Regulator wanted

[lawsan]

I need a low pressure regulator for my hookah rig. If you have a spare you could sell let me know.
Thanks

 

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[abacopirate]

Any scuba regulator will work Just need to adjust the pressure down a little .

 

[wreckdiver1715]

I must respectively disagree. There are design differences between the High and Low pressure regulators, and remember that we are talking about Life Support Equipment. Go to your local dive shop and purchase a Low pressure regulator, they are not all that expensive.

Tom

 

[JamesE]

I have zero experience diving!!! BUT built a hookah anyway.
I used a 110 volt compressor with the compressor reg. set at 60 lbs. and the regulator ($20 eBay) seems to draw and seal OK.
Do the 'store bought' hookahs use less pressure?
I haven't dive tested it yet, Iowas' lakes had ice and I figgered it'd be stupid to chop a hole through it and drown in ice water when I could wait for summer and drown in warm water.
My intent is for shallow 6-12 ft. detecting, boat cleaning, and dock repair.

 

[Shaw]

I experimented in my pool this weekend and it seemed to work great. Mine was just a crude attempt to see how it would do. Phase one passed no problem.

My question is what is the quality of air that is compressed in the air tank? My tank is pretty new but yet it had a corrosion taste (rust).

 

[rmptr]

I just stumbled across you fun guys over here....

I see a buncha different names, all kinda trying to do something life-threatening on a budget.

Xtreme guys, huh?

OK, I can hang with that...

The little pancake compressor in the picture is probably contaminated with oil.
If NOT in a lube crankcase, it has assembly lube in it...

And guys, if you haven't been advised yet, there is no telling what those Chinese fellows used in the content of the machine...

If it is not made to produce breathing air, it does not!

The gases produced by the compressor and hose (itself) could be and most likely are toxic.
It may not get you now, but it will complicate your life later.
A sure sign of petroleum contamination is a bit of dizziness, or puking when you have to get out of the water.

I'd take that compressor apart, clean it VERY well, and lube it with an acceptable breathing air lubricant.
Also flush the hose with water quite a bit, and also leave it out for a sun tan, to cook it a bit in the UV's.

Next, I would get a filter designed for breathing air... they got 'em... It goes in the line, after the compressor.

Might as well start smokin' cigarettes guys... it's fashionable!
and just as wise as using an import cheapo compressor!

And yes, you can monkey around with the spring in a 2nd stage regulator for hookah use so they work.

But I'll tell yah, I did all that fun stuff many years ago on a mining claim and never got deeper than 6 or 8ft.

Yup, my lungs are hangin' in there, today. But I ain't runnin' no races!

The wreckdiver should be along to give you better advice...

HH
rmptr

 

[Salvor6]

I tried the same thing. You must use an oil-less compressor unless you want to breathe oil mist. The problem with those small compressors is they don't have enough volume to support one diver at 15' deep. I use a 130 cubic foot tank with a high performance reg and 100' hose. I made a manifold out of a block of aluminum with one end tapped for 1/4 pipe (for the 100' hose) and the other end 3/8-24 thread for the second stage hose.

 

[JamesE]

Hi guys,
The compressor above is an oiless diaphragm type, the hose is nylon lined. The compressor is rated at 1 CFM @ 40PSI, .6 @ 90PSI, draws 2.6 Amps. On @ 80psi, off @ 105psi, tank regulator set to 60psi. I wasn't able to outrun it breathing a lot more than I would while diving.
I turned it off to see how it reacts, mostly it just got harder to draw air as the pressure dropped. So the thing to keep in mind is, if it gets hard to draw air, might be a good time to surface!!!
I haven't noticed any odd tastes or dizziness whatsoever. Kinda' worry that there may be problems when condensate collects, thinking maybe to rinse the tank w/ dish washing liquid to prevent mold or whatever from growing in it. Might get oil smells out of a new one.
Maybe a guy would want to lock it to something to keep it out of the water from hose pull, kids, dogs, clumsoos', etc.. and put a GFI into the circuit. Suggestions welcome.
I wouldn't loan this to a friend or a stranger, or let a kid use it because I'd feel like crap forever if someone got hurt playing with my jerry rigged toys..
I don't plan to wreck dive in the Pacific with it, Plan to use it to about 15' at the most, probably more like 6-10 ft. in ponds and lakes/swimming holes.
If someone with actual experience sees a fatal flaw w/ this setup, would sure like to hear about it.
Otherwise, I'm gonna' keep runnin' with scissors.

 

[rmptr]

James, you would maybe be better flushing that tank with alchohol... as in vodka. Really!

and a bit of vegetable cooking oil could keep it from rusting inside...

...there's STILL assembly lube in a diaphram compressor... petro based...

...It doesn't seem to me the breathing air filters were too expensive, when I last looked at 'em...

I'll search 'em out if you guys can't find 'em...

Thinkin' about doing a real silly one right now, myself...

Using a hot tub air bubbler centrifugal pump with a garden hose to just a bypass mouthpiece so I can keep my face just under the surface for recoveries at a place where 110 AC is available...

HH
rmptr

 

[JamesE]

I'd be silly to breath what I wouldn't drink
The nature of the construction of diaphragm pumps is that the compressor head is sealed (by the diaphragm) from the crank side. Usually the crank pin is a sealed bearing rather than in an oil bath like the Keene, the only way for lube to get to the air side is for the diaphragm and bearing seal to fail simultaneously.
I was considering dish soap because it would reduce surface tension to absorb whatever out of the air rather than floating on top. and the glycerine might coat the steel and the higher PH might inhibit any growths. This might be way "overthinkin' it" though.
After lookin' at the store bought, I'm thinking to add a paper filter or better air cleaner on the intake.
Before the wife neuters ya' for tearin' apart the hot tub and buyin' a mile of extension cord, (Red Green?) maybe you could just buy a snorkel for what yer' wantin' to do?
There's a Vietnamese Dive Mask system that blows continuous air into the mask and a power snorkel that does the same, I didn't choose those because the continuous exhaust would be way inefficient for battery power.
After all this dinkin' around, I'm still not sure that an extension hose on a snorkel wouldn't do the same as the compressor for the intended shallow diving. jim

 

[rmptr]

Hey James,

Yup, easiest way is probably best way... longer tube on snorkel...

How about bigger diameter, longer tube for snorkel?

Yes, me savvy diaphragm compressors pretty much... might have 8 or 10 of 'em around here, then there's the piston compressors, and the paint pumps, and high pressure pumps, and centrifugal pumps.

...SOME of the little air pumps draw intake through the open crankcase and flapper valve is on the piston.
Lube COULD get into air!

Whew! gots a lotta pumps! Maybe I oughta thin 'em out some like me wifey sez... Nah!

I don't have a gas or electric hookah pump, or a HP air for scuba tanks/ paintball markers.
Must not be done gettin, yet...

And all that just reminded me... I'd like to have a diesel rotary for sandblasting!

Do you have more description of the Vietnamese mask thingy? or pics
That sounds interesting...

HH
rmptr

 

[JamesE]

Might try googling "DIY hookah or dive equipment". It's unregulated LOW pressure air being fed directly by hose into a regular dive face mask similar to a dive hood but you don't have to stay vertical. The excess air is continuously exhausted.
I can't remember what it is, there's a limit to how deep we can go before water pressure prohibits lung function or chest expansion. I'd guess it depends on physical condition to a point.
I was hoping Wreckdiver or another diver might jump in with info about if it's possible to get the bends from a hour or so at 10 feet or how deep for how long before it needs to be considered. or what the limits might be. Not something I want to learn from Error and Error.

 

[rmptr]

Do you have the PADI dive book James?

rmptr

 

[JamesE]

I'm guessing you're going to tell me if I had it it would answer the questions I don't have any books, I survive by superior intellect, uninhibited intuition, and gov't cheese. What's in the PADI?? jim

 

[SGTDirk]

Man you guys are scaring me. Pay the $300 and get certified before you end up costing yourself your life. I have multiple certifications, and am commercially certified. Unless your compressor was originally designed for breathing, you will end up hurting yourself. It is much easier to just pick up a large bottle of air from a local distributer. They sell to medical facilities, and doctors offices. Breathing air is filtered to make sure there are no impurities. This is very important, why because when your body is under pressure, from water, your body absorbs gasses and impurities faster than if you were on the surface. Yes one dive you might be fine, but over time you will develop lung problem that may be incurable.
Next your homemade breathing apperatice may work. I have seen a few used on working dives, but they were built by people with years of working experience. Unless you know what you are doing, I don't reccommend this.
And finally at 10 feet underwater, you can dive indeffinatly with out the chance of getting the bends. If you were certified you would know this.
You guys are playing with something that if you make one small mistake it will cost you your life period. I have read too many articles about people that had no training and died for doing something they didn't know how to do. Take the time and spend a couple bucks and learn. Besides if you get certified you can rent the right gear that has been maintained, and you can get air that has been filtered for $2 a bottle. As my dad used to tell me, use your head for something other than a hat rack.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Ditto to everything SGTdirk just said. Diving is an inherently dangerous activity, and to blow off certification! well let me just say that the $300 or so dollars that you spend getting your open water certification (even for just diving in 10 foot of water), is the best insurance policy that you could ever buy.
Allot of good people died in the early days of scuba simply because they lacked the basic physiology skills and knowledge required for safe diving. Why would any of you want to put your life in jeopardy, when you could easily invest a few hundred bucks, and a couple weekends of your time.
No diver gets in the water from my boat without a PADI certification card (Professional Association of Dive Instructors), or similarly recognized certification.

THINK SAFETY

Get certified

Tom

 

[Shaw]

SSI Certified here, I own all of my equipment and have logged some time in the H20. I just like to tinker and experiment with things.

I agree though - Take the time to learn a few things before you screw yourself up.

 

[JamesE]

You guys don't leave a lot of room for gratitude.
Thanks for the info on the bends, I appreciate it, my small town mid western library doesn't have much on diving.
Me thinks you compare apples and oranges....
So, are all those dredgers using gas and battery powered 'factory' Keene hookahs operating only with "hat racks"?
I think you guys might get a host of impolite replies if you post these opinions in the gold dredging forum. To even raise the 'certification' issue might give the DNR a whole new idea on how to restrict gold dredging;
For which I might use this with a generator, and I promise not to set the engines exhaust next to the hookah intake .
I don't know where in the post you guys got the idea I was thinking this is comparable to SCUBA, or how I somehow think that using this would lead me to believe I would be qualified for 'open water' diving.
The following is not me being disrepectful or sarcastic:
If you were to let some un-certified guy strap on a tank and jump off your boat, that would make you more ignorant than him, totally guilty and liable. I wouldn't even ask to 'open water' dive without certification, and wouldn't trust anybody that would let me.
I really appreciate the precautions but I still don't see the difference between this and store bought gold dredge shallow dive equipment?
Like I said, no disrepect intended, jim
One other thing, for many people, the biggest fear in life is not death.

 

[Darren in NC]

James, when people are "tough" on you, it's hardly personal. We don't know you. People are simply trying to keep you from becoming another statistic in the news. Safety first. But you wondered why anyone got the idea you were talking about SCUBA...

My intent is for shallow 6-12 ft. detecting, boat cleaning, and dock repair.

I don't plan to wreck dive in the Pacific with it, Plan to use it to about 15' at the most, probably more like 6-10 ft. in ponds and lakes/swimming holes.

This insinuates SCUBA more than gold dredging hookahs. I'm not sure anyone knew you were referring to dredging. Guys who get comfortable with hookahs tend to get overconfident when it comes to SCUBA. Nothing personal, but when you see people dying who never bothered with certification, then it colors your lenses a bit.

Best to you,
Darren

 

[Salvor6]

Hey James, I know what you are doing and its perfectly safe. Don't listen to those old farts. I became a PADI instructor in 1984 and I have certified hundreds of divers. As a matter of fact, you don't need certification to use a hookah. Its nice to have though. Check around and find an instructor that will certify you for less. I used to charge $200 and some will give a discount if you bring a friend. Here is a picture of my rig. It is a diaphram pump and there is no oil whatsoever. I used this to make my record cave dive to 175' last year. (just kidding!)