[kinetic]

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Can anyone help?

The general advice is to get MDE manifold for twinsets but what does MDE mean/stand for?

Also, everyone talks of the valves etc (ie stick clear of cheap Italian stuff) for twins but this never crops up as an issue (that I've seen) for singles....or is the same advice equally applicable to singles.

Anyway....if you can clarify I'd be grateful.

Cheers.

 

[Dr Stevil]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Don't know, but 'pound to a penny'  E stands for engineering.
They're based somewhere in Leicester I believe, IIRC Nige Pierce lives near that area
Chee-az
Steve
(Got an MDE isolator manifold meself)

 

[Richie]

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Think they are Midland Diving Equipment in Leicester.
I got my first cylinder there, IRC ,40 cu ft, bar.... those were the days. Did I tell you about....................

MDE are also the Aqualung importers for UK

 

[And]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Hi

You will find that people will always recommend what they have themselves and encourage you to do it their way with no explanation other than 'any other way is bollox'  

There are generally two types of manifold : Facing O ring and Barrel oring.

A facing oring type ( http://www.omsdive.com/valves.html#M-SPEC ) uses DIN type fittings ie screws the centre piece into an oring to provide the seal. MDE provide this type. One thing to note is that the seal is made by the facing oring and may be less tolerant to twisting. However if properly setup this shouldn't occur with normal use which is why many people will say they have never had a problem. MDE are a leicester based company with an excellent rep and you can buy and see these manifolds at Divers Warehouse, SDS and most other dive shops

A barrel oring type such as Scubapro, halcyon and more recently OMS ( http://www.omsdive.com/news.html ) uses a thinner piece with two orings forming a seal. These are preferred by cave divers where overheads form a collision hazard. Because they have two orings they are supposed to be more resistant to movement. SDS sell scubapro. One thing I have been told is that if carried by the isolator these may bend and therefore leak. Solution: Don't let anyone carry it by the manifold

Sadly, we can now expect

although I have tried to be objective and I didn't mention kkk once.

 

[Hobby]

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Just an addition to WL's concise info above.Re.the O ring faced manifolds,MDE did,some years ago,some ally ones(mine was a nice anodised puple)which are quite frankly bloody awful.
Mine was made by MDE for Diamond and they were quite popular at one point.They've got the structural integrity of an OAP's bowel movements and are prone to deforming and generally unwinding(if anyone else here has experienced one I'd love to hear about it).
If you're looking at 2nd hand stuff just bear this in mind,the rest of the stuff as said is generally pretty good.
Hobby.

 

[Dominic]

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Save yourself the worry of which manifold to use: Connect a HP hose to both your first stages and use that to allow gas to move between the two cylinders  

 

[Dr Stevil]

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Quote[/b] (wetlettuce @ May 15 2003,10:01)]One thing I have been told is that if carried by the isolator these may bend and therefore leak. Solution: Don't let anyone carry it by the manifold

<font color='#0000FF'>Yes indeedy Mr Latuca sativa, you are quite right to highlight the damage that can be done by the unenlightened, and thanks for reminding me of another advantage of a VG on your twinset  

Chee-az
Steve

 

[kinetic]

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THX ALL but especially, Wet Lettuce...cheers..also see

http://www.gasdiving.co.uk/pages/misc/kit/cylinder.htm

I was checking this subject for some time but as I live abroad I'd ask for MDE and they'd rush at me with a striaght jacket...or was that before I opened my mouth..???

Anyway, my preference now is for the barrel..I've done some amateur caverns (I'm no sump diver by the way...nice easy swims and no 300m of dry cavern yomps for me thanks) and caverns and springs with borrowed, hired and hotch potch but as i want to progress I'm adapting my gear accordingly.

More comments welcome...

Graham