Changing hoses on Consoles

Both myself and Mrs Pitdiver have Beaver Triple consoles (I know they are not the best) what I want to know is how easy is it to change the hoses. The Beaver console has a plastic moulding where hose fits onto the Gauges.

Hey, Pitdiver! Changing the hose shouldn't be too tricky... I've worked in places that use Beaver consoles as rental kit, and if yours are the similar to those, I found the hardest part was coaxing the pressure gauge out of the console to expose the end of the hose enough to get a spanner on it. It just needs a bit of patience, gentle persuasion and, occasionally, a third hand

I found it helped to soak the console in slightly soapy warm water for a few minutes, as this softened the moulding a bit and allowed it to be more easily manipulated. (Obviously, don't submerge the other end of the hose!) Then, it was a matter of gently bending the console to reveal the top edge of the pressure gauge, then progressively levering around it until it could be slid through the console enough to expose the end of the hose - a plastic bicycle tyre-lever is great for this, as it's less likely to cause damage.

Dry everything to make sure no water can drip into anywhere it shouldn't before you start dismantling.

Then it's the obvious spanner work to remove the old hose, pluck out the swivel/spool to either replace it or check it for wear. Lightly grease the gauge thread and the two o-rings on the swivel/spool, and you're good to attach the new hose. If you can, do a bubble-check before sliding everything back together.

Also, if you can, it might be sensible to pop the compass out before you start - if only to avoid putting it in warm water (not sure if that's a good idea) or banging it around while you work on the other less delicate components.

HTH!

Chris. Mrs Pitdiver feels the current hose is a tad short so she would like a longer one. It may well be a kit configuration issue. We are going to have an extended pool session in a week or so's time. So we are looking at various options. I have already rearranged the hoses on the first stage.

I had a similar issue with my SPG hose - especially when trying to bring the console up to near eye-level in order to navigate by the compass mounted on it. During your pool-session, you might want to try routing the hose through the armhole of your BCD.

This may or may not make a lot of difference, or even be possible, (a lot depends on your first-stage and its configuration and your preference for how high the cylinder sits on your back) but this short-cut keeps my HP hose tidy and routing it between my arm and my body gave me a few extra inches - which *cough* might be all the lady needs!

My hose runs under my arm, and I keep the console secured under the clip above the waistband when I only need to glance down to check air pressure or depth. It also means that the only two 'loose' hoses are LP Reg hoses, which keeps my setup nice and neat.

Sr,thanks for the advice. We will certainly have a fiddle when we get in the pool. Will try your suggestion re putting through arm hole.

No worries... always happy to help.

Something I forgot to mention was that (if they're not already in place), you should fit decent quality hose-protectors and not tug too hard on the console, to avoid forcing the hose to bend in a way that might damage it. Also, I've no idea of your training or preferred type of diving, so it's probably worth stating that I'm (currently, 'only'...) 100% Rec - not Tech, DIR or GUE trained - so, I've no idea if what I've suggested might go against the standards pertinent to the diving you do... it's just my own way of keeping my kit tidy and streamlined.

Don't worry we are definitely neither DIR or GUE. we just do it for fun.

...aren't we all DIFF Divers?

I'm DILLIGAF

Soak the hose in warm water to soften it up. If it's worth saying twice you might as well say it thrice.

If( and this is only one way of doing it ) you can get a wrist mounted housing for the compass and if you have a computer ( so don't need a depth gauge ) i would seriously think of leaving the pressure gauge on its own without a housing .This makes using the compass a lot easier.
Pete

I quite agree with the point about the compass. In fact We use wrist mounted one. The console mounted ones don't seem to sit comfortably when you try to hold them. BTW if anybody has an inexpensive wrist compass for sale give me a shout please.

If you already use a wrist mounted compass you my find you prefer to put the gauge back together without the boot and then just tie a clip to the gauge, it's much smaller and neater.
HTH
Smart Monkey

They also make single gauge covers if you are a little wary of dragging the gauge around without protection.

There are also lightweight consoles around, I have changed to them, and they do drop a few ounces off your kit weight.



Harry

So, what's the news - how did the pool session go?

It is scheduled for THIS weekend. However Mrs Pitdiver has the most awful cold so she won't be taking part and I am possibly developing the same as my throat is beginning to feel like someone has been using sandpaper on it.

The son in law will still get his TRY DIVE though that we promised him.