DIN Scuba Fittings

This page was developed for the uk.rec.scuba website here but I will keep this copy current so I can fine tune it. (O-rings) (Threads)
Nigel's home page.

Most scuba divers are familiar with the A-clamp or

International fitting. Originally designed for lower
pressures this has been strengthened for up to
232bar and is still widely used. It has certain
disadvantages and is progressively being
superseded by DIN especially in technical diving
circles.

This is a 300bar DIN regulator. Notice that on the

A-clamp the O-ring was on the cylinder and is
often visible when the regulator is assembled to
the tank valve here it is not only on the regulator
but it ends up buried inside the system and is
hence captive and protected in its working
position. The thread is actually a 5/8" BSP as the
DIN standard is based on what was used and
most dive gear was BSP even my Russian stuff.

232 bar DIN

- 5 thread
Notice 1
inch (25mm)
front to back
outside
dimension
and the
dimple for
the A-
clamp's
screw.
When I
bought
these they
were sold as
A-clamps by
being
supplied
with the slug
(see below)
factory
installed. I
used them
as A-clamps
for my first
couple of
years diving.
If you screw
a 300bar
DIN
regulator in
here it winds
down the 5
threads and
then
compresses
the O-ring
and is ready
to dive. Also
notice the
quite wide
but shallow
hole at the
bottom of
the threaded
section.
300 bar DIN
- 7 thread
Notice 1.4"
(35mm)
depth and
no dimple
so an A-
clamp frame
just will not
fit (Yes I
know the
bull bars are
in the way
too).
If you screw
a 232bar
regulator in
here it is too
deep for the
O-ring to
tighten
against the
bottom and
it will not
seal so
there is no
danger of
blowing your
232bar regs
up on
300bar
pressure.
Also notice
that the hole
at the
bottom of
the threaded
section is
narrower
than the 232
bar DIN -
what is hard
to see in a
picture is
that it is
deeper.
More
differences.
On the left a
232bar end,
notice the
diameter of
the central
piece is
larger then
the 300bar
end on the
right. The
300 will fit
either.
 These are
regulator
inputs
coded to
prevent a
232bar only
fitting being
placed on a
300bar tank.
And you remember I pointed out the hole at the
back of the DIN pillar valve? Well this is a 300bar
DIN filling adapter. It has a tube sticking out that
goes into that hole but will not fit the 232bar pillar
valve. This is done to try and stop you overfilling a
tank way beyond its rated pressure.
By using long or short, wide or narrow ends and
setting the number of threads on the fitting you
can include or exclude any combination of fittings
so the two sizes can be used together with safety.
eg: Most regs are usable on 232 or 300 bar so
they have a 7 turn body and a short, narrow core
and fit both. If it was a 232 only reg it would only
have a 5 thread body.
The 232bar
DIN slug to
screw in and
convert DIN
to A-clamp.
It has a
captive DIN
O-ring at the
other end
and this end
has one to
seat the A-
clamp.
If you screw
it into a
300bar DIN
fitting it just
keeps on
going down
before it
seals down
and is lost in
a hole
 where the
A-clamp
cannot
reach.
The DIN to
A
adapter wit
h 1.1"
(28mm) max
opening,
this one's by
Apeks.

Um... We don't talk about this one. It's a 300bar

DIN to A-clamp converter and I use it for filling at
places where I can only get on an A-clamp pump.
eg: my club who pump clean air but only 232bar.
It would allow you to put an A-clamp reg on a
300bar tank but if the extra stress broke it we
would all say "What a fool. We do hope he's
alright" as they drag you off to A+E.

This was the

wonderful
Euro Nitrox
valve that
was
supposed to
take over
from DIN for
Nitrox
mixes. I only
ever saw it
in Germany
on Draeger
equipment
but who
knows...
Personally I
didn't like
the external
thread. It
just looked
too
vulnerable.
However in
the couple
of years
since I first
put this
page
together
(04/2003) I
only ever
came
across one
of them and
that was
being
swapped
out. Sadly
the EU
came up
with the
M26 body
which looks
like a
standard
DIN but is
slightly
bigger
thread as
the new Nitr
ox standard.
This is only
a
recomendati
on but some
places are
trying to
force it on
us. I'm not
impressed
as I see it as
fixing a
problem that
does not
exist.
 Finally two
specials. On
the left:
Hands up
the guy who
said you
could
probably
convert
anything. It
is a 232 bar
tank but a 7
turn 300bar
fitting. Put a
slug in that
and fit an A-
clamp.

On the
right....
Well... What
do you think
that is for?

Threads and O-rings

I wanted to list the thread names we use on Scuba gear as I can never remember them.
O-rings are identified by their 'dash number' and ID/CS dimensions. (Internal Diameter/Cross Section)
Notice that the DIN and A-clamp O-rings are listed as different but a DIN ring seems to work in every A-clamp reg I
see. This is not true the other way round. They seem to seal OK but fall out at every possible opportunity. I think
everybody uses the DIN size and thinks they are the same.

What I call it What it is O-ring

Standard low pressure port 3/8” UNF -011 .301” .070”
The Apeks bigger version 1/2” UNF -013 .426” .070”
Standard high pressure port 7/16” UNF -012 .364” .070”
Standard 'DIN' thread 5/8” 14TPI BSP -112 .487” .103”
New funny EU nitrox thing M26x2 Apparantly as DIN
A clamp -014 .489” .070”
HP swivels -003 .056” .060”
2nd stage connection 9/16” UNF -010 .239” .070”
Compressed air pipe fittings
G: Series British Standard Pipe - Parallel (Straight) BSP or BSPF
Also referred to as British Gas, British Pipe Parallel or Parallel Fastening thread.

Rc: Series British Standard Pipe - Taper- BSPT

Also referred to as British Standard Taper Pipe or Pipe Taper, or Conical Thread.
Taper is 3/4” taper per foot (1 in 16 on the diameter)

Of course the size refers to the o/d of pipe so the fittings are much bigger.
The pictures are of a 1/4” thread. The major and minor diameters are close enough to get an identification - well -
provided you're sure it can't be the American NTP which is horribly similar.

Nominal Size (inches) TPI Major Diameter (inches) Minor Diameter (inches)
1/16” 28 0.304 0.2583
1/8” 28 0.383 0.3372
1/4” 19 0.518 0.4546
3/8” 19 0.656 0.5886
1/2” 14 0.825 0.7336
5/8”  (DIN) 14 0.902 0.8106
3/4” 14 1.041 0.9496
7/8” 14 1.189 1.0976
1” 11 1.309 1.1926
Spotting the taper, to know if it's BSP or BSPT, can be problematic but the calipers can help.

Comments/complaints/pointing out obvious errors to nigelh@nigelhewitt co uk 

 by Nigel Hewitt