Apeks TX50 not suitable for coldwater use? What about XTX50?

[00wabbit]

I just read this post over in accidents and incidents. Rather than derail that thread with my questions I am posting it here.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...s-1-year-ago-finally-released-under-foia.html

In the report from the Navy they concluded the Apex TX50 was not suitable for coldwater diving. I dive the xtx50 which is supposed to be suitable for coldwater diving. What is the difference with the TX50 or could this just have been a problem of poor maintenance and upkeep.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

The report noted the freeze-up was likely caused by a leak or free-flow of some kind. Not sure there's a reg on that market that you can be sure won't freeze up in 40 degree water when that happens.

The Navy also still uses Cochran computers and mandates an on-site chamber for what would be considered vanilla tech diving...I wouldn't worry too much about their post-hoc ass covering re: "suitable" regs vs. your gear.

 

[tbone1004]

only difference there are in the second stages, first stages should both be environmentally sealed DST's. Any reg will freeze up if there is enough of a freeflow, they get REALLY cold. If you let a tank blow off most of it's pressure relatively quickly you will see frost forming on the valve even at room temperature. Moral of that story is be very careful with using regulators at the surface in below freezing temps, and be extra careful of freeflows when diving in near freezing temperatures. Also a good reason to always have redundancy.

Don't know the full details of that incident, but what is described is not "normal" conditions, and the TX50 will be a perfectly fine performer if it has the sealed DST first stage. You can tell this by the two tiered rings at the top of the first stage where the unsealed only has one ring.

 

[Centrals]

TX50 and XTX 50 is basically identical internally.

 

[tbone1004]

they are identical internally in the first stage which is where these types of failures occur, they are also CE rated for cold water, but that has no bearing on freeflows. The second stage on the XTX is two models newer, so it's reversible and that means there are some ever so minor differences in the second stage barrel, mainly the collar that rotates around. Other than that, damn near identical

 

[Irish1957]

what is the most preferred reg for cold water diving

 

[grf88]

My Apeks ATX50 and TX50 with DS4 1st have been in pretty cold water without any freeflow issues. By cold I mean 34 degrees in freshwater and 28 in saltwater

 

[jvanostrand]

I have hundreds of dives on TX50s (with DST 1sts) in cold water including many dives below 40F. I've also dove a TX100 (FSR 1st) for hundreds of dives in cold water down to 32F. I have had one free flow incident but it was an adjustment issue, the reg was hissing before getting wet.

In my part of Canada environmentally sealed Apeks 1sts and everything except the *TX20s are considered cold water regs and often used by tech divers.

 

[tbone1004]

the best and most preferred real damn coldwater regs are still poseidons. The second stages are quite difficult to get to freeflow, they have to be almost perfectly vertical going into the water, in the + mode to get them to freeflow, purge button won't cause the venturi to keep them freeflowing, and the first stages are quite well sealed *at least the new MK3 X-streams, real hard to find the older first stages sealed*. Most of the Navies across the world use them when they're ice diving. Nothing can beat them due to second stage design. Although I guess the new Hollis 500se and whatever Oceanic Omega number is equivalent would be comparable, but Poseidons are the tried and true old ones.

Now, that's not to say the rest of them are bad, but the pilot assisted servo is vastly superior to the Apeks style second stages at freeflow prevention and that is when the firsts are prone to freeze. Most any environmentally sealed first stage will be fine, just have to be VERY careful about freeflows.