Integrated Power Inflators Are A Terrible Idea!

[PR_SMITH]

I firmly believe that integrated power inflators are nasty. I would think twice about diving with anyone who showed up with one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhvAzEhw9mA

 

[Rob9876]

 

[rhwestfall]

Point one - the original device was developed to allow for a second regulator, not to eliminate one. He is off by a long time as to when these came out and why... Yes, others have copied...

Point two - tune the regulator... I've had many second stages breathe like crap out of the box.

Point three - ScubaPro (original manufacturer) has an additional pull to dump on their BC. It is part of a system, so there is no issue dumping air while using.

Point 4 - they aren't for technical diving.

I'm unimpressed with this wind bag....

 

[Angelo Farina]

I think that an Air-2 is a great ADDITION to a standard setup.
Definitely it is a bad idea to consider it a replacement for an octopus.
Exactly as I think it is a bad idea to replace a fully independent secondary regulator with an octopus.
Better to stay with two fully independent reg, as we were using in the seventies, when the Air-2 was launched.

 

[Altamira]

I think that an Air-2 is a great ADDITION to a standard setup.
Definitely it is a bad idea to consider it a replacemebt for an octopus.
Exactly as I think that an octopus is a bad idea, better to stay with a second fully independent reg, as we were using in the seventies, when the Air-2 was launched.

@Angelo Farina. I am not sure I understand what you are saying with reference to an octopus vs a second fully independent reg. Are you saying the alternate air device needs to be attached to a separate tank, or are you differentiating between the quality of regulator being used as a secondary? Thank you.

 

[formernuke]

 

[Angelo Farina]

@Angelo Farina. I am not sure I understand what you are saying with reference to an octopus vs a second fully independent reg. Are you saying the alternate air device needs to be attached to a separate tank, or are you differentiating between the quality of regulator being used as a secondary? Thank you.

No. I was saying that my old tank with two valves and two first stages, each feeding a second stage, is by far a safer and better setup than a tank with just one post and one first stage, feeding two second stages (an octopus reg).
In at least three occasions my yoke first stage failed (two O-ring extrusions, one clogged filter). In all three cases I simply closed the affected valve and I could breath from the other reg.
With a single first stage I had needed buddy help or a CESA .
I never understood the recent success of small tanks (11 liters instead of 15) and single valves with octopus regs, whilst until, say, 2010, all tanks here in the Med were at least 15 liters and double valve...

 

[Outbound]

Personally, I don't care either way. I would just like to point out, however, the hypocrisy of at least one point made in this video. One of the things we hear all the time from the long-hose crowd is that, in the event of an OOA emergency, that diver is going to come straight for your primary. Except, apparently, when you are using an integrated alternate. Because in those cases, at least according to this guy, the OOA diver is going to go for your octo and you don't have one. Jeesh, pick a lane!

 

[formernuke]

Personally, I don't care either way. I would just like to point out, however, the hypocrisy of at least one point made in this video. One of the things we hear all the time from the long-hose crowd is that, in the event of an OOA emergency, that diver is going to come straight for your primary. Except, apparently, when you are using an integrated alternate. Because in those cases, at least according to this guy, the OOA diver is going to go for your octo and you don't have one. Jeesh, pick a lane!

They will do one of the above depending on state of panic.

 

[Outbound]

They will do one of the above depending on state of panic.

According to the arguments, they will do whichever one your gear configuration doesn't support.