the positioning of SPG of sidemount regulator configurations?

[stanleychan]

Normally there are two methods: one is downwards to the cylinder, which is often seen in Mexico style; one is upwards to your shoulders. My instructor told me a liitle about the difference between these two ways. He said big and strong people like to get the SPG straight up because they would feel uncomfortable when bending their hands back to find the SPG and it is easy to check the SPG without using hand.

But in overhead environments, the SPG would have the possibility to be thrust into the silt. My instructor encountered this problem when he doing his training in Florida. He manged to go through a very small passage and the SPG roil the water then he has to quit.

Most of my dives are in open water, so I always put the SPGs upward because even my hands are occupied for doing other things, I still can easily know how much air.

like to know your ideas on this..

 

[rongoodman]

Downward, on 9" hoses. (Not surprisingly, I dive in the Mexican caves.)

 

[mddolson]

I like mine upwards. But I've had very few cave dives, I dive mostly wrecks, in great lakes area.


Mike D

 

[Scott]

I prefer mine upwards and at approximately a 45 inwards.



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[Sidemount_Stu]

I prefer mine downwards, keeps everything much neater and tidier and it's not difficult to read them..... I dive mainly open water, wrecks.... not caves... and in Cold Water.. drysuit/dryglove locations 99% of the time.

 

[victorzamora]

In caves, especially scootering, it's MUCH easier to read a lollipopped SPG. It's also easier to read lollipopped SPGs in high flow. In Mexican caves, where there's no flow and no scootering, pointing them back is fine. However, if your bottles are hung properly then having the SPGs point up won't cause any "shovelling" like your instructor experienced. I'm coming up on 100 cave dives, most with SPGs "up" (lollipop) and have yet to have a "shoveling" incident.

 

[Kevrumbo]

In wrecks, you don't want anything like SPG's on long HP hoses sticking up & out and leading & exposed forward like a "lollipop" or "antenna curb feelers" --else it can catch on sharp cutting metal edges or entangle in wreckage wiring or reel line: Keep the SPG's straight on short 6"/15cm hoses, untethered but streamlined down along the upper length of your tank.

And with the tanks properly clipped-off & bungee'd retained, all you gotta do to see your SPG's is simply pull down the tank valve, read the SPG & release and the shock cord bungee retainer will tuck the upper tank back under your armpit.

 

[drspore]

I was taught to use the lollipop method on 6" or 9" hoses. I only dive open water and non-penetration of wrecks. I can see advantages to both setups, but I prefer not to have to move things around to see my tank pressures. And as a "big" man I can confirm that it is difficult (for me anyway) to see things near my shoulders when I'm geared up (mostly due to the mask).

 

[TracyN]

In caves, especially scootering, it's MUCH easier to read a lollipopped SPG. It's also easier to read lollipopped SPGs in high flow. In Mexican caves, where there's no flow and no scootering, pointing them back is fine. However, if your bottles are hung properly then having the SPGs point up won't cause any "shovelling" like your instructor experienced. I'm coming up on 100 cave dives, most with SPGs "up" (lollipop) and have yet to have a "shoveling" incident.

Lol! You haven't done any real SM diving then. In small passages those lollipop gauges will gouge the silt unless you dive with one arm on your chest holding them up.

 

[karstdvr]

However, if your bottles are hung properly then having the SPGs point up won't cause any "shovelling" like your instructor experienced. I'm coming up on 100 cave dives, most with SPGs "up" (lollipop) and have yet to have a "shoveling" incident.

I agree if your bottles are hung well then spgs pointing up don't come in contact with the floor, but also I think it depends whether some people like the 1st stage facing toward them, or away from them, because that will allow it to be positioned such that it is close to your body. I prefer spgs angled in 45 degrees because both of them are touching each other, and in close proximity to my midline, so there is no interference with stages/deco, but having them close to each other means one swipe of the light illuminates both spgs. When I first started sidemounting I used to have the gauge down the side of the tank, frequent flexing/unflexing is not real good on the hose,but in a dry suit having to contort your head down to see the gauge sometimes meant a squirt of water down your back.

---------- Post added May 13th, 2015 at 05:34 AM ----------

Lol! You haven't done any real SM diving then. In small passages those lollipop gauges will gouge the silt unless you dive with one arm on your chest holding them up.

This shouldn't have to hold true, and may point to something regarding set up that needs a tweek.