Mares brigade viper octo purge

[Matt Frankel]

So I bought the mares brigade viper octo a while ago but I took it on my first dive yesterday. So while diving I had a severe problem with it. Their was a strong current and just from the current the purge button would push in and release a LOT of air into the water and in the end caused me to come up with very low psi left. Does anyone else who has this have the same problem?
Is their anything I can do to make it less sensitive?

 

[halocline]

Honestly my advice is to 'fix' it by replacing it with a better 2nd stage. I had one of these several years ago (when it was called the dacor viper) and I had nothing but problems. I'm usually all for fixing regulators, but in this case probably the best option is to move on to something different.

 

[Matt Frankel]

Honestly my advice is to 'fix' it by replacing it with a better 2nd stage. I had one of these several years ago (when it was called the dacor viper) and I had nothing but problems. I'm usually all for fixing regulators, but in this case probably the best option is to move on to something different.

I just bought it and I don't have the money to buy a new one.

 

[Shcubasteve]

take it to your LDS and have them retune it. Mares regulators can be trickey to adjust so look for a MARES LAB service center to make sure it has been done correctly.

 

[halocline]

It will have to be de-tuned to prevent the free flow, which will not do much for the breathing quality. These seem to be fairly sensitive to IP changes, so it will need to be tuned with your first stage; if your 1st stage is an unbalanced piston, it's important that the octo is tuned with a 3000 PSI supply pressure when the IP is highest.

If you just bought it at scubatoys (didn't they have them made specifically?) I think you'll find their customer service to be exceptional; possibly even allowing for a trade-up. That would get your money back for the octo. At the least, I'm sure they'll tune it for you.

My problem was that I could not get it to hold a decent tune for more than a few months, and I was using it on a MK2 which has an IP drop of 20 PSI or so throughout the supply range. I ended up tossing it and replacing it with a used R190 octo, which I found MUCH more stable and reliable. This was several years ago.

 

[Matt Frankel]

It's not free floating it's just that the purge button itself is being pushed by the simple movement of the current. Which is really not good.

 

[keyshunter]

Yes Matt, that is why halocline said that it needs to be de-tuned. A second stage which releases air when it is not demanded (ie: breathing from it) is said to be freeflowing (not freefloating) and some sort of service is needed.