Eh, not really.

The flushes in the study you’re thinking of pretty much had to be done because the tests weren’t deep.

If you’re diving deep, you’re adding a significant amount of argon over what’s a very small amount of air.

But folks should be splitting up their buoyancy feeds. Losing both methods of attaining positive buoyancy via lp inflation at the same time is goober stuff.

 

[rddvet]

My unit runs a dedicated inflation bottle. Suit and wing inflation are separate. Initially all inflation was from the same bottle. I carried a cheater to go from qc6 to inflation if needed. I pretty much only dove caves so sinking to the depths isn’t a concern. But since reconfiguring to separate sources for each it’s a nonissue.

 

[AJ]

I use dil for my wing (which I never use) and have a 2 liter bottle separate with plain air for my drysuit (which I use for buoyancy). I took a while to get used, but once I had my weight dialed in I find it easy to dive this way.

 

[sourdough]

If you’re going to use a dedicated bottle for the suit and wing, might as well put argon in it. Better than helium anyway.

You're the second person that I've seen mention using argon with drysuit. I've been meaning to look into that, why use argon for filling the drysuit?

 

[Wibble]

It’s a little warmer — provides slightly better insulation than air. It’s also more expensive and harder to obtain.

Virtually no diver ever uses it.

 

[Jonn]

Why use argon for filling the drysuit?

I’ve never used it either, I’m more a rec diver with a single tank of plain air. The consensus seems to be that it does help keep you slightly warmer but is usually not worth the effort. Having a supply of totally unbreathable gas around is also a risk in principle. Helium works the other way: will keep you slightly colder aside from the expense. If you’re going to the hassle of being all teched out with a dedicated suit inflation bottle anyway, why not take that extra step?

 

[Wibble]

I’ve never used it either, I’m more a rec diver with a single tank of plain air. The consensus seems to be that it does help keep you slightly warmer but is usually not worth the effort. Having a supply of totally unbreathable gas around is also a risk in principle. Helium works the other way: will keep you slightly colder aside from the expense. If you’re going to the hassle of being all teched out with a dedicated suit inflation bottle anyway, why not take that extra step?

It's simply not worth it.

I have a rebreather. To be able to run it I need three gas banks for which I use three 12 litre twinsets:

• Oxygen - used for the oxygen cylinder
• V.deep trimix (9/75) which I'll use different amounts depending on the mix I'll blend
• Air - for mixing trimix and the suit inflate

If I were to use argon for the drysuit I'd need another bank and need to find somewhere that I can get it filled. In diving terms it's harder to find than helium. I'd probably never be able to find someone with a booster who would fill a full twinset and periodically top that twinset off. Argon is hugely narcotic and needs to be kept separate from other gasses so it can never be mistakenly used.

The benefit -- from memory -- is that argon's got 1.5 times the insulation properties of air. Any damp in your underclothes removes this.

In summary:

• Lots of kit required: yes
• Expensive: yes
• INconvenience: enormous
• Benefit: little/none

On the other hand I use more layers in the winter and when I feel cold I reach back behind me and flick the switch on the battery feeding my heated vest (BTW the battery also feeds my torch).


I cannot see any reason to use argon.

 

[Heat Miser]

Can people recommend the best type of reg / tank valve to go on the drysuit inflation cylinder. I have one that sticks out a bit, so I have the tank valve oriented at 225 degrees and the reg at 315 degrees and it's a PITA because it's close to the dil cylinder valve. Looking to upgrade to something better.

 

[Tracy]

My suit and wing feed from an on board dil bottle filled with air. It is closed from the breathing loop. It is isolated with a shut off valve and a safety clip locking it closed. If I want to dive the unit in a standard configuration, the valve gets locked in the other position. My on board bottles always have air and oxygen, nothing else.
MY BOV, MAV, ADV are plumbed into the offboard bailout tank. Choosing a gas for the dive is just decided by which BO I bring. It wasn't done to save money on helium as it was still relatively affordable when I built it this way, it was meant for remote diving where helium isn't easy to get. I could get air fills for my onboard easily. I can do a week of normoxic or hypoxic diving on my AL80 bailout without issue.

 

[Wibble]

Can people recommend the best type of reg / tank valve to go on the drysuit inflation cylinder. I have one that sticks out a bit, so I have the tank valve oriented at 225 degrees and the reg at 315 degrees and it's a PITA because it's close to the dil cylinder valve. Looking to upgrade to something better.

There's a small specialist suit inflate first stage regulator. Don't know the brand name; have a feeling its very generic. It has a built-in over pressure valve. It's a good idea to add a button gauge.

I've used one for years but removed it this weekend as it was slightly leaking -- replaced with an Apeks DS4 -- guess it's time to get it serviced (never been done in 7 ish years).

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