Atomics Regs for Cold water

[K9Pig]

I have had my M1 down to 47*F with no problems on three different dives at 52 ft.

 

[sladerer]

I've had my B2 at 40F and 52' with no problems.

 

[lowridersvt]

I have had my m1 's down too 200ft in 34 deg water in tobermory ontario on trimix with no issues have many dive under the ice in 33deg water with -40 air temps . and some dives as cold as 30 deg in a the niagara river in about a 1000 dives on my m1's only free flowed twice one it was way out of service and it was under the ice and the second time i left them in the truck over night before and ice dive

They are a great cold water reg .

I did have a massive free flow from my mk17 g250v at the end of last years ice dive season so no reg is imune to freezing

 

[TRIBOLUBE71]

I understand your point about cleaning out the PFPE grease, conventionally. There is a solvent that makes short work of this task. The Grease that Atomic now uses is no longer the lube you mentioned. They have made the switch to Tribolube PFPE oxygen compatible grease.

Atomics are based on the SP Mk 20-25 design, as far as I can see. I've rebuilt both types and there's not a lot of difference between them except for sizes. You don't think they'd make interchangeable parts, do you????? But I digress...

An Atomic first stage with the environmental kit should let no water inside the ambient chamber. Ergo, the first stage should not freeze. Key word here = "should not". I think there's more chance of water getting past that rubber ring than there is getting past the seal on a diaphragm first stage.

Both are good regs. Were I to dive in cold water, though, I'd insist on a sealed diaphragm reg. NO water gets in there, and it is nowhere near as messy as a sealed Atomic to rebuild. Nothing like an ounce or two of used Christolube to clean out of the piston spring!!

 

[R2K2]

That interesting about the Tribolube, I just had my Atomic serviced last month and they put Chrostolube in it.

Thanks Lowridersvt, the temps and depths you are talking about make me feel much better with what I will be doing.

 

[lowridersvt]

R2K2 there is somthings you can do to the atomics to make them better for cold water . The m1"s come with a heat sink on the second stage. but the other lines of atomic dont have it takes 10 minuts to install .

And always fallow cold water diving rules i think there is a post on here somwere about that if you do a search

 

[reo]

I've had my B2 at 43 degrees on several dives this past winter down to 96 feet in Puget Sound with no problems.

Ron

 

[R2K2]

Hi lowridersvt,

Do you have a part number for this heat sink you mentioned or know a place I could get it online?

Thanks

 

[fnfalman]

Hi lowridersvt,

Do you have a part number for this heat sink you mentioned or know a place I could get it online?

Thanks

Contact Atomic and they can hook you up. I don't think anybody sells Atomic parts and pieces on line.

 

[GShockey]

Atomic M-1's, 250' PNW, 40 degrees F. No problem.