Hookah
Operating and Diving surfacesupplied equipment
(The Air Line Models AL-R260 and
AL-C360)
Hookah Systems
• When diving a hookah system, people use
standard scuba masks, fins, and weight belts
– but do not wear tanks on their backs.
Rather, a standard second stage demand
regulator is coupled with a low pressure air
hose fed from a compressor on the surface.
The Air Line Hookah System
• This Hookah rig consists primarily of a
gasoline engine powered compressor, a float
tube to support the compressor, and air lines
with regulators for divers.
• The R260 model supports 3 divers, while
the larger C360 model supports 4 divers.
R 260
C360
Operating the R260 and C360
• Both units are contained in a protective hard
case. Unsnap the travel straps that go
around the unit’s middle section, and the
short strap on top of the case. Remove the
cover.
Operating the R260 and C360
• Remove the dust cap (slide 7) from the black
intake socket located on top of the compressor
(The R260 has one of these, the C360 has two).
Place the clear PVC intake staff into the socket as
far as it will go (slide 8).
• DO NOT START THE ENGINE WITH THE
DUST CAP ON.
• The dust cap must ALWAYS BE IN PLACE
WHEN THE STAFF IS REMOVED. This
prevents water or dust from getting into the
compressor head.
Dust Cap
Unit with intake staff placed in
compressor air intake socket
Operating the R260 and C360
• Starting the unit (see slides 11 - 13 for control
locations)
–
–
–
–
–
Make sure the oil reservoir and gas tanks are full.
Put the fuel valve in the “ON” position.
Turn the ON/OFF switch to “ON”.
Move the throttle lever down slightly
Start the engine – pull the starter grip lightly until
resistance is felt, then pull briskly.
• If it is cold, it might be necessary to choke it. Put the choke
lever in the closed position As it warms, return the choke to
the open position.
– Put the throttle speed on “Fast”.
Oil filler
cap/dipstick.
Check oil level
here, before
starting motor. To
do so, insure that
unit is on a level
surface,
remove the cap and wipe it clean, insert the cap back into the
unit (but do not screw it in), then remove it to check the oil
level. If oil appears on the dipstick, then there is enough oil to
operate the unit.
ON/Off Switch
(similar in both units)
R260 Controls
Choke
Open
Close
Off
Fuel valve
Starter grip
Throttle lever
C360 Controls
Throttle lever
Choke lever
Close
On
Open
Off
Fuel Valve
Starter grip
Operating the R260 and C360
– Note: The black heat transfer hose (or
compressor hose) (slide 15) needs to be in the
water for cooling hot compressor air. It is
perfectly alright to have it out of the water for
start up, filling the tube, or washing down if the
yellow air hoses are not attached, but prolonged
running out of the water with the yellow hoses
attached will cause the more delicate yellow
hose to soften and burst or possibly slip off the
fitting creating a potentially dangerous
situation.
Compressor/
Heat transfer
hose
Operating the R260 and C360
• Fill float tube with air using compressor
– Pull back on the sleeve of the inflator fitting, push
fitting onto the float tube valve as far as it will go and
release sleeve.
– Fill to where the cover is just full, but with a slight
amount of room to allow for expansion when the sun is
heating it. Do not try to get all of the wrinkles out of
the tube cover, this would be too full. You are ready to
place the compressor pan in the tube. The compressor
pan should nest snugly in the center of the tube with
just a little pressure on it. If it does not, remove a slight
bit of air.
Operating the R260 and C360
• To nest the pan in the tube:
– Coil the long black strap into the pan
– Work the black compressor hose into the hole directly in
the front of the pan
– Dangle the 2 short black straps and compressor hose
into the center of the inflated tube
– Place the pan into the tube
– Bind the compressor pan to the tube with the short black
straps.
– Bring the long strap all the way under and around the
whole tube, connect it and snug it up.
Note black straps
connecting compressor
pan to tube.
Operating the R260 and C360
• Attaching hoses to the compressor hose.
– Hoses may be attached only one way, i.e. male garden
hose to female garden hose.
• Hose handling
– To keep kinks out of the hose, always unreel rather than
uncoil hoses. Hold the reel perpendicular to your chest
as though you were holding a bass drum and play out
the hose with a reeling motion. By doing so, the hoses
will be straight when you have launched the float and it
travels down wind. Retrieve hoses the same way.
Regulator
hose
Two hoses
may be
attached here
Compressor
hose
Operating the R260 and C360
• Boat Launching
– Position 2 people on either side of the unit,
being careful not to touch the hot exhaust cage.
Gently lower the unit into the water with as
little angle as possible, or at least with the gas
cap at the highest point. Push the unit away
from the boat, playing out the hoses as it goes.
– The unit should never be towed behind a boat.
It will sink.
Operating the R260 and C360
• Stopping the unit
– Stop the engine with the On/Off switch, and let
the unit float away.
– Purge the regulators to eliminate pressure.
– Retrieve hoses starting with the regulators by
coiling them in.
– Carefully lift the unit onto the boat.
Diving the R260 and C360 - Depths
Manufacturer depth
ratings for C360 and
R260.
Maximum depths at
which a particular
system can be used are
dependent upon how
many divers are using
the system, as well as
the breathing demands
placed on the system by
the divers.
Diving the R260 and C360 – Run
Times
• Both units will run approximately 2 hours
before refueling becomes necessary.
• Long hookah run times require that EXTRA ATTENTION
BE PAID TO DEPTHS AND DOWN TIMES. Divers are
cautioned to never dive past a no-decompression limit on
any surface supplied air system. Should the engine run out
of gas or be accidentally turned off, the consequences
would be very serious.
Diving the R260 and C360
• The regulator hose is clipped to a belt worn by the
diver. The regulator is then routed over the back
and right shoulder of the diver.
• The belt also holds a Spare Air bottle for
emergency bail-out. (Note: weight belts must be
positioned so that they will not get hung up on the
Spare Air belt when released in an emergency
situation.)
• Divers wear BC’s – However, there is no
automatic inflation for BC’s with the basic system,
so BC inflation must be done orally, or a separate
pony bottle may be incorporated into the system.
Clip
Spare Air
Belt
Emergency Procedures
• Signals of Stopped Motor
– Should you feel that your last breath was
slightly more difficult than the one previous, it
is probably an indication that the motor has
stopped. Note too, that motor vibrations can
usually be felt through the regulator hose – in
the event the motor ceases to run, these
vibrations will stop.
Emergency Procedures
• If you sense the motor has stopped, you have
two choices:
– Rather than continuing to breathe the last of the
air remaining in the hose, start an immediate
ascent while exhaling slowly. As you ascend, air
in the hose will expand. As you feel the need,
breathe in from the hose.
– Switch to your Spare Air and make a proper
ascent to the surface.
Spare Air – Model #300
• Contains 3 cubic feet of air at 3000 psi
• White pin in center of aluminum piece
opposite mouthpiece indicates the level of
air in the unit. When full, the pin is flush
with the outer edge of groove (slides 30-32)
• The purge button is located at the top of the
Spare Air (slide 30).
Spare Air
Purge button
White pin for determining
level of air is located here
This tank is nearly empty. The white pin is
not flush with the outer edge of the metal
groove.
This tank is
full. The white
pin is flush
with the outer
edge of the
metal groove.
Post Dive Maintenance
• After the engine is cooled (putting water on
a hot motor can damage it), with the air
intake assembly in place and the yellow
hoses unscrewed, start up the engine and
immediately start thoroughly spraying down
the entire unit with fresh water with the
engine running at idle to half speed.
• Do not force water into the compressor air
intake or into the engine air filter (slide 34).
R260 engine air filter
C360 engine air
filter
Post Dive Maintenance
• The dust cap on the compressor intake socket has
a smaller red cap inside it (Slide 36). Pull out the
air intake staff and pour one red capful of water
into each compressor head through the compressor
air intake. Let the engine run 10 seconds and pour
in another capful. Repeat this several times,
replace the staff, and let the engine run at least 4-5
more minutes to ensure that the compressor has
dried internally.
Smaller red cap inside dust
cap
Post Dive Maintenance
• While the motor is still running, spray Corrosion
X lubricant into the engine pull cord housing
(slide 38), and lightly coat all linkage parts and
hardware of the motor.
• If you are not going to use the unit for the rest of
the day, turn off the fuel valve switch at the end of
the wash down and allow the carburetor to run dry.
The motor will rev up and down as it begins to run
out of fuel – do not be alarmed.
Pull cord
housing