I was watching E-Bay for some DIN regulators to complete my setup, currently I am using some Oceanic PX3 first stages and I was looking for some Apeks DS4 since they seem to be a favorite among tech divers. I found some for $169.95, a great deal compared to other prices I found. So I went ahead and purchased 2 from the supplier www.divetheabyss.com, of course, then I checked the hot deals forum at www.scubaboard.com.

On Scubaboard there were Apeks copies out of Italy for $60.00 a piece. The supplier, www.123Scuba.com, also supply rebuild and cold water kits for these first stages. Talk about jumping on the train too soon! Oh well, the Apeks DS4 is already sealed and guaranteed as well as supported so I guess it is worth the extra cost.

Of course some folks are probably saying DIN? Yoke? What the heck? A DIN (from the German standards body: Deutsches Institut für Normung) valve handles higher pressures and seals better due to its barrel type connector and dual O-rings. Generally speaking DIN is recommended for pressures over 200 BAR (3000 psi, give or take).  The Yoke (or A-frame) valve is probably the standard for rental equipment throughout the world and probably the most used scuba air first stage connector.

The manifold I am using is a 300 BAR manifold, however I am currently using it on a set of 200 BAR aluminum 80 cubic foot tanks. Maybe in the future I will go with some high pressure steel tanks so getting DIN valves makes sense because I can reuse the manifold on the HP tanks. When I had the tanks combined I kept the K-valves that had to be removed to install the manifolds so I could replace them if I decided to upgrade the tanks.

Of course the other concern was would the Oceanic Alpha8 primary regulators that came with the PX3 first stages and will they be reusable with the DS4 fist stages? The major concern is that the intermediate pressure from the DS4 would be different than the intermediate pressure from the PX3. A quick check of the specifications shows that the PX3 gives a pressure of 140-145 PSI (it is an "over-balanced" regulator that delivers higher pressure/higher flows at lower depths) and the DS4 give 9.5 BAR or about 140 PSI so no problem there. The second concern would be if the IP ports (called the LP ports on the regulator itself) were of a different thread/hole diameter as some regulator companies have been known to do. Again a check of the specs show that the ports are 3/8 inch the standard LP port size, and the HP ports are also identical.

I am looking forward to getting the new DS4 first stages and giving them a try with the Alpha8 regulators. I hope to go to Dive Haven Quarry this weekend and give them a try.