Sealing a Z2 for ice diving

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hello -

I have an Atomic Z2 that I am hoping to set environentally sealed for cold water / ice diving. What exactly does sealing mean? Does it permenantly convert your regulator to cold water use or do you have to get it sealed everytime they service it. Has anyone ever dove with a Z2 that they got "sealed?" Is it reliable?

Thanks -

 

[scubafanatic]

the 1st-stage 'sealing' is only as permanent as you want it to be, and is easily reversed if you so desire. They fill the 1st-stage with Cristolube (kinda reminds me of white toothpaste) and seal the 1st-stage 'holes' with a small black rubber band so the Cristolube doesn't ooze out of the 1st-stage 'holes'. You do have to pay for replacing the Cristolube everytime the 1st-stage is serviced, maybe $40 in Cristolube each time, although Scubatoys gave me a pretty good discount on the Cristolube cost when I had them service my 2 Atomics this past Feb.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

And how did your Atomic do in cold water? Any freezing? Free flow?

 

[Scared Silly]

What gets sealed is the ambient chamber. If you look at your reg now and the rubber ring around the middle of the first stage you will see holes in it. That allows water to enter the chamber and is what the first stage balances the pressure against. When it get sealed the chamber is filled as described above. The idea is that because water is no longer in contact with the piston which gets cold from expanding air it will not freeze up. When servicing and rebuilding the reg it gets removed and replaced. A big mess.

I have had mine in cold water mid 40s without issue and unsealed. Piston regs (which is what Atomic are) are typically more prone to cold water issues than diaphragm regs.