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couv
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Sat May 07, 2016 8:17 pm

The only issue I've had was with my new Hog wing with the corrugated hose elbow directly in the center of the wing under the can. Not unworkable, but I do not recommend the Hog wing because of that.
A sincere THANK YOU to all at VDH who make this wonderful resource available and to all the thoughtful contributors.

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2THDIVR
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Sat May 07, 2016 10:23 pm

I also have a Hog wing .
To remedy the hose problem I inverted the wing, the exhaust hole is offset.
swapped the dump valve and inflator .
Works fine.

Scott

rx7diver
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Sun May 08, 2016 8:01 pm

Thanks, all, for the comments/suggestions. One thing is sure: Regardless of anything else, I will almost certainly need a new wing. My Halcyon Pioneer 27, being a bit over 27" long, will only just accommodate my steel 72, but is too tall for, say, an Al 63.

Moreover, I'm thinking that pairing my PRAM with my VDH backplate (it arrived Friday, btw!) and two of my OMS 46's manifolded with a center-orifice manifold, will make a terrific package. And this configuration will require a different wing, too. (Of course, I would need to procure the manifold and tank bands, too.)

I'm not sure when I will be able to take my PRAM + VDH Backplate + Pioneer 27 + 72 diving to see if my current corrugated inflator will work after all, or if it is too short.

Meanwhile, I am having fun playing with harness configurations, referencing the various configurations discussed on the VDH harness setup page. I've already discovered a couple of surprises!

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

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EHowe
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Mon May 09, 2016 9:16 am

I started with my Double hose right after being certified. Bryan had not yet introduced the VDH plate/ wing set up yet. At that time the most commonly recommended BC was the Zeagle Express tech that I paired with my PRAM. With the harness and tank adjusted to its lowest point the inflator hose ended up shorter than it was designed at my shoulder and was attached to harness with a Velcro strap. I had used that set up several times in the quarry and felt quite comfortable. On only my second dive in Lake Michigan it was a late afternoon charter out of Chicago. The first dive was great but wind and waves stared to pick up as we motored to our second dive. When we arrived at the dive site there was no mooring line in place so the captain moved off of where he thought the wreck should be and dropped the anchor. By now it's getting dark and there are 2-3 foot waves. We dropped down and only found only a sand bottom in all directions. We followed the anchor line back up. When I reached the surface the boat (and anchor line) is pitching up and down waves going over my head and I cant find my inflator hose to inflate my wing because the Velcro had come loose and it flipped behind me. I had to kick my arse off to try and keep my head above water. As I'm struggling to not drown I somehow found myself under the boat! Luckily for me it was a catermaran so I was between the hulls. I have no idea how I ened up there with out the boat coming down on me. I droped back down 5-6' and made my way to the anchorline where I was able to get myself together and locate my inflator. I have since purchaced a VDH plate/wing. The inflator hose is quite a bit longer and it gets double velcroed to my harness.

rx7diver
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Mon May 09, 2016 11:05 pm

Ehowe,

Definitely a scary story. Glad you made it through that incident okay. As I wrote above, one of the first things I did during my first open water dive with my PRAM+BC+Freedom Plate was check to make sure I could orally inflate while diving—which I eventually learned to do (in spite of myself). I also checked to make sure I could reach my tank valve (to turn it off and on) while diving.

When using my VDH Plate (instead of my Freedom Plate or my blow-molded, plastic backpack), however, I expect to be wearing my tank much lower, and wearing a crotch strap, and wearing a weight belt *over* my crotch strap. (I will be diving wet.) So, one more skill I will need to learn and practice, I think, is loosening my waist strap to hike my tank up/forward a bit to reach my tank's K-valve (to turn it off and on). Hmmm. Maybe this is an excuse to procure an even older 72 that uses a 1/2" pillar valve (preferably a pillar J-valve)!

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

P.S. For years I have used the DIR method of securing my corrugated inflator hose with a small piece of bungee attached to my left shoulder harness. Less likely to ever lose the inflator with this configuration. I installed this on my VDH harness earlier this evening. We'll see how it works.

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ScubaLawyer
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Mon May 09, 2016 11:44 pm

rx7,
Post some pics of your rig. Always interested in what others are doing. Mark
"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

rx7diver
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Location: Columbia MO

Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Tue May 10, 2016 6:08 pm

ScubaLawyer wrote:rx7,
Post some pics of your rig. Always interested in what others are doing. Mark
ScubaLawyer,

I would be happy to post some photos of my configuration "experiments." However, I do not think you will see anything new, as much of what I am trying I am learning from this site. (This site is an incredible resource!) Moreover, I have yet to take any of these VDH backplate-based configurations diving. As soon as I get a chance, though, I will upload some pics.

See Diving,

rx7diver

rx7diver
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Fri May 13, 2016 3:46 pm

Okay, here's my first attempt at posting pics to this VDH site. Some notes:

1. I transferred my harness from my Freedom Plate to my VDH Plate (because, well, I like the blue color).

2. I threaded the one-piece harness using one of the approaches seen in the VDH reference page (i.e., I didn't cut the harness into two pieces, and didn't use any of the supplied hardware at the top of the Plate). The harness, as configured to cross behind my neck, is similar to how I years ago wore my Dive Rite Al doubles plate--except I didn't wear a crotch strap.

3. I have an old, never used (unopened package) Halcyon crotch strap that came with harness webbing and hardware I purchased years ago from Extreme Exposure when I purchased a H SS doubles plate and STA (which I wore once and vowed to never wear again!). I put this on the Plate.

4. I removed my AIR 2 and custom hose from my Halcyon Pioneer 27 singles wing, and reinstalled the power inflator that shipped with the wing.

5. I included a closeup of the DIR-style bungee loop that's on the left (as worn) shoulder strap to corral the BC power inflator. Unfortunately, my inflator hose seems to be too short when my straps are set up for this VDH Plate.

6. Oh, and I left off the HP hose and SPG as I was changing things over from an earlier configuration. I would absolutely dive with one, though. (Unless I had a J-valve!)

Okay. That's about it. Let me know if you have any questions/comments. Keep in mind, I haven't had this setup in the water yet.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver
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rx7diver
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Fri May 13, 2016 9:22 pm

(continued)
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Okay, that's all.
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Bryan
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Fri May 13, 2016 9:49 pm

The way you have the shoulder straps run now will work but it will not work as well as crossing the straps in the way Luis shows and details it. I have used the plate both ways and having the straps crossed gets the regulator more centered and the whole rig more comfortable. To each their own of course.
I might also suggest putting your banjo facing down and letting the HP hose run under your arm against your body as opposed to facing it up like an antenna.

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Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

rx7diver
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Fri May 13, 2016 11:19 pm

Bryan wrote:The way you have the shoulder straps run now will work but it will not work as well as crossing the straps in the way Luis shows and details it. I have used the plate both ways and having the straps crossed gets the regulator more centered and the whole rig more comfortable. To each their own of course.
I might also suggest putting your banjo facing down and letting the HP hose run under your arm against your body as opposed to facing it up like an antenna.

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Hi Bryan,

In fact, I DO cross my straps. (I've been crossing my straps ever since I purchased my first doubles plate (the DiveRite Al plate pictured at the left in the photos) in 1993 or so. I agree: My doubles always felt much more centered, much more stable, with my straps crossed--stable enough, in fact, that I didn't need a crotch strap, nor a chest strap.) My photos might be a bit misleading because I left the straps parted in the top picture so people could see better how the harness weaves through the VDH Plate.

I don't use a banjo. My reg is fitted with a first generation Phoenix. (This used to be TN Traveler's reg; I believe you, yourself, did all the work--new hoses, new wagon wheel valves, new duckbill valve, etc.--on it when he had it serviced several years ago.)

Thanks for the suggestion to run the LP inflator hose downward, under my arm. I actually learned to run things this way when I took a NSS-CDS Cavern and Basic Cave course in 1988. This method worked extremely well. Of course, I was using a much longer corrugated inflator hose and a correspondingly longer LP inflator hose then. If/when I eventually switch out the much shorter Halcyon hoses to my Pioneer Singles wing, for longer hoses, I will keep this suggestion in mind.

One thing I forgot to mention: I preferred having a "quick disconnect" (actually, a weight belt buckle) on the right shoulder of my doubles harness since I wore that harness snug in the shoulder straps. I am thinking that I won't need one for the VDH Plate harness, though, since wearing a crotch strap will probably mean I can wear my shoulder straps looser. I have a way of putting a quick disconnect on a continuous harness, but doing this requires a longer harness made of webbing that's thinner than the blue webbing seen in the pictures. (The webbing you sent with my VDH Plate is perfect for this, though--except I already halved it, and, besides, it probably wouldn't have been long enough anyway.) I'll be able to tell more about this when I eventually take this rig diving.

Thanks again for the suggestion/comments.

Safe Diving

rx7diver

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Bryan
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Re: Corrugated Inflator Hose with VDH Backplate

Fri May 13, 2016 11:29 pm

My fault for viewing the pictures on a tablet I'm sure. Sounds like you have the perfect solutions for all of it.

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Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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