Upside down regulator

[White Knight]

Ever since I switched regulators from my diaphragm style to my SCUBAPRO MK25 Piston style, I have found it uncomfortable to hold my second stage in my mouth. The piston hangs so far below the valve that the regulator hose raps around (and below) my shoulder. That puts “a lot” of torque on my jaw to continually "bend" the hose from that point to keep it in my mouth—and then it is never straight. I have never had this problem with any other reg I have ever used. As a fix, (after trying every possible low pressure connection location) I flipped the first stage upside down and that lifted the low pressure regulator hose high enough that the torque issue has gone away. I just can’t imagine that the engineers at SCUBAPRO designed it that way? So.....am I an idiot that I need to do this? Am I the only one who has ever had this issue with their SCUBAPRO piston regulator? Is there something I am missing? Thanks.......

 

[bleeb]

Hmm. FWIW, I eventually found a low pressure port that worked for me, with the piston 'right side up'. (In case we're not talking about the same orientation, for me, that's below the top of the tank valve.) That's with a standard length hose, and not a long or one of the new highly flexible ones. Those might also be alternative work-arounds for you. How high are you wearing your tank? Sounds like you might try raising it a bit. I also have a vague memory of one option my LDS manager suggested back when I bought mine, which was to turn the piston at an angle to the tank, to get a better take off angle.

 

[HowardE]

Can you post a photo (with you in the rig)? It could help with the analysis.

(I dive MK 25 as well)

 

[maged_mmh]

LP ports are on a swivel turret (unless you're using the 5th one on the bottom); giving you virtually 360deg of freedom for any location; and with fairly long hose. I cannot visualize exactly how it is jagging your 2nd?? Anyway, adding a 2nd stage swivel may help I guess

 

[don Francisco]

There's no "right side up" on Scuba Pro regulators of this design. All the low pressure hoses go to the swivel, and there's lots of freedom to configure your hoses to your own preference.

Taller folks might set the reg up with the swivel up to give it full freedom of rotation. Shorter folks, like myself 5'9" might prefer to invert it so the swivel is towards the tank, reducing overall tank height slightly and have more room for adjustment between their head and rump.

I have an older model Scuba Pro reg of the same design, and use it inverted so I can raise the tank higher. I've found that by connecting my primary second stage to the rear port, I get a better lead and don't have a problem with the reg pulling at my mouth.

Up or down, configure the reg for whatever works best for you, and don't worry about others.

 

[White Knight]

Thanks for the advice so far. Although not a great picture of what is going on, my public profile picture shows my regulator being tugged to one side--like the hose is short. I'll see if I can find a side angle. I should also state that I am 6ft 1" and that might leave the standard hose a little short? I have asked for a longer one but I can't find one a little longer--only a lot longer. It is encouraging to learn that there is no upside down for my regulator--strang as it looks to me with the swivle above the tank valve. It performs just as well and it provides much more clearance for all the hoses. Again, thanks....

 

[HowardE]

I see in your pic what you mean.

Like other have said, there's no "upside down" for a first stage. It's just a matter of exposure on a strike-able object (the first stage).

However, there are no rules. You can put your first stage however it works. You can also look into swivels on the hose.

LP hoses can be easily found in 22, 28, 36, 40 inch size, and as long as 5, 7, and 9 feet long.

I use a 7' hose, and the routing actually makes it (the second stage) sit very comfortably in my mouth. No matter what you do here. There is no right or wrong for something like this (for standard recreational diving - more technical divers will find fault with swivels, etc)... Find comfort for youself

 

[Nemrod]

I have always used the turret type like the Mk V and similar with the turret up. Shorter people or for reasons of preference there is nothing wrong with the turret being down. Some of the Mk V piston first stages were drilled in the end of the turret (high flow) which would then have the turret pointing to the right or use a 90 degree swivel to redirect it.

N

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The early Mk 5's had only one HP port, so the turret had to be pointing down if you wanted the SPG on the left side. However with some of the short valves of the era and newer short necked AL 80's, that did not work so hot as there was not enough clearance for the turret to be pointed down. So another HP port was added on the other side and both ways were now the "right" way to mount it.

Mounting the tank higher in the BC is an option, but the tank position is also one of the best ways to adjust trim so it may or may not be something you want to do. And the HP 100 is a short tank, so you can only get it so high to start with.

A longer hose is also an option.

Pointing the turret up would get you a few more inches.

Canting the reg slightly so that the turret is at about 7 o'clock would also angle the hose up a bit, but not so much that it would cause hose routing problems with the SPG, octo and inflator.

 

[mike_s]

you might want to consider also switching to something like one of the MiFlex hoses,

they don't have near as much stiffness as other LP hoses, reducing jaw fatigue