help with my brand new Atomic B2

[rscott9399]

So at the advice of some on this board and reading reviews.
I purchased a brand new Atomic B2 and a Z2 to go with it while i was on vacation in Key Largo.
I only got to use it twice while on vacation sadly.
It seemed to work very nicely and i was happy with my purchase.

I came home to Denver and have played with it in a pool a few times and just Sunday did a reservoir dive to 45 feet to find a sunken airplane.

I noticed the second i touched the bottom at 45 feet while vertical staring at my buddy it was very hard to breath. It was breathing like a $100 rental not a $700 reg. In the pool the day before it seemed to be working normally.

It actually came close to sending me into panic mode

Now i know all regs breath the best when horizontal but i bought a spendy reg in the hopes and the reviews saying it breaths the same regardless of position. In Florida it seemed to work just fine in a vertical position at around 30 feet. Never got a chance to go deeper then that in FL.

The adjustment on both my Z2 and B2 seem to do very little in the way of breath-ability. The adjustment does seem to greatly effect free flow if you take the reg out of your mouth so im assuming it is working.

Last night i jumped in the pool at 12 feet and again while vertical it was borderline uncomfortable to breath. It was a strain to use and only when i got into a horizontal position did i feel comfortable.

This is the first reg i have ever owned and im a very newly certified diver with only a hand full of dives. However, it seems to be not working correctly or to say the least the same as it worked in Florida.
I almost feel like my Z2 breaths better.
I also noticed that the hose on both of them is very short. The Z2 hose is literally only a regulator width longer. My wife and i were doing skills last night and we had to be on top of each other for her to use it.

So far im disappointed with an expensive purchase but i cant tell if it needs service or that is just how this reg works. If indeed its fine, its pretty disappointing. I have rented $300 scuba pro regs that seem to breath easier.

And ideas? Thanks in advance

 

[tbone1004]

get in touch with @boulderjohn and ask him very nicely if he will show you how to tune the regulator properly. It is quite possible that it isn't tuned very well.

regarding the reg hoses, you'll have to get those swapped for something a bit better and John can help you with that as well. I think he does something like a one day clinic that isn't a "course" per se, but it's a "let's get you sorted out" type day.

 

[rscott9399]

get in touch with @boulderjohn and ask him very nicely if he will show you how to tune the regulator properly. It is quite possible that it isn't tuned very well.

regarding the reg hoses, you'll have to get those swapped for something a bit better and John can help you with that as well. I think he does something like a one day clinic that isn't a "course" per se, but it's a "let's get you sorted out" type day.

When you say tune im assuming you are referring to doing something other then adjusting the knob?
Something internal perhaps?
I also read some debates about which port the 2nd stage should be hooked up to on an atomic reg.

 

[tbone1004]

When you say tune im assuming you are referring to doing something other then adjusting the knob?
Something internal perhaps?
I also read some debates about which port the 2nd stage should be hooked up to on an atomic reg.

it is the overall adjustment of the regulator. The adjustment knob is basically supposed to be all the way in, or all the way out. In is when you aren't breathing it, out is when you are.

the port doesn't matter, those things flow so much air it's not going to be an issue.

When vertical any regulator is going to breathe VERY differently than it does when horizontal, no matter what anyway says, it's basic physics. Exceptions are the side exhausts, but they breathe different when you roll from side to side so they aren't immune. The key is to have these things tuned properly to the first stage and if whoever you bought it from didn't do that prior to shipping, it has to get done. Any dive shop can do it, it's not difficult, hell you can do it at home if you want to, video on part of what is likely going on below. Even though you aren't mixing brands, and the balanced nature of the Atomics shouldn't be an issue, they may just not have been tuned properly prior to leaving the factory and need a bit of a tweak

 

[rscott9399]

it is the overall adjustment of the regulator. The adjustment knob is basically supposed to be all the way in, or all the way out. In is when you aren't breathing it, out is when you are.

the port doesn't matter, those things flow so much air it's not going to be an issue.

When vertical any regulator is going to breathe VERY differently than it does when horizontal, no matter what anyway says, it's basic physics. Exceptions are the side exhausts, but they breathe different when you roll from side to side so they aren't immune. The key is to have these things tuned properly to the first stage and if whoever you bought it from didn't do that prior to shipping, it has to get done. Any dive shop can do it, it's not difficult, hell you can do it at home if you want to, video on part of what is likely going on below. Even though you aren't mixing brands, and the balanced nature of the Atomics shouldn't be an issue, they may just not have been tuned properly prior to leaving the factory and need a bit of a tweak

Thanks for the tip

I love Alec Pearce and his videos I have been watching his tech tips intently since we got into this.
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Joneill]

it is the overall adjustment of the regulator. The adjustment knob is basically supposed to be all the way in, or all the way out. In is when you aren't breathing it, out is when you are.

the port doesn't matter, those things flow so much air it's not going to be an issue.

When vertical any regulator is going to breathe VERY differently than it does when horizontal, no matter what anyway says, it's basic physics. Exceptions are the side exhausts, but they breathe different when you roll from side to side so they aren't immune. The key is to have these things tuned properly to the first stage and if whoever you bought it from didn't do that prior to shipping, it has to get done. Any dive shop can do it, it's not difficult, hell you can do it at home if you want to, video on part of what is likely going on below. Even though you aren't mixing brands, and the balanced nature of the Atomics shouldn't be an issue, they may just not have been tuned properly prior to leaving the factory and need a bit of a tweak

Agreed - I wonder if the shop the OP bought the reg set from actually tested and adjusted it or did they just assemble it "as is" out of the box. I have a T3 primary/B2 octo setup and it is easy breathing regardless of depth and/or orientation - so I suspect this is just a case of an improperly tuned regulator as you suggest!

 

[tbone1004]

Alec has some good stuff, a lot of stuff I don't necessarily agree with since he is pretty entrenched in the recreational world, but it appears that since he's sold Scuba 2000 he's going back to his DIY vintage days which makes me happy

 

[rscott9399]

Alec has some good stuff, a lot of stuff I don't necessarily agree with since he is pretty entrenched in the recreational world, but it appears that since he's sold Scuba 2000 he's going back to his DIY vintage days which makes me happy

He sold it?!!!!
No way!!!

 

[rscott9399]

Agreed - I wonder if the shop the OP bought the reg set from actually tested and adjusted it or did they just assemble it "as is" out of the box. I have a T3 primary/B2 octo setup and it is easy breathing regardless of depth and/or orientation - so I suspect this is just a case of an improperly tuned regulator as you suggest!

Yea they def did not make any adjustments to it.
I watched them do it and because im a dope and did not know any better didnt say anything
They took it out the box. Asked me if i would like hose protectors and asembled it.

Also, i noticed the tech put a very tiny tiny hair pin drop size of some silicone sealant on the threads. Is this normal practice?
I know on my airplane we would never do such a thing. It was such a small amount i cant see it getting in the reg.
I also just for kicks called Atomic to confirm the place i bought from in Key largo was a true and authorized atomic dealer / tech center. They checked out ok. But no adjustment or testing done when purchased. It was just assembled and handed to me.

 

[Dogbowl]

He sold it?!!!!
No way!!!

Yup, Alec's shop is my LDS. I walked into it early this summer and realized he wasn't around and things were "different" (not in a bad way, just different). Googled it and found out he retired and sold it earlier this year.