Tank valve types in South Africa

[Ricochet]

Hiho all.
Title says it all. I'll spend another few months in SA and this time I want to take my scuba equipment with me. Does anyone know what kind of valves they use? INT? DIN?
Obviously I don't want to take my tank with me but might need to buy an adapter beforehand.

Thanks in advance!

Sascha

 

[deep thinker]

I dont do scuba, but I know a few folks who do. Ill find out for you and post a reply otherwise PM Island Sands if she doesnt reply, she was here over December time so should be able to help you. Where will you be based while your here?

 

[Ricochet]

Thanks man. Yeah I guess Sarah will find this post sooner or later and probably knows the answer.
I'll stay in P.E. for like three months again. Already spend three months there, last year. Heck, I just returned from P.E. from another two weeks trip, four days ago :duh

Btw, is the tuna season still open?

I also whouldn't mind to hop off to Cape Town for a weekend or two to dive through some kelp forests or have some cold beer at Mitchell's :friday

 

[deep thinker]

Give me a shout when your in Cape Town and Im sure we can organise something mate, devinately a dive and a few cold ones afterwards :friday . By the way Im waiting for a reply from my mate about those valve types, so if Sara doesnt pitch in here Ill get it for you sooner or later.

 

[chris the vis]

Ahoy Sascha
As far as I know we mostly use the DIN valves on our cylinders, although I'm not sure if some of the dive charters use different ones. I'm pretty sure the DIN 477 valve is standard here in SA though....see you soon!
Oh and if you have an A-clamp fitting and yolk for the DIN thread bring it with jsut in case, although I think you should be able to get by without it.

 

[Ricochet]

Good to know. DIN is also what I have. I use 300 bar, though. But should fit on 200 bar valves as well.
Chris, I'll arrive on March 7th. Probably in the early afternoon. Don't plan anything for that day... I need my dose of Seafood Gumbo!
Damn... I guess I'm hungry right now.

 

[chris the vis]

Hahahaheee,
Yeah you telling me I seem to have gotten use to the island lifestyle. My evenings and especially my stomach are so empty without seafood gumbo and beer. Anyway,I forget to mention most of the DIN valves will probably be rated for 200bar at our local dive shops.
Cool the 7th of March is luckily not that long away...

 

[Ricochet]

There is no big difference in 200 and 300 bar. Except the thread on the first stage is a bit longer... so you can't screw it in the whole length. And since the seal is at the front side, it shouldn't really matter.
However, I'll find out if there are adapters available.

 

[chris the vis]

Yeah, come to think of it your right! If I remember correctly you can screw a 300bar 1st stage onto a 200bar DIN valve, but not vice versa...however I'll have to check this out...

 

[Howard Steele]

Hi there,
The most versatile rig is a 300 bar DIN with a 200/220 bar a clamp adjuster.
As THE 300 DIN fitting is exactly the same diameter as a 220 bar Din fitting,
Just longer, you attach it exactly as you screw in your 300 bar DIN into the 300 bar pillar valve. Using the 300 bar DIN on the 220 bar pillar valve the din thread protrudes slightly, no problem.
On most modern cylinders you just remove the insert in a 220 bar-pillar valve to convert from a-clamp to DIN.
However there are some older cylinders out there with a-clamp pillar valve that are not adjustable, and for those you will need an a-clamp adjuster.
As to pillar valve types around the world, A-clamp-rigs outnumber dins and most dive charter, school's; live aboard's will have more a-clamp ready cylinders than Din
Howard.

 

[chris the vis]

Cool! Shot Howard