Bobjr, I will try and give you a lot of security reasons for my multiple gas connection points.
My greatest fear is entanglement caused by back mounted equipment.
I cannot even scratch my back between the shoulder blades so 10 years ago I begun tiding up my back profile.
Since Jan 2019 I dive a double canister, single CL home made rebreather (130 hours).
It is inspired by the KISS Sidewinder beauty and has a low back profile.
TecMe.de, Martin Tolksdorf has made most parts.
I due time I will present it on this forum.
For the last 10 years I carry ALL tanks side mounted with QC6 connectors.
I started with 1 QC6 for O2 and 1 QC6 for DIL.
DIL Manifold
Very soon I discovered the danger having that single point of failure on the dil side when I got debris in the QC6 female and couldn’t connect the next gas.
The answer to that problem was the Omniswivel manifold with 2 parallell QC6 females.
The obvious security benefit is: Connect next DIL before removing the current DIL.
Usage either:
Connect 2 DIL tanks (with rather overlapping mixtures) as soon as possible. (I connect tank50/0 and 15/52 in the water to avoid bone fractures)
or:
(3 DIL tanks) Connect the 2 most suitable as soon as possible.
When switching to a third DIL tank,
disconnect the least suitable DIL tank
connect the bottom DIL.
At all times I am using the DIL MAV spraying 2 O2 sensors from 20 mm distance giving a quick verification of the dil status.
(cannot be done in most rebreather brands often having the DIL MAV on the inhale CL too far away from the sensors.)
During descent, all 5 O2 sensors constantly are testing the DIL choice.
Having such good knowledge of the current onboard DIL mix, the best security choice is to connect the BOV to the manifold.
In other words - the BOV is prepared for best bailout mix BEFORE you get stressed.
The BOV/needle valve is the heart in my RB diving.
O2 Manifold supporting the Chris Kennedy needle valve
1 QC6 male for O2 tank connection
1 QC6 female for DIL connection
Security:The O2 tank cannot be connected to the DIL manifold
Security and joy : The DIL tanks can be connected to the O2 manifold
Joy:
I often dive SCR none trimix dives with a 80cuf EAN50 replacing O2, and a 80cuf EAN21 as DIL
Security:
The possibility to dive SCR using 15/52, 21/0 50/0 is ”creating” an enormous gas depository!
(Help me to calculate how long it will last!)
The needle valve can deliver about 14L/minute max at surface.
Of course the sorb is finished long before the gas but breakthrough will be prolonged depending on the ”SCR gas overflow”
14L/minute should be enough to dilute the CO2 to an acceptable level?????
(MultiDeco Deco gas consumption = 20L/min)
I measure the CO2 between my 2 canisters so perhaps I will do a test with the primary canister empty and the spare canister fresh ...
Attending my first IANTD course many years ago I was told it is OK to change your configuration if you have good reasons to do it.
I have many good reasons…..
Regards
Sven Becker
PS
As you can see, I also use both belt and braces securing the 15kg weight belt!
My rebreather is nearly neutral in salt water so I have almost all weights on the belt.
This enables an entanglement security excerise I occasionally perform.
I park my rebreather on the bottom.
Hook up all tanks on the weight belt D-rings.
Swim a short loop away from my rebreather.
Swim back and restore the configuration.
DS
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