Argon suit inflation

[alan h]

Hello
Would you's please tell me your thoughts on Argon suit inflation. Not because of the warmth but to have a total seperate source of bouyancy. I am thinking of buying two cylinders one air for diving with little deco and one for argon when diving deeper with longer deco and trimix.
The reason I am thinking this way is because when I was practising my shutdown drills a few weeks ago I started to descend, I automatically went for my suit inflation and there was nothing there something easy got over I know, but when in a real life threat this could be the start of something nasty!
So for very little cost and the small extra weight until in the water I believe this is the way forward.
Thanks Alan

[David Pye]

If you've got a manifolded twinset, run the wing off one post, and the drysuit off the other.

That way, you should never be without a source of buoyancy (unless you can't breathe either, which would be a more pressing problem )

[nickb]

Since I started diving with trimix I've used a separate source for suit inflation on all dives, regardless of the backgas I'm using.

I do this so that my kit configuration remains the same, I don't have an LP hose on my left hand first stage.

I use a small Buddy BCD crack bottle for bimble dives and a 1 litre AP Valves cylinder for deeper dives or those that might involve a saw-tooth profile.

The small one can be seen in this thread: Suit inflation cylinder- how about a crack bottle?

I use an Apeks US4 first stage, de-tuned to an IP of around 5 bar, with an overpressure valve and a button SPG

[Mark Chase]

I run mix and dive CCR so I use a separate suit inflation bottle.


Its a pain in the arse. I cant for the life of me understand why anyone would bother on OC


I have a tank to manage service fill with air (forget to fill with air) attach a first stage too get said first stage serviced etc etc. Its just daft.

I do it because on CCR i don't use my bailout stages unless its an emergency so if I use them for suit inflation sooner or later i will end up running unsafe levels of bailout gas.


When I dived OC I used my deco stage as suit inflation. If i go back to diving OC I will go back to using my deco stage as suit inflation. It really is the only sensible way to dive OC.


Forget Argon. Its a waste of money for very little advantage over air.


ATB

Mark Chase

[onthetrain]

On OC, on gas dives ran my suit off my deco bottle.

Now I'm on CCR I run a seperate suit inflate and keep a spare whip on me bailout for those oh shit moments.

Never bothered with Argon

[alan h]

Yes I know the normal way is run off your deco cylinder but I just think the more sensible thing to do is to have all equipment ie hoses coming from your back. Then you dont need to worry when passing your deco cylinder to people on the boat etc.

[Garf]

Originally Posted by David Pye

If you've got a manifolded twinset, run the wing off one post, and the drysuit off the other.

That way, you should never be without a source of buoyancy (unless you can't breathe either, which would be a more pressing problem )

not a good plan if you are diving trimix. It's cooooold. You need a seperate bottle. Some people go for the deco cylinder, some for a small bottle. But don't run it off your backgas if you have mix inthem

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by alan h

Yes I know the normal way is run off your deco cylinder but I just think the more sensible thing to do is to have all equipment ie hoses coming from your back. Then you dont need to worry when passing your deco cylinder to people on the boat etc.

Surely at the point your handing off deco cylinders the dive is over so whats the problem unplugging your dry suit your going up or your on the boat.

Honestly a suit bottle will cost £80 + £125 for a first stage and hose, then you have to keep it filled so they will charge you something stupid for that then its got to be mounted so a mounting kit or a bracket say another £50

Its just a stupid idea. Stage, £20 hose, job done no annoying fill issues.


If you flit regularly between back gas deco on the twins and stage deco maybe you have a point but honestly what the point of twins if your not doing deco and how much hassle is it to add a hose on the set for the occasional back gas only dive.

ATB

Mark Chase

[nickb]

Originally Posted by alan h

Yes I know the normal way is run off your deco cylinder ....

This isn't the 'normal' way with anyone I dive with. I don't want to rely on using a source that I might need to ditch or pass to a buddy, especially if that person's prone to dropping deco bottles (Gary!!)

[nickb]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Surely at the point your handing off deco cylinders the dive is over so whats the problem unplugging your dry suit your going up or your on the boat.

You might be on the way up, but it may be some time before you get out of the water if you've got deco to do. I like to add a bit of gas to my suit during a hang to stay warmer.

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Honestly a suit bottle will cost £80 + £125 for a first stage and hose, then you have to keep it filled so they will charge you something stupid for that then its got to be mounted so a mounting kit or a bracket say another £50

Bit OTT with those numbers Mark. I paid less than £40 for my bottles and the first stage cost next to nothing on eBay. Tricky gave me the mini-SPG and the OPV was around £12. I put air in the bottles and I've yet to pay for a fill yet.