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Post by SeaRat on Aug 27, 2021 17:25:18 GMT -8
This thread is for showcasing duel-post manifolds, and their use with vintage scuba. Many vintage double hose regulators were single stage, without the possibility of use with a SPG/Computer, octopus, or LP inflator hoses. These duel-post manifolds provide that capability by allowing both the single stage, double hose regulator, or other regulators that cannot be easily modified to accomodate LP and HP lines, to do so by attaching a second regulator onto the Scuba manifold. Below I am using a Scubapro duel-post manifold with a Dacor  IMG_0375 by John Ratliff, on Flickr The Dacor Dart has a Dacor vintage but great shape duckbill and the silicone diaphragm. If I had been thinking more clearly, I would have stripped off my wetsuit and gone diving today in my swimsuit and hood. It would have been a cool dive, but doable. As it was, it was a struggle to stay down. This was also the first dive on my "new" Scubapro double-post manifold. I'll have a couple of days to dive again next week. John |
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Post by scubalawyer on Aug 28, 2021 5:11:03 GMT -8
This was also the first dive on my "new" Scubapro double-post manifold. I'll have a couple of days to dive again next week. John Last Tuesday was my first dive with my dual-post set-up. Worked great!   |
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Post by vance on Aug 28, 2021 7:01:22 GMT -8
While being awesome, the dual dual setups are wildly off-topic. How about a new thread for this?
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 28, 2021 8:05:31 GMT -8
While being awesome, the dual dual setups are wildly off-topic. How about a new thread for this? Done. John |
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Post by vance on Aug 28, 2021 12:40:26 GMT -8
Cool. Thanks, John. Here's my contribution to the dual setup:  This is inferior to the above manifolds b/c there's no separate shutoff for the second regulator mount. |
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Post by Jim Perdway on Sept 1, 2021 21:14:35 GMT -8
Are these manifolds fairly rare? I’d like to get my hands on one if anyone has a good source
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 1, 2021 21:25:51 GMT -8
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Post by Jim Perdway on Sept 2, 2021 5:07:16 GMT -8
Awesome- thanks John.
If I were to get this, does it have a potentially very limited lifespan or with the necessary service would I likely get many years?
The reason I ask is because the dive shop that does my Dacor twins says that there is some connection on the manifold that is metal on metal and some unknown year they will no longer be able to tighten it hard enough to seal up. Perhaps you’ll know what they might be referring to; I couldn’t really understand exactly because I was too overtaken with sadness about their recommendation of splitting my favorite rig
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Post by scubalawyer on Sept 2, 2021 6:08:03 GMT -8
.... the dive shop that does my Dacor twins says that there is some connection on the manifold that is metal on metal and some unknown year they will no longer be able to tighten it hard enough to seal up.... If my local dive shop told me that I'd start laughing so hard I'd need supplemental oxygen to breathe. What a crock of cow dung!
Every time I disassemble a dual manifold that has a compression fitting I will run some emery cloth over both sealing surfaces just to clean it up before reassembly but I've got several dual manifolds dated 1959 that have been continually used by folks and they still seal up just fine. I have one set of twins that I got new in 1976 that I have taken apart every year for VIP's and never had an issue with re-sealing the manifold.
One can always find a Sportsways dual manifold that is o-ring sealed on the cross-bar rather that having compression fittings. Also, if your dual manifold does become FUBAR (I've seen several that were irreparably cross-threaded; several that were just plain bent; and one that looked like someone had taken a chainsaw to the brass nipple) you can always find another manifold on Ebay so there would never be a need to split up your rig. My 2psi. Here is a better shot of my dual-post manifold: |
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Post by surflung on Sept 2, 2021 7:00:26 GMT -8
Beware of ScubaPro- Take a look at the manifold on the right. It's a ScubaPro dual post manifold we put on my buddy Rich's Twin 50s. Notice that it is not centered between the tanks. The centering is somewhat adjustable but we could not get it centered enough to mount a double hose regulator... Which defeated the whole purpose.  - The original idea was to mount an unadorned double hose in the center and a completely decked out single hose on the side. It was brand new NOS and beautiful. But, we had to replace it with a traditional vintage manifold and he now dives the Twins with his Phoenix. (BTW - Rich's Twin 50s are new production... Not the old aluminum everybody worries about.)
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Post by Jim Perdway on Sept 2, 2021 10:24:02 GMT -8
Well that’s encouraging news after having been told I was SOL once my manifold fails. Thanks Mark- ya made my day!
Thank you for the heads up on SP ones. Those twin 50s are really cool. I recently had to retire a old 50 like that, but I knew it was the tank’s last dive because it was accidentally filled somehow despite failing hydro. Where did you get those repro decals?
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 2, 2021 13:36:42 GMT -8
Surflung, Just so you’ll know, some double hose regulators will fit on the Scubapro duel post manifold: [/url] IMG_0375 by John Ratliff, on Flickr[/quote] This photo is of the Dacor Clipper on the Scubapro duel post manifold. While it may not allow U.S. Divers Company double hose regulator boxes onto the manifold, the Dacor and some other ones will fit.  fullsizeoutput_29b5 by John Ratliff, on Flickr Here is a photo of my Mistral on the Scubapro duel post manifold. So I think it is possible. Jimperdway, Now, about the metal-to-metal fitting of the older manifolds; these have been in use for decades, and my Sherwood duel post manifold is still in use since the 1980s. I have some valves that are earlier than that which still work. Note that because they don’t use an O-ring, some dive shops may not realize that they need to brush some corrosion of the areas before fitting them together. I have a very large Crescent wrench to do that job, and it takes some effort to get it to seal. I like these manifolds, as I can orient them slightly backwards for the center post, and then the regulator sits squarely on my back, rather than digging into my back with the bottom edge, which happens with my single post Aqualung manifold that is a solid bar. (This is for smaller tanks only.) The larger problem with older valves has to do with the 1/2 inch NPT tapered threads. These apparently wear out over time, and need to de tightened harder and harder each year. Some dive shops (mine, for instance) will refuse to work on them because of this. They also require the application of Teflon tape on the threads, and not too many people know how to do that nowadays. I have one set of tanks (my “jump tanks”), where this is currently a problem. I hope to get them back into service this winter.  IMG_1456 by John Ratliff, on Flickr My Sherwood duel post manifold with metal-to-metal fittings.  IMG_1453 by John Ratliff, on Flickr My smaller, “jump tanks” with the 1/2 inch NPT tapered threads, now have been mothballed due to a leak in the threads. The brass-to-steel connection wears down the threads, and these are the manifolds that have problems. Note the white Teflon tape on the threads to facilitate tightening and sealing. John |
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Post by scubalawyer on Nov 29, 2021 23:00:36 GMT -8
I was out for a dive today.  Same dual post set-up but with my HW Gold Label (with Hope-Page MP) and a Wireless Transmitter on the out-board post. Oh yea, and my hairy Hobbit-feet! |
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Same dual post set-up but with my HW Gold Label (with Hope-Page MP) and a Wireless Transmitter on the out-board post. Oh yea, and my hairy Hobbit-feet!
