Valve Protection (inverted Tanks)

[Dick Barwell]

Continually failing to carry out shut down drills despite stretching gym work (upper body/arms on the large size so its a losing battle )and so I am pondering whether to invert the tanks and go the way of HM Forces .

However having read the threads on valve guards the Custom divers one appears insubstantial plus the problem of build materials seizing, and there are no comments on the RITHERDON guard?

The Army/Navy appear to use quite substantial guards which will allow for plenty of deck bouncing but despite searches I cannot find an outlet

Any clues or recommendations, as there must be a market out there for a Stainless fabricator ?

db

[Digger]

Ritherdon jobbies are much better for inverting, as they've got a bigger footprint if you know what I mean. They're also much harder wearing from others I've seen using them, the CD ones aren't really designed for it and aren't a great deal of use on that front.

For a stainless fabricator to make a decent valve guard could well run into the hundreds, I did see a design which came from the bolts instead of round the neck of the tins, there was a group from oop north in Scapa last year with them, seemed to be a guy making them in the group from what I could gather.

Digs.

[Sandman]

I used to dive twinverts with a valve guard made by Enjay Marine, very solid and stable.

Not sure if they still do them but it is the same people who do the log books and other stuff.

Cheers

Simon

Upsate: Mine was fastened onto the bolts on the twinning bands and cost me about £100, quality kit though and the best designed one I saw.

[Twinsetmad]

Before you lash out on a guard it may be worth having a go on someones inverted set. I inverted mine and hated every minuite of it. No matter where I put them in the bands, I just couldn't get the centre of gravity right. I felt it was trying to tip me up or down. Bought a slob knob instead.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Twinsetmad

Before you lash out on a guard it may be worth having a go on someones inverted set.

Good idea but since I read you as in the Gloucester area I can't help much.

I inverted on a simple Custom Divers guard and it never has given me any trouble. In fact it currently is missing as a friend has borrowed it to invert his set and is currently enthusing about it.

[Dick Barwell]

Some food for thought there

Digger didn't you buy a Ritherdon one? How did you get on? Checked the site out and even the price is reasonable

I am carrying twin 10's and given my muscled bulk (read lardass) the trim shouldn't be too upset by an invert as it is looks like a rucksack anyway.

How many people run inverts anyway?

Pro's and Cons?

I already have a slob knob but given experiments in greater depths these days a freeflow on half the bottles could eat into my gas reserves! Which don't bear thinking about.

I cannot beleive more people don't invert as it does appear the logical way? or is that too SPOCKY.

db

[WBFire]

The Ritherdon one doesn't look much, if any, stronger than the CD which has a diagonal brace.

My twin tens stand quite happily on a CD guard, hoses are the main problem.

Decent valves are worth it too, it can still be quite a wriggle to find the manifold isolator and easy turning valves are a great help. I've just dumped the kak SOS set that came with my cylinders and changed to a ScubaTec/Scubapro/Agir/Halcyon (got to be the same factory) set

MG

[MATTBIN]

I ran inverts (10's) for a couple of years, loved them. I recently got two 12's and run them as indies, valve up so I have put my 10's valve up too. However if the weight and trim continue to give me grief I can see both sets going valve down again. Downside - custom hoses and a slight issue with hose routing, but that is about the only thing I found a minor problem. Oh and the mickey taking.

Matt

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Dick Barwell

I cannot beleive more people don't invert as it does appear the logical way? or is that too SPOCKY.

http://www.nigelhewitt.co.uk/diving/rig.html

[Sandman]

My set up used this.

Lifted from Diver mag.

TWINVERTING The Stand-Guard is designed to allow you to invert your twinset without risk of damage to the valves should you want to sit down - which you surely will after climbing the ladder of most dive boats with such a lot of weight on your back. Made from sturdy 3mm stainless-steel, it attaches to the tank bands rather than the cylinder neck.

Enjay Marine 01202 481286