DIN, International, K- Valve, A-Clamp, Yoke Connector, DIN 477… sound familiar? And you thought Scuba Diving was easy! Well most of the above terms you may have come across on your Scuba Diving trips, all of which refer to the type of method/valve used to connect your Scuba Air tank to the first stage of your regulator/octopus.
To keep things simple there are essentially two ways in which your cylinder attaches onto your first stage of your regulator and there are two kinds of valves to keep in mind. The first is the valve that sits on your cylinder and the second is the valve that connects your octopus’s first stage to the cylinders’ valve.
Featured above: XS Scuba Deluxe K-Valve from LeisurePro.com
The most common type of cylinder valve connector is the K-Valve which is the most common valve on Scuba Cylinders in the US and areas around the US. The regulator first stage attaches to the K-Valve using a yoke A-clamp fitting which we will get to later.
Featured above: XS Scuba Din/Yoke Valve pro 2400 PSI EANX from LeisurePro.com
The Second kind of cylinder valve is a DIN valve, which attaches onto your first stage of your regulator using a DIN fitting. (This is explained below)
Regulator Valve Fittings: (How your Octopus/First Stage connects to the cylinders valve)
Featured above: Ocean Reef 1st stage SL35TX Yoke for Neptune Space from LeisurePro.com
International/Yoke: Also known as the A-clamp, Yoke fitting or International fitting is most commonly used with the K-Valve cylinder, and clamps on to the outside of the valve with a sealing O-ring that mates with the cylinders valve, and the assembly can be tightened from the outside using a tightening screw. The O-ring in this kind of fitting is exposed and visible, and was originally designed for lower pressures but can withstand up to 232 bar.
Featured above: Zeagle Envoy Din First Stage only available at LeisurePro.com
DIN Fittings: DIN short for the Deutsches Institut Für Normung (DIN) a German standards setting organization which prescribed the specification for cylinder valve and connector designs based upon safety regulations is rapidly increasing in popularity and is most widely used outside the US.
In a DIN fitting, the cylinder valve must also be DIN compatible and have a female DIN screw valve. The regulator first stage DIN connector is a male screw type, and instead of clamping on to the outside of the valve like the A-clamp yoke, it screws directly into the female DIN outlet of the valve. The sealing O-ring is held in the end of the regulator connector rather than in the face of the outlet and remains protected inside the mechanism. DIN valves have been known to be more reliable at depths and withstanding high pressure.
Featured above: Aqua Din to Yoke Regulator Converter (A100) available at LeisurePro.com
Often DIN cylinder valves (200 bar versions) are compatible with the A-clamp, or Yoke fittings and have the outside dimensions and a small dimple for the A-clamps screw, making them dual compatible. Also available are adapters for regulator valves making DIN fittings compatible with yoke mounts.
Featured above: OMS Din to Yoke Adapter (V115) available at LeisurePro.com
