Re: Keene 'HOOKAH" Information(Electric)
March 28, 2000 at 19:51:43
In Reply to: Keene 'HOOKAH
posted by Dan on March 28, 2000 at 19:11:10
I am going to drop the bucks on a Hookah rig in the next few weeks. I do not have any experience using anyones gear. Like you, it has all been what I can read about on the net. There are quite a few postings about my thoughts a few clicks down on this site. The question I ask is why go electric? The weight of the battery outweighs (pardon the pun) the gain in portability. Traditional SCUBA gear is darn heavy and the weight one must carry to the dive site for one diver, is really close to 70-80 lbs. Double that for two divers and figure in, depending on your depth, about a 45' dive. With a gas powered hookah, the weight for two divers to got to 70' for two hours plus is 36 lbs. Carry and extra quart of gasoline and you have another 2 hours of dive time. If you are going to go that deep that long, be darn sure you use the dive tables and stay within the no decompression limits. The ONLY advantage I can see with electric is the total absence of worrying about CO (carbon monoxide) being sucked up into the compressor air intake and being sent down the lines to you at your working depth. However, if you are working in any kind of open area on the water, the probability of that happening is pretty small. That is a risk I have chosen to take. Besides, the exhaust gas would almost have to be hooked to the intake for you to get a prolonged exposure to the CO. You don't worry about CO poisoning when you are running your lawnmower. The wind blows it around and you move. The same thing happens with the hookah. You move while you are swimming and exploring and the wind also blows. Because of weight factors I have chosen gasoline powered and I have chosen direct drive rather than belt drive. I think Airline is tops because of the compressor they use. Brownies third lung is direct drive. Keene is belt drive and a lot heavier. All three are good reputable folks, so you just have to match your specific use with the best product for you.
Happy underwater hunting!
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