Apeks Regs and Nitrox

[cstreu1026]

I was just going over the owners manual for the ATX40 I bought from Dive Inn. It says that the reg should not be used with a mixture containing more than 23.5% O2. What do I have to do to make it compatible for EAN32 or EAN36or any other mixture for that matter?

 

[Hallmac]

You can use as is up to 40%.

Hallmac

 

[Big Bubbles]

You can use this reg as long as it's 02 cleaned first then you can use it for 100% 02 if you like. This means it's free of contaminants and made from materials that don't combust as easy. This should be done yearly.

 

[MechDiver]

Big Bubbles once bubbled...
You can use this reg as long as it's 02 cleaned first then you can use it for 100% 02 if you like. This means it's free of contaminants and made from materials that don't combust as easy. This should be done yearly.

It does not need to be O2 clean for use with EAN40 and below. Or 50 for that matter...

MD

 

[Aquamaniac]

Connect the reg to your tank of EAN32, turn it on and take 3 big breaths, now your reg is ready to be used for mixes up to 40%.

Easy huh!

Dave

 

[ScoobieDooo]

A O2 reg only needs to be cleaned IF your gonna use 50% or higher O2.

 

[cstreu1026]

OK, so I shoud just ignore what the owner's manual says about using it with Nitrox. I just want to be sure everything is OK since it is to be my fiance's reg.

 

[Zaphod]

Acutally, the white filter on the yoke clamp (known as the Porvair filter) is not compatible with EAN -it can combust when badly contaminated. The fix is to use the sintered metal filter that comes in an overhaul kit. A tech should be able to make this change for no charge since he should be getting the retrofit part free anyway. Once the retrofit is complete, the white filter is replaced with a simple filter guard (with the Apeks symbol on it). The metal filter is already used when fitted with a DIN, so these regs are fine.

 

[runvus4]

There is no technical issue with using the reg with EANx of up to 40, but there may be warentee implications and certainly Apeks gets a big "out" for any liability issues.

 

[brian cooper]

The Apeks spares kits AP 0241 (1st stage) and AP 0219 (2nd stage) are both compatible with O2 use, except for the porous filter (AP 1406) mentioned earlier HOWEVER......
They are not "oxygen clean" when supplied from the factory, they and the reg should be cleaned to O2 standards on build-up, and recleaned yearly or sooner if a bad fill or unknown air has been used. The manufacturers cover themslves by saying anything more than 21% O2 is EAN.....and most of them now "recommend only Oxygen comptible lubricants"

The main point that some people miss with EAN is that the weakest bit in the system is the O ring in the cylinder pillar valve which takes a hit of 100% oxygen at anything upto 100 bar when filling a cylinder with an initial "lump" of oxygen before topping up with air to make the 232 bar of 40% O2 EAN. This does not apply if continuous blending is used.

I've seen pictures of cylinders that became jet powered torpedoes with the combusting O ring starting the fire triangle, (Ignition, fuel, and oxident) then the brass and the other rubbery bits were the fuel and the nitrox that was already in the cylinder provided the oxygen for the jet to continue not nice...

Dont go bang go diving...

Brian C