Umbilical torch routing options
Dad and Daughter Go Scuba
@dadgoscuba
#askmark I am about to purchase a cannister lamp to enable me to have both hands free whilst wreck diving. I wonder if you might have any advice on mounting the cannister on a single tank, axiom bcd method and more importantly how to route the umbilical so as to stay streamlined and it not become a snag hazard? Thankyou
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#askmark
Hey Mark, thanks as always for your educational videos 😁.
I know it’s been covered before, but could you go into Venturi switches a bit deeper. I feel there’s a lot of misconceptions about them out there.
I own an Apeks MTX and an MTXV second stage, and I noticed that in the MTX (without Venturi control) the barrel always covers the air outlet hole, whereas on the MTXV you can turn the barrel to uncover the air outlet hole with the Venturi lever.
I’ve often heard the Venturi lever is designed to prevent free flows, but I would argue they are added to facilitate free flow to force more air into the lungs in high air demand situations (like swimming against a current). So you don’t need a Venturi lever to keep your regulator from free flowing.
Yeah, you’re spot on. 2nd stages will use the Venturi effect to increase airflow to your mouth but, this has the unfortunate side effect of creating freeflows if it’s out of your mouth. That’s why on Apeks regs the + setting has increased airflow and the – blocks the airflow. The MTX was design for military divers in cold water so, it has a permanent venturi sleeve as if it’s always set to –
Practically, most divers use the lever to prevent freeflows and that’s how we tend to describe their function.
#askmark Hi Mark, thank you for the amazing videos. Was wondering, if rolling up a bpw bladder like you would a T-shirt for travel is advisable or would it damage the bladder? I am diving on the Apeks Wtx-d30 PSD. Thank you.
As long as you’re careful it should be alright but, packing it flat would be better. It might put a bit of strain around where the valves are joined if it’s rolled tightly. Rolling the material around a flat valve could pull and damage the areas around your valves.
@Scuba Diver Magazine Thank you 😊
The Anchor Dive lights canister has a velcro system for mounting so it can be mounted and removed if the waist strap is available but has clips and allows for easily attaching and removing from a cam band without having to unthread it.
The earlier models didn’t have this, but I managed to get mine swapped over at a dive show for free
#askmark If money was not a consideration, what would make up your ultimate cold water kit and warm water kit…regs, BC, thermal protection (dry suit/wetsuit), mask or FFM, accessories, computer etc. Thanks again for all of your videos and advice.
*Cold Water*
*Regs* : Apeks MTX-R
*BCD* : XDEEP Zen
*Thermal* : Santi E.Lite+, Heated Undersuit Flex 2.0
*Mask*: Atomic Venom Frameless, a FFM is a better choice but, it will affect your choice of regulator though
*Computer*: Shearwater Perdix
For diving warm water only, I’d change the regs to the Atomic T3, or whatever the new TFX is that they’re announcing this month. The T3 doesn’t do so well in cold water but, it’s great for travel and warmer waters.
#askmark Hey Mark, could you cover some examples of mounting/carrying a pony bottle in a single tank recreational setup?. The context here is my certifing agency requires me to have pony bottle while leading/teaching students on the deep diver course dives and for the deep dive of the AOW course and I am trying to figure out a good why to meet that requirement while also not having that extra tank and additional regulator bits be in the way or become a #flappysnaghazard. Also what is your opinion on deep stops for recreational diving? :) Thanks!
I used to dive twins to teach those courses, It’s a good way to teach the students about different tank configurations while meeting the requirement of a redundant gas supply. Consider the amount of breathing gas that you’ll need if you and your student(s) are diving deep. Sometimes a 7L is a better size and I’d rather have too much instead of too little gas…
For single cylinder setups, you can either mount a pony alongside your main. For commercial we place it on the right with the valve upright. Hose routes down behind your right shoulder in a standard octo setup.
You could always get a aluminium 40 cylinder and sidemount it. Aluminium cylinders won’t throw your trim off very much and you’re more flexible in the water.
Thanks Mark, Great Advice
#askmark. I have a question regarding primary versus octo donation. I wear my primary on a necklace, if I lose it I know where it is. My octo is on a magnet attached to my BCD. In an out of air situation SSI says I should donate my primary and switch to my Octo, PADI says I should donate my octo and keep breathing from my primary. Which is right ?
It’s hard to define ‘ _right_ ‘ or ‘ _wrong_ ‘ on this subject but, in my opinion there are more benefits to primary donation. With primary donation you are donating a 2nd stage that you know is functioning properly and safe to breathe from at that depth. If your alternate fails then you have plenty of time to get the primary back and you can both buddy breathe.
If your alternate fails in an Octo setup, then the diver who’s been without air for a while already tries to breath from a faulty 2nd stage and then you donate your primary, it just adds an extra step.
In reality though, equipment is very reliable today and chances of an alternate to fail after you checked it on the surface are slim. But given the choice I always dive a long hose primary donate setup today.