Poseidon Jetstream/Odin

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Another excellent feature of the jetstream second stage is that if the first stage freezes and start to freeflow, the second stage will still work. The only difference is that the inhalation resistance increases abit. This is due to the technically outstanding servo technique used in the jetstream second stage. For your information I use a jetstream as an octo, while I use the ATX 50 as the primary. I like them both.
 
Here are some re"buffs" to JJOELDMs remarks on Poseidon brought to you by a regulator technician.



A few finer points to consider:

<<Failure of upstream design:>>
OK, first let's get something straight. The Odin is not an upstream design! It's a tilt valve. While tilt valves are technically classified as a TYPE of upstream design, the distinction is EXTREMELY important. The idea that a down-stream design is inherently 'safe' is classic ignorance. Yes, I dive with a down-stream regulator (Cyclon) but I know and accept the limitation. People think they are safer with the down-stream because it eliminates the 'broken spring' problem. OK, so it does, but without the actuating arm, the down-stream regulator is a paper weight. Open your down-stream regulator underwater to clean it out (or whatever annual maintenance the DIR guys are doing underwater) and break or bend an actuating arm and you are essentially toast. Enter the tilt valve. Probably the safest design ever introduced. They pretty much can't fail. There aren't enough moving parts to fail. Your actuating arm (and spring) ARE the tilt valve. I could go into this at length.


Service issues:
By far the biggest problems I've seen with Poseidon service issues have been 'teckies' servicing their own regulators or worse yet, crappy dive shops. And there are far too many crappy dive shops.

If you ask me, Poseidon regulators are extremely simple to work on. But a teckie banging on it with a hammer and monkey wrench can render it useless in a matter of minutes. So can a dive shop bench guy who doesn't know what he's doing. But what does this have to do with Poseidon??? I've seen the same thing with Scuba Pro, Oceanic, Apeks, et.al. About the only regulator that is the same whether a monkey works on it or Einstein is a Sherwood Brut. But I don't foresee the DIR guys trading in for those anytime soon.

<<Cracking the valve too fast will result in the seat getting slammed >>
What seat??? In an Odin??? Does he mean the HP seat? Because the Odin doesn't have a LP seat. And Poseidon has the most forgiving HP seat out there. A poseidon HP seat could last 30 years if someone doesn't stick a pencil down in there trying to get it out!

High IPs:
Yes, the Cyclon has a high intermediate pressure. Why? They were designed that way. That's how they work best. I've heard such nonsense as this will cause unnecessary wear on the low pressure seat. Hah! I like that one, a high IP blowing down-stream INTO a low pressure seat will cause it to wear out. How the high IP manages to get behind the LP seat and push it backwards into the valve seat, I have no idea, but it sure sounds good. The only problem a high IP will cause is wearing out a crappy octopus that is not designed for a high IP. That's it.

I particularly like the argument about clearing an Odin. You have to tilt your head to clear it; and somehow this presents a safety issue. Oh, boy... I had to catch myself after that one. I still have a tear in my eye. I love teckies... they argue about the most minute equipment difference, but they can't clear a regulator. Have him come out to one of my Open Water I classes. I'll teach him how to clear a regulator so this won't be a problem for him.

And finally, let address something that exemplifies this person's complete lack of understanding of regulators.
<<Why buy a touchy, costly, decade-old design>>

OK, the Poseidon design is about 6 decades old.

<<There is a lot to be said for simplicity of design and Poseidons are anything but.>>

Ohh, boy... another tear in my eye. Not only are Poseidons older than virtually any other regulator out there, the design has not changed since day one. That's about as simple as a design can get. I believe I mentioned to you before, I bought a 50-year old Poseidon regulator (Cyclon style) and rebuilt it with standard parts. The hardest time I had with it was polishing the chrome! And yes, it breathes like a champ. Everyone else I know with an old regulator has it mounted on a wall. I dive with the Poseidon.

I don't know why Poseidon gets such a hard time. It makes no sense to me. I wouldn't dive if I had to dive with a traditional front-purge second stage. Why would anyone (especially teckies) want to dive with a regulator that literally changes its sensitivity based on how fast you are swimming? I've never understood that. Or tuning knobs for that matter.

Entertaining... quite entertaining.

Be safe... and go breathe upside-down just because you can!
 
Well, OK, since you brought this up again, here's MY rant on it: :p


Failure of upstream design: I keep hearing about this hypothetical situation; I've never met anyone it's happened to, nor have the reg techs I've asked heard of it actually happening to any one they know. I DO know people that have won the lottery & that have been hit by lightening, so I guess we're looking at a probability factor that gives this "failure" a status close to that of an urban legend. The Jetstream acts up an AWFUL lot before it would crap out, and you'd need to be a Darwin Award candidate to ignore that. Other than that, I kind of LIKE the idea of a reg shutting itself off if it dies, saves me the trouble of having to do it myself while stuffing my bailout's reg in my mouth. Unfortunately the Jetstream freeflows at a slight rate for a very long period of time before it would die in the closed position and I would find that too distracting.

High cost of parts, etc.: Dealer cost of a 2nd stage rebuild kit is a little over $4, 1st stage kit is under $11. Dealer cost is $31.50 on the 7' Jetstream hose, & $24.75 on the Cyklon's. How much the retail guys gouge is up to them.

My Cyklons are dry breathers, no matter what position. Can't say that for the regs with the "standard" exhaust valves. Stand on your head with those & gurgle gurgle.

Special tools, etc: The shop down the road from me does a LOT of Poseidon work; their "special" tools are all improvised. The big ring press consists of a c-clamp & a block of wood. Lack of ingenuity (or skill) on the part of the tech isn't the regulator's fault.

"Dated design"? How often do we need to re-invent the wheel? The somewhat recent design change on their 1st stages has made them one of the best in the world, providing adequate air flows down to 1200'. I LIKE needing one 2nd stage kit to cover 30 years worth of regs.

"Touchy & finnikey"? I beat the crap out of mine, sometimes using them in stuff that only slightly resembles water. I'll run the suckers for extended periods of time between servicing with no problems, even under brutal abuse.
These things are the next best thing to the DSI 2nds used on Abysmal's regs mentioned earlier in this thread. Poseidon makes the 1st stages for Abysmal, by the way.

"Simplicity of design"? Whoa, go take a look at your Cyklon again. The rebuild kit consists of 3 0-rings, a rubber plate, and a zip tie. You adjust it by sticking your finger in & rotating the little plastic barrel. How much more simple do you want?

The current round of Poseidon badmouthing resulted from a former US distributor falling down on the job. Repair work was shoddy, parts became unavailable, and people started getting ticked off.
They never fell out of grace in Europe and the rest of the world.
Now that Viking is the new distributor for Poseidon, we're going to start seeing more and more of their products in the dive shops.

You can get brand new Poseidon regs from a few "gray market" sources in Germany & Spain for around $300.

:D

Yo Buff, Howzzat fine Northern Diver hood working for you?
You've been stretching the time line, by the way. The Cyklons were first made in 1958; I just made a swap for one from a guy in Sweden, and it ain't going on any wall! woo HOO!
 
Dearest Daisho:

Your local Dive shop can't help the fact that the hoses are coming from Sweeden on a very slow boat, and that the distributor should've ordered more.

I think that you should love your LDS, or they are going to be mean to you on you advanced nitrox and deco course!

Poseidon is great gear, and it should be worth waiting for!

:mean:
 
Originally posted by Matt
Dearest Daisho:

Your local Dive shop can't help the fact that the hoses are coming from Sweeden on a very slow boat, and that the distributor should've ordered more.

I think that you should love your LDS, or they are going to be mean to you on you advanced nitrox and deco course!

Poseidon is great gear, and it should be worth waiting for!

:mean:

Don't get me wrong. I do love my dive shop. I'm just impatient and want my gear now now now :)
 
This thread just seems to keep coming back! Buff and Bob3, thanks for your very informative and enthusiatic rebuttals to JJOELDM, but thanks Joel for your input as well. I wanted to hear the good the bad and the ugly. It may have gotten more technical than I fully understand, but thats good too - its all a learning process right?!!

These "grey areas" in Germany and Spain - I noticed the other day that the Jetstream is no longer available at DiveINN. That was the best price I saw yet. Does anyone else know of anyone else who could compare $$$$wise? :cool:
 
ScubaScott-

Here are some options:

1. You can buy JJOELDM's used Odin or Cyklon-they last forever so no big deal there. Just get it checked-out before you dive.

2. You can send an email to Diveinn and see if they can get a Poseidon for you. They might be able to get their hands on one. This is the cheapest way to get a Poseidon.

4. Bob3 is a U.S. rep for Poseidon. He might be able to swing a good deal on a Poseidon. I have bought from him and he's reliable.

3. You can contact Matthew Percival. He was the gentlemen with the technical rebuttal on the benefits of the Poseidon design. Matthew is the contact person for a seller of Poseidon in Germany. The seller always has a Cyklon on auction on Ebay. You might pay a little more for this option but as you could tell Matthew knows a great deal about regs. and their maintenance.

Matthew's email

MatthewPercival@netscape.net
 
I've been talking to Michelle at DiveInn, so I'll fire off some questions and see what she can come up with. It was just on thier site about a week ago........

Bob3 - what can you do for a full setup? (1st, 2nd and octo)? Send me a pm if possible.

Looks like I just bought Lost Yoopers Zeagle off him, but I'm still in the hunt for a good deal on a Jetstream.

Buff, my priv. msg. is acting up - did you get the pm I sent?


:cool:
 
ScubaScott-

How many regs are you going to buy?

Zeagles are nice regs. You shall be happy with that. Why do you want to buy a Poseidon, too? I think Poseidon is a great choice but how many of those regs are you going to need-Hell, you'll end up like Lost Yooper!!!!!! Your house crowded with unused regs.-forever searching for the "PERFECT BREATHE"hahah

If you bought the Zeagle from Yooper, then great-regulator purchase accomplished. Save your money for a dry suit. You're in Canada-right?, you're going to need it!!!!!!!!!

I got the message and sent you a reply. But if you already bought the Zeagle just forget the reply and look for a dry suit, now.
 
Buff - I've been told by too many people that I'm just "not right" to still be diving wet. Dry suit is definately on the shopping list. However, Yoop gave me a good price on the Zeagle - it just sort of happened.

I'm not sure if anyone else has this problem though, and I don't want to start any trouble, but is anyone else in a situation where the significant other controls the finances and you only get an allowance? Is this right? She keeps telling me I didn't read the fine print on the marriage certificate...............
 

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