Back after 10 yrs, Regulator Questions

[SherlockOhms]

I have my advanced certification and used to dive all the time. Went to college, twice, got a job and haven't dove in over 10 years. My girlfriend recently found my BC and asked me about diving. I got her into a course and she is now an open water diver. She will begin her advanced next week. The dive shop she is getting certified from has been letting me dive as well while the group is training.

I would like to get a new regulator set so she can use my current set, some old Genesis first and second. We live in PA and have been diving in some lakes and quarries. We plan on keeping on diving here, as well as in the Keys later this year.

My question is whether or not, for the diving we do, I need a sealed first stage? If not, I plan on getting an AA Z2 set. If I do need a sealed, what do you recommend? Any of the HOG, Apex line? Thanks!

 

[flyboy08]

You'll get many responses....I use Hogs primary and Octo and love them....Deep Six are popular now too.

 

[AL-Diver]

It’s difficult to answer this question with the information provided and what your future ambitions are. I say that for this reason, it’s been my experience in PA quarries people avoid the bottom of the quarry because it’s cold. That is where the environmental seal is well worth the money, cold fresh water!
Air going from high pressure to the low intermediate pressure provided from the LP ports will be cold (drain a tank fast sometime and watch the moisture in the air condense and freeze around the valve). Salt water has a lower freezing point than fresh water and is less likely to freeze with an unsealed reg.

The top of the quarries and lakes in this area get warm in the summer.

Silt and debris are the other culprits that make environmental seals worth while. It really comes down to how you dive and how you take care of your gear. If you sling a bailout or pony bottle or will in the future are you disciplined to keep the reg off the bottom, when gearing up, when staging the bottle, cleaning up, etc. I see bailout or stage regs everyday that are for an emergency and treated as an after thought. I bring this up because if your diving progresses in the future these refs may serve a different purpose.

For me diving has evolved to be drysuit all-year, frequenting the bottom of the lakes and quarries, and using stage and deco bottles that get staged on the bottom or on a line during portions of the dive so for me I feel most comfortable knowing my gear is environmentally sealed, but I realize not everyone does that diving. I would say none the less chose quality, it’s life support equipment.

I like the apeks regulators.

 

[SherlockOhms]

I appreciate your replies. Are there any sealed first stages whose second breathes similarly to the AA?

Could you recommend a set for the Hog, Apex or Deep six?

 

[Aviyes]

The Atomic Aquatics 1st stages can all be sealed if desired. That includes the Z2 just to be specific.
Atomic Aquatics Z3/Z2 Regulator --3rd bullet point under first stage.

 

[SherlockOhms]

The Atomic Aquatics 1st stages can all be sealed if desired. That includes the Z2 just to be specific.
Atomic Aquatics Z3/Z2 Regulator --3rd bullet point under first stage.

I had seen that but was unsure whether a sealed piston was as desirable as a sealed diaphragm.

 

[diversteve]

Diaphragms are inherently better than pistons because the moving parts that need to be sealed are behind it but it doesn't mean a properly sealed piston won't work as well in colder conditions. It's only when you get near freezing or under ice that diaphragms are preferred. I also pay about $40 per service for Christolube when I have my Atomics sealed - I rarely do since all my diving is tropical.

Deep6 is currently the "rage" here but be sure you have someone in your area who will service them as their service options are different than most other manufacturers - they provide a service kit so a local shop can provide service - if they're willing - or you send it back to them in GA. currently. Of my 4 shops, 1 will if I provide the kit, one is a Deeo6 stocking location and two said their insurance won't let them.

I dive Atomics but in your situation, I'd look at Apeks since they're good cold water gear also - made to dive in the UK originally. I'm not current on their line to suggest a model. IDK if they still do but at one time Dive Right in Scuba had some good Apeks deals.

Probably the cold limitation in your diving plans will be the Genesis? Not familiar with them.

 

[BoltSnap]

The AA Z2 is a great regulator with many features that make it much more reliable and will need much less servicing and will have a longer time between required servicing without loss of warranty. You can get the Z2 sealed and go for several years without servicing and without any issues while still performing like new. I have several AA regulators and I can and do 3 - 5 years between servicing without any issues. The automatic venturi the AA second stages have (including the Z2) is fantastic in addition to the superb overall performance and reliability characteristics of all of AA regulators. There is no need to look elsewhere for better or more reliable regulators. I have used AA, SP, AL, etc. regulators in the NE USA and I have found that the AA are top with SP close second. No issues with cold water or anything else.

You can get the Z2, or any AA regulator, with a sealed first stage which will make it most "bulletproof" as possible.

 

[herman]

I appreciate your replies. Are there any sealed first stages whose second breathes similarly to the AA?

Could you recommend a set for the Hog, Apex or Deep six?

What you need to understand is 99% of to breathing characteristics of a reg are determined by the second stage, the first stage has almost nothing to do with it. As long as the first stage keeps the IP (pressure in the hose) at a reasonably constant pressure, which ALL modern first stages will do, the second stage will perform the same regardless of the first stage. Mid to lower end first stages work just as well as the top of the line first stage when attached to a good second stage. Don't get mislead into thinking a high end first stage or a diaphragm vs piston makes any difference in the breathing characteristics of a reg. That is pure sales BS. In addition, most second stages are close to the same as long as you stay within the same general type. What I mean by that is the mid to upper mid grade of any brand is usually exactly the same inside as a brands top of the line, the difference being bling on the outside that does nothing but look "better" or some additional features that may or may not be of any real use to the diver. The bottom line to all of this is don't get fooled into believing that the higher the cost of a reg the better.

Diaphragm vs piston is more of a personal choice than anything else. Both will work fine, both have their advantages and disadvantages. My personal preference are diaphragm first stages as they are easier to environmental seal ( and less costly to do so), the working parts are inherently isolated from the elements as opposed to pistons are not and all diaphragm first stages can have their IP externally adjusted, where most piston regs can not. That said, as long as you get the first stage attached to a good second stage, it really does not matter.

 

[divad]

My question is whether or not, for the diving we do, I need a sealed first stage? If not, I plan on getting an AA Z2 set. If I do need a sealed, what do you recommend? Any of the HOG, Apex line? Thanks!

You could buy a Zeagle (manufactured by Atomic in the same factory) if you want a sealed diaphram regulator. The F8 second stage was re-designed by Atomic and breaths great......And I was skeptical.