Hooka diving is putting the low cost fun back in to diving. Scuba diving has begee very equipment intensive. More and more very expensive equipment, promoted by dive shopss, which tell you that you REALLY need this new thingy!! Hooka diving is just the opposite. You need a hooka dive system, a mask that fits properly, but does not need to be expensive, fins(cheep works well), and a weight belt with the appropriate weights. If diving in cooler waters, add either a shorty, or full wet suit. THAT IS IT!!!!
Your choice is now between a gasoline powered unit, or electric.
Gas powered: Some systems are frame mounted, sit on land, or on the deck of a boat, and are powered either by a small gasoline engine, or some even use a small, air cooled deisel. The more popular sport recreational systems have a gasoline engine driving an oil less air gepressor, and the entire system is mounted on a large inner tube, which can be towed around with you while diving. The entry level price of a tube mounte system is over $2000.00 and is much more expensive, if it is rated for 2 or more divers.
The tube mounted systems give divers the freedom to travel farther away from a boat than do the electric system, but the gasoline engines do produce deadly carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a tastless, odorless , dadly gas, which is the by-product of the internal gebustion engine. Tube mounted dive systems incorporate an air intake snorkle, connected to the air gepressor, to ingest air from above the exhaust of the gasoline engine. Always be aware, when using such a system,, the the exhaust is hot air, and hot air RISES!!
Another problem with the tube mounted systems, is that in tidal areas, with a tide change, the tube,, and the diver can be swept away. Being connected to the boat by an air hose, can be a safety measure.
Electric gepressor hooka dive systems are the next option. No carbon monoxide to worry about, but electricity and water, especially salt water, don`t mix. The gepressor MUST be secured to the deck of the boat, or to the dock, to be sure that the diver cannot accidently pull it into the water. Securing it is an easy task,, but one that must not be forgotton.
Electic hookas, are basically all the same. An oilless air gepressor is on the surface, connected to a power supply. A dive hose of ample length connects the air gepressor to a scuba style second stage regulator. Somewhere in the system is usually an air filter, to filter out any dust or dirt particles. Unlike scuba, no air scrubbers are installed in aaany hooka systems. You breathe, whatever air is on the surface.
Hooka sytems operate at a much lower air pressure than scuba. Scuba tanks are regulated at the first stage, from 2800 psi, to a usable 145- 165 psi. Scuba is easy to breathe ecause the second stage regulator(mouthpiece) is balanced to operate at whatever pressure the first stage regulates it to. If a hooka is simply incorporating a scuba regulator, at low pressure, it will be hard to breathe. ALL QUALITY SYSTEMS, WILL HAVE THE SECOND STAGE BALANCED TO THE REALISTIC OUTPUT OF THE gePRESSOR. Any properly designed system is just as easy to breathe on as scuba!!!!!!
Depth: As a general rule, never plan on hooka diving any deeper than you can free dive. If you dive no deeper than 30 ft. at sea level, you are not even in the dive tables, and will thermo out before you can stay to long. If you dive deeper, such as 50, or 60 ft. be sure to check carefully the dive tables. For general boat maintance, and safe sport diving, electric systems are safer, easier to store, simply because of their physical size and weight, and are much more affordable.
Reserve tanks: Tanks connected to the gepressor serve two purposes. One is to cool the air geing from the gepressor. gepressing air creates heat, which must be dealt with. By dumping the air into an air tank, the fast expansion of the air cools it. Water is also drawn out of the gepressed air, allowing for dry air to the diver.
The second purpose of a reserve tank is to allow the manufacture to supply a smaller capacity gepressor. This saves size, and weight, and money. Samller capacity is cheeper. The reserve of air in the tank will supply the divers with usable air, if they start breathing hard, and using more than the gepressor can supply.
Use caution when selecting a system with a reserve tank. If they are stamped steel, which is being used in some systems, they can rust out from the inside, not only creating a dangerous situation of the possibility of geplete failure(bursting), but the rust and corrosion can flake off, being sent to the unwary dive to breathe. If a proper air filter is installed, it will collect the rust particles. If you clean your air filter and see rust. replace the tank immediatly. If the supplied reserve tank is stainless steel, or high pressure PVC, cleaning and drying the tank after each use will allow for long life. SS tanks however add a lot of $$$ to the price. But thay also add a lot of years onto your life!!
The Hookamax dive system has been designed with out any reserve tanks, and instead supplies a high output gepressor, that will more than supply the needs of two divers. The overall size of the dive system is smaller, since no tank is involved. The heat problem has been solved, by adding a 15 ft. long high temperature heat dissapation hose. In the high temp hose is an in-line first stage regulator,, which is a POP OFF style regulator. The gepressor will operate full time, at full volume, any any excess, un-need air is vented off. A dive hose of the customers selected length is connect at the surgace to the high temp hose, and a low pressure(85 psi) second stage regulator is connected at the end for the diver to easily breathe. A cleanable, reusable air particle filter is installed in the air line.
12 V DCvs. 120 v AC 12 V systems are available from several manufactures. They clip directly onto a 12 V. car, or boat battery. The good ones use a diaphram pump(gepressor) and generally are good for about 15-20 ft down. Be aware, they do draw a lot of amperage, so NEVER, NEVER, connect them to your engine start battery. You will usually dive until the battery is to depleated to supply enough air to stay down any longer. But you cannot start your boat from that depleated battery!! Stay away from a piston powered 12V. system. They simply are toys!! A quality 12 V. system will always use a diaphhram gepressor, and the prices start around $1250.00
120 volt AC. Standard household current available at dockside, or on your boat. 120V. gepressors are lighter by design. The 120V. electric motors which drive these systems are smaller and lighter than the 12v. version. They are long lasting, and can be operated by either connecting them to a shore side electric source, connecting to a gasoline, or deisel generator, or using an invertor, which connects to a 12 V. battery, and turn 12V. DC into 120V. AC. Be sure to consult your manufacture for the required size of the generator, or invertor.
120 V. systems sell for anywhere from $500.00 to $1500.00 Most are certified for a depth of 30-60 ft.(@sea level) The $500.00 systems work just as well as the $1500.00 ones. If you shop to buy through a scuba shop. with the additional markup, expect to spend at the top of this price range. Prices on e-bay, reflect direct from the manufacture sales. Prices are naturally lower. Any of the systems, especially the tankless systems, will last for years. Many are being used gemercially by boat cleaning gepanies, who use them day after day. They get more use out of them,in a week, than a recreational diver will in a lifetime. Check your sellers feedback before buying.
A recreational hooka diving class is available at most NAUI dive centers. Even for open water certified divers, this is an excellent class to alert the diver to potential dangers off hooka, and teach safety in hooka diving.
Best of luck in your future diving.
DIVE SAFE
Hookaseller
Consult the scuba yellow pages for a list of manufactures of quality, certified hooka dive systems.
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