The great independents versus isolation manifold debate

[wazza]

What is better Independent System or manifold Valves ?
And why ?

 

[O-ring]

wazza once bubbled...
What is better Independent System or manifold Valves ?
And why ?

The main reason is that in the event of a first stage or second stage regulator failure you can still access the gas in both tanks. Unless you subscribe to using finger tight second stages (or carry a wrench), you can't do this with independent doubles and even still would have no remedy for a first stage failure.

 

[WreckWriter]

A manifold is better, provided you use the right kind. Manifold should be dual outlet (300 BAR DIN prefered) with an isolator valve.

Manifold gives true redundancy in that you can shut off a single outlet without losing access to the contents of that tank. With independents a reg failure immediately cuts your gas supply in half (at best).

When using a manifold, be sure to get some training in its use and be damn sure you can reach your valves!

Tom

 

[joens]

WreckWriter once bubbled...
A manifold is better, provided you use the right kind. Manifold should be dual outlet (300 BAR DIN prefered) with an isolator valve.

The single outlet manifolds are no better than a large single tank
properly manifolded doubles are the only way to go. independent doubles require you to switch back and forth between them to equalize the gas .
joens

 

[Walter]

What's the advantage of an isolator valve?

It gives you additional safety in the event of a burst disk failure or the blow our of the o-ring at the tank/valve interface. I've never heard of either of these going during a dive. OTOH, an isolator can be viewed as an additional failure point. Of course, I've never heard of an isolator failing either. Personally, I don't see any advantage of one over the other.

 

[wazza]

Don’t forget in the isolator u have 4 o-rings and this is a week point and if some one was holding this tank from the manifolds could leak from the o-rings ???
At this point even if u closed the isolator u will still have a tank leaking maybe both , personally I use the manifolds but some time I think that the Independent is better at the moment I changed to Independent …………
that is why I really want to know what do think ??

 

[O-ring]

Don’t forget in the isolator u have 4 o-rings and this is a week point and if some one was holding this tank from the manifolds could leak from the o-rings ???

Although I wince every time I see it, the SOP for the LDSs around here is to carry doubles by the isolator...they do it to ours all the time and we have no leaks yet *crosses fingers*.

 

[Tegg]

Honestly... If someone carries their tanks by the isolator valve and it fails later, they deserve it. Technical dive gear requires that you have some sort of brain...

I say go with a good dual DIN outlet isolator setup and make damn sure you can reach the knobs... and then enjoy the dive...

 

[O-ring]

Honestly... If someone carries their tanks by the isolator valve and it fails later, they deserve it. Technical dive gear requires that you have some sort of brain...

But it ain't me carrying them that way...maybe in FL people know better, but up here the dive shop monkeys think that isolator makes a pretty good handle

 

[wazza]

The problem is that I keep telling the dive shop monkeys that don’t hold the tanks from the isolator please , and the funny thing is they start teaching me why we have this isolator, for them to hold tank ( that is why its made ) hahahaah
And one more thing to reach the knob is really hard u need to be doing Yoga, but its ok….