Inflator style Alt Air...do you love yours?

[redacted]

Never use it when teaching however as new students aren't ready to handle anything other than a standard 2nd stage..

Yet there are quite a few successful Scubapro shops that have Air2s on all their training and rental gear!!! Do you think you might be a bit off-center with your assessment?

I suspect that using Air2s in OW training effectively reduces the students' options when they go shopping for their own equipment.

 

[BoltSnap]

I agree but a couple comments:



The first time I had a Scubapro authorized dealer service an Air2, it just breathed terribly. I took it back and he tried to tell me they had to be de-tuned to prevent freeflows. Reluctantly, he adjusted it and made it worse. Back we go again and after telling me I was wrong, he discovered he was adjusting the orifice in the wrong direction.

The AirII is a simple SS to work on and adjust. He must have been completely out of it to screw it up.

While I believe I have seen an LPI to Air2 adapter, they are hard to find because the LPI connector design with a schradder valve is not capable of delivering the higher volumes of gas needed for comfortable breathing in all cases. If you can stay calm you will probably be OK. When we travel, I always carry a spare Air2 and a spare Air2 hose for my wife's rig. She has about 600 dives and has never had a problem with either.

I frankly never bothered to take any spares for it since I never expect a problem with it and thus I can’t vouch for the adapters. I check and double check my equipment prior to any trip to make sure that there won’t be any problems. I have done many dive trips over the years (I have done as many as 10 trips a year) and I never had problems with equipment except equipment bag not arriving on the same flight. If I had to take a spare for everything I carry including photo gear, I’d have to carry a whole dive shop with me I am afraid.

I must also say that the greater majority, if not all, of my students/clients who traveled with me used AirII's and I can't recall them having problems with their AirII's. They are highly reliable piece of equipment.

 

[BoltSnap]

Yet there are quite a few successful Scubapro shops that have Air2s on all their training and rental gear!!! Do you think you might be a bit off-center with your assessment?

I suspect that using Air2s in OW training effectively reduces the students' options when they go shopping for their own equipment.

Our training/rental equipment had MK20/G250 and AirII's (a couple of Atomic B1's for client trial purposes as well). We discussed Octo's with our students and gone over the procedure for using them. Students knew that they had to get training/orientation on the use of Octo's should they decide on going the Octo's route.

 

[fnfalman]

1 - I dont
2 - they are

... and you would know that if you had read my posts in this thread , or looked at my pics posted here

Sorry.

 

[Zung]

... While I believe I have seen an LPI to Air2 adapter, they are hard to find because the LPI connector design with a schradder valve is not capable of delivering the higher volumes of gas needed for comfortable breathing in all cases. If you can stay calm you will probably be OK. When we travel, I always carry a spare Air2 and a spare Air2 hose for my wife's rig. She has about 600 dives and has never had a problem with either.

The original AIR2 hose is dual purpose and made of 2 parts: the AIR2 end of the hose has a standard female thread, same as a second stage hose, plus a screw-in AIR2 specific piece. If you look real hard into your closet, I'm sure you'll find, like me, the same screw-in pieces for regular inflators. So the same hose is good for both standard inflators and AIR2's.

With that said, the AIR2 and its hose are pretty much unbreakable. The only issue I've ever had is a dried out o-ring in the hose that's easy to replace.

Edit

If digging into the closet is too big of a deal, Trident sells these parts:

• A139: reg hose to AIR2
• AA41: reg hose to inflator

 

[BoltSnap]

F.Y.I. The AirII hose connection needs to be serviced at the same time the actual AirII is serviced including replacement of the o'ring.

 

[D_B]

I have my LDS shop service my SP reg, and my BC with Air2 at the same time

 

[scubadoguk]

I love my air two but like to dive with buddies who, when I drop to the 500psi mark, I then can use there standard second stage or bugie octo to stretch out my dive a few more minutes or better yet a brownie system.

I have all types BUT not one works as well as sticking to the plan, Plan the dive dive the plan.

 

[BoltSnap]

D_B,

Please note that most dive shops techs neglect to service the LP inflator hose connection for the AirII. You need to make a point of telling them to service it. The whole thing won't take 15 minutes for the hose connection at the most (provided they don't drop one of the ball bearings on the floor). They also need to make sure to replace the O'ring.

 

[bkotheimer]

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