Dolphin and OMG Azimuth semi-closed , differences?

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Life-Is-Good-Diver

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Im reading the pro's and con's to each, and was hoping to have some help from the people who are diving both,.,,,, pro's and con's, what they like, dis-like about their unit's, how long they take to clean after a weekends diving, cost? they seem to be similiar in price, and the Dolphin seem's easy to convert over to CCR , but the OMG Azimuth has 2 bottle's, nice feature, suggestion's?

Please note i will be diving both withen rec limit's, and looking simply going from Oc to Semi closed, and enjyoing the quiteness, longer bottom times, and dryer air. Thanks!!

Any help also on add on's, like what other expenses will i have besides buying the rebreather , like bail out bottle's, computer's, any add-on's which will add to the cost.

I have a 13 cubic foot pony with complete reg attached for bail out now i carry, is this enough? Thank you
'
 
Although I have a couple of hours on the Dolphin I've never even tried the Azi, so I'm not gonna get into most of your questions.
FLTEKDIVER:
... enjyoing the quiteness, longer bottom times, and dryer air.
Dryer air? You mean warm, moist gas right?
The scrubbing process creates heat and water. :wink:

Any help also on add on's, like what other expenses will i have besides buying the rebreather , like bail out bottle's, computer's, any add-on's which will add to the cost.
I have a 13 cubic foot pony with complete reg attached for bail out now i carry, is this enough? Thank you
I would not dive either unit without O2 monitor.
They are available from Dräger (Oxygauge) or Hydrospace/Oxycheq.

Better yet, an O2 cell integrated computer that will do its calculations based on the actual O2 N2 makeup in the loop.
Within rec limits I would want the Uwatec ZO2/Oxy2 combo.
It was made for the Dräger, and TecMe in Germany has adapters for the Azimuth. Micropore sells those, too, I believe.

Other options are the VR2, VR3 and HS Explorer. Those three plug into the Dräger port that the Oxycheq uses.

On the Azi you have a 27cu ft bailout tank as part of the package (that can also be switched to the supply the loop).

On the Dräger you will need a pony tank, and your 13cu ft tank should fit. It's pretty marginal for the deep end of rec diving, but if it's enough OC it should be enough SC.
I would switch to a 19cu ft tank.
 
I have been diving with the Azimuth for about 6 months now and have been satisfied with the overall construction of the rig. But, I must say, am of the opinion now that CCR is the way to go. The gas efficiency of an SCR is no where near that of a CCR. Combine that fact with the extra weight of the rig and the extra cleaning/maint involved.....you will see that the true rebreather benefits are only realized in a CCR. With that being said, I have modified my AZIMUTH with a VR3 w/ppO2 and redundant HS Explorer ppO2 using 2 Drager P-ports. I turn down the adjustable dosing group to 1.4lpm(about as low as you can go with metering device) and dive with 70-80% nitrox in bottom tank. I put air in the top tank and use that for diluent and bailout. I manually add rich mix as necessary to maintain ppO2 set-point. This set-up allows me to get approx 6-7 hours of diving off 1 tank, vice the typical 2hrs using BOTH tanks(saving 1/2 of 1 tank for bailout). There are many different ways to skin the cat in terms of modifications, this is just what I did. So, yes, it can be done wit the Azimuth. In my opinion though, modifying any rebreather is NOT recommended unless you are very knowledgable with rebreathers and aware of the associated risk involved. After all is said and done, I would have gone the KISS route.
 
hornetplt:
I have been diving with the Azimuth for about 6 months now and have been satisfied with the overall construction of the rig. But, I must say, am of the opinion now that CCR is the way to go. The gas efficiency of an SCR is no where near that of a CCR. Combine that fact with the extra weight of the rig and the extra cleaning/maint involved.....you will see that the true rebreather benefits are only realized in a CCR. With that being said, I have modified my AZIMUTH with a VR3 w/ppO2 and redundant HS Explorer ppO2 using 2 Drager P-ports. I turn down the adjustable dosing group to 1.4lpm(about as low as you can go with metering device) and dive with 70-80% nitrox in bottom tank. I put air in the top tank and use that for diluent and bailout. I manually add rich mix as necessary to maintain ppO2 set-point. This set-up allows me to get approx 6-7 hours of diving off 1 tank, vice the typical 2hrs using BOTH tanks(saving 1/2 of 1 tank for bailout). There are many different ways to skin the cat in terms of modifications, this is just what I did. So, yes, it can be done wit the Azimuth. In my opinion though, modifying any rebreather is NOT recommended unless you are very knowledgable with rebreathers and aware of the associated risk involved. After all is said and done, I would have gone the KISS


route.



Both you and caveseeker7 have said that is the way to go , going with CCR, im still looking into that as well, and doing research, going any rebreather, SCR or CCR, takes alot of researching, dosn't seem to be an easy answere hear, all have there pro's and con's, but simply i was looking to do this selling some of my OC gear, and replacing it with a rebreather,well was hoping to anyway, but it seem's i started out thinking this could be done under 3K, but now i go CCR im into everything close to 10k, what does some of the CCR unit's run, vs SCR? Thanks for your input as well, the azi is a nice SCR, wish i could find one of them with 15 dives on ebay like i could with the dolphins for 2k :wink:
 
I have to agree with Caveseeker and the others.

I went the SCR route in 1999 as there were not as many options for CCR as there are today.

Now that I have moved to CCR I would never go back to the SCR.

If I had it to do over, I would have made the jump to CCR 5 years ago. The SCR is better than OC, but nowhere near as efficient or adapatable as the CCR.

The KISS is a great unit and if I did not feel comfortable doing the Dolphin mods I would have gone that route and may still after I get additional dives on the CCR Dolphin.

With the cost of fills and HE increasing it is easy to see how a CCR will pay for it self in thesavings ovar a 12 to 24 month period. In addition I think that the overall TCO is lower with the CCR despite the higher inital costs.

Mike...
 
As to your question about the 13 cu ft bottle.

If you do as most of us do and use that bottle for BC, SMB inflation etc, as well as bailout, it is TOO SMALL.

A 19 is a much better choice.

Mike..
 
Diver Mike:
As to your question about the 13 cu ft bottle.

If you do as most of us do and use that bottle for BC, SMB inflation etc, as well as bailout, it is TOO SMALL.

A 19 is a much better choice.

Mike..


Thanks Mike, i have a 13 cubic foot now, but guess i'll sell it, and go with a 19, for both SCR and CCR , that seems to be a good starting point, thanks for your input as well, im definatley considering CCR, just hoping to afford one :wink:
 
Diver Mike:
The KISS is a great unit and if I did feel comfortable doing the Dolphin mods I would have gone that route and may still after I get additional dives on the CCR Dolphin.
One thing to consider, and one of the few advantages of the Dolphin over the Azi is the availability of aftermarket parts.

TecMe in Germany added a nice adapter to their product line that fits between the exhale bag and the cannister that has a male plug integrated. Good location for O2 addition, now convenient, too.

They are currently working on a tripple sensor housing to go in the spot where the Oxy2 (with 2 cells) usually is. Again, well placed and convenient. Building a tripple sensor holder was one of the pitas so far.

And with Jetsam selling the gauges and KISS valve, converting a Dolphin to CCR has become more of an assembly process rather than a building process.

If they just had a training course it ...
 
You might want to hold on to the 13 to supply the loop rather than bailout. :wink:
 
caveseeker7:
You might want to hold on to the 13 to supply the loop rather than bailout. :wink:


hmm, got ya, advice taken, thanks again caveseeker7, you have answered many of my questions , lot's to learn , let me get back to my discover rebreather :wink:
 

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