mounting an argon bottle

[IowaCaveDiver]

i'm headed north... i'm not exactly sure why, but apparently i had to dust off the argon bottle and figure out where it should go.... any suggestions? It is a 13 cu. ft OMS bottle with the little bands on it....i can loose them if a better suggestion comes up... open to any ideas, i'll be diving double 130's with a backplate.

-Matt

[J.D. Mislak]

with a 13, i think i would mount it to the doubles, or get a 6 and quick link it to the plate. I tried the 13 on the plate and it didn't work well...to big....JD

[BillGraham]

I know people who do use those bottles (the orange one, right?) on the backplate but it does look pretty big to me as well.

[jjsteffen]

I second picking up a six and wreck rigging it, but if you are stuck with the 13, cave rig it to the doubles. H straps or cam band it it to the double. Just make sure your inflator hose is the right length for the wing you are diving. :D

[IowaCaveDiver]

maybe i'll sell it and pick up an aluminum 6... seems like this bottle is over kill anyhow, plus i don't use argon too much. thanks for the info.

-Matt

also...how many dives do you typically get out of a six?

[jjsteffen]

maybe i'll sell it and pick up an aluminum 6... seems like this bottle is over kill anyhow, plus i don't use argon too much. thanks for the info.

-Matt

also...how many dives do you typically get out of a six?

Matt, I would think for normal depth caves you could get four out of it.

[BillGraham]

I guess the other thing to consider is the depth. If you're doing a dive to 200 feet you may need the OMS bottle.

I never worked out how much suit gas I use for a dive but it varies wildly depending on what suit I'm wearing and how badly it's leaking.

Abyss made a really cool valve for argon bottles, I picked up a six cu foot cylindar with one on e-bay. It's got no hand wheel and it's really streamlined.

[J.D. Mislak]

i make 200-250 ft dives with the six and have about half left at the end of the dive. 20-25 min dives

[BillGraham]

That's good to know, JD, then I guess there's no reason to haul the 13 cubic foot cylindar around unless you're doing multiple dives to that depth.

[OFG-1]

You Sir, offend me. I mean here in the south, we can deal with some people "mounting" sheep, cattle, and perhaps large dogs with soft tender eyes, but for GODS sake man, An Argon Bottle????????

[J.D. Mislak]

Unless you are doing long dives the 13 is big. If you are using an aluminum cylinder for an argon bottle, and transfer filling it, not boosting, you are not going to get a full argon fill into the bottle. I think the storage bottles are filled at like 2600 but i am not sure. I top mine with air after the argon to get a full fill and never noticed the difference in warmth. Some people use a low pressure bottle to get a full fill. Some go with that oms low pressure 13 or 14? You can get a full fill on it if you are transfilling. The 13 on the doubles can hinder your penitration into spaces you could get into before with doubles only. Some people have rig the 13 differently than on the plate or on the doubles. The 6 on the plate for wreck diving is good even on longer deep dives if you can get a full fill or if you dont mind topping the 6 w/air if you are not boosting...JD

[J.D. Mislak]

Abyss made a really cool valve for argon bottles, I picked up a six cu foot cylindar with one on e-bay. It's got no hand wheel and it's really streamlined.

Could you elaborate on this bottle? I am curious. any pics?..>JD

[BillGraham]

It's just a Luxfer six but the combination valve/first stage is pretty slick:
http://cavediver.net/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=3226&size=big&sort=1&cat=515

[IowaCaveDiver]

How do you fill this type of valve/first stage? It looks like a spare air kind of setup.....any info?

[Jordan]

Butt-mount that big bottle.

[IowaCaveDiver]

Jordan,
does that mean you want me to keep the swivel clips? just messin' with ya... see ya in march.

-Matt

[Jordan]

Ha -- well they'd work. March huh? Thanks for the warning.

[DoublesOrNothing]

i make 200-250 ft dives with the six and have about half left at the end of the dive. 20-25 min dives

I am assuming the 20-25 min. is your bottom time. What is your total run time? Assuming total run time is 100 minutes (give or take a few, depending on deco profile), do you have enough gas in the 6cf for 2 dives?

[J.D. Mislak]

Butt-mount that big bottle.
You could butt mount it. It works pretty well. But if you are on a boat, sitting your doubles back down can be a problem with that bottle there.

[J.D. Mislak]

i make 200-250 ft dives with the six and have about half left at the end of the dive. 20-25 min dives

I am assuming the 20-25 min. is your bottom time. What is your total run time? Assuming total run time is 100 minutes (give or take a few, depending on deco profile), do you have enough gas in the 6cf for 2 dives?
The run times are about 75-85 min for a 200 dive and 100 min for 200+ dives.
If you get a 3000 fill on the bottle it would be close i think. I have not made any multiple dives to 200-250. I think some people even bring a 72 or so to transfill from between dives if you are doing more than 1. I think it would be close for 2 dives to say 250....JD

[BillGraham]

The black cap screws off and you can transfill it with a yoke adapter that came with it, or you can use a high pressure whip, or put a yoke block on the whip and use the adapter.

The first stage has an overpressure relief valve, a high pressure port with a button guage, and two low pressure ports.

Abyss marketed it, but I'm not sure who actually made it. My rebreather friends dissected it with interest and couldn't figure it out either.