Off-Gassing about Regulators

[tphillipp]

Herman,
Thank you for allowing me to correct you but you have been given bad information. Aqua Lung sells its regulator stages separately. They are all there in the dealer's Spare Parts Catalog.

Tom Phillipp
Product Manager
Aqua Lung America

 

[g2]

Dan & Tom,

Thank you for responding to my post and addressing herman's as well. Apology accepted.

Herman was right, though, in that I wasn't so concerned about the salesmanship so much as a lack of information regarding what AL second stage would be an appropriate replacement on my Cousteau/SEA 1st. Any AL dealer should be able to answer this question, which was my original intent when I approached the rep. I still don't know the answer. There's no information on the AL website.

A while back, while having the reg serviced, I asked a shop technician (at an authorized AL service center). He recommended a low-end Atomic 2nd, which is what I'm using now. No offense to Atomic, but it is a disappointingly poor performer compared to the AL unit it replaced -- thus my interest.

Perhaps I'm making too much of this. At the least, please understand my frustrations and the perceptions (correct or not) that divers like myself and herman may have.

Respectfully,

g2

 

[Bubbletrubble]

]
A while back, while having the reg serviced, I asked a shop technician (at an authorized AL service center). He recommended a low-end Atomic 2nd, which is what I'm using now. No offense to Atomic, but it is a disappointingly poor performer compared to the AL unit it replaced -- thus my interest.

@g2: Are you currently using the Atomic Aquatics Z2? If so, perhaps you need to get the reg tuned properly or overhauled. Another possibility is that your first stage requires adjustment (I.P. set too low) or overhaul and this is causing deficiencies in subjective breathing performance.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

The question I would have for the rep. is why would a replacement cost $600 when you could purchase an equally as well performing HOG D1 first and second for less than half the cost?

 

[g2]

@g2: Are you currently using the Atomic Aquatics Z2? If so, perhaps you need to get the reg tuned properly or overhauled. Another possibility is that your first stage requires adjustment (I.P. set too low) or overhaul and this is causing deficiencies in subjective breathing performance.

Nah, it's an older Alpha 8. The reg is tuned properly, the problem is that it's an implicitly bad design for the type of diving I do. The faceplate is soft, so it free-flows when facing into a strong current. De-tuning the reg might solve that, perhaps at the expense of breathing resistance. The other problem is that the exhaust T is too small: in certain positions the bubbles are not deflected enough. The AquaLung SEA seconds avoided both these problems. Atomic appears to make great regs for travel and light-weight, low-profile applications, but this particular one just isn't up to snuff for abusive conditions.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Nah, it's an older Alpha 8. The reg is tuned properly, the problem is that it's an implicitly bad design for the type of diving I do. The faceplate is soft, so it free-flows when facing into a strong current. De-tuning the reg might solve that, perhaps at the expense of breathing resistance. The other problem is that the exhaust T is too small: in certain positions the bubbles are not deflected enough. The AquaLung SEA seconds avoided both these problems. Atomic appears to make great regs for travel and light-weight, low-profile applications, but this particular one just isn't up to snuff for abusive conditions.

I guess I'm not familiar with the older Atomic Aquatics second stages. I thought the Alpha 8 was an Oceanic reg.
FWIW, the Oceanic Alpha 8 is a fairly affordable second stage, whereas Atomic Aquatics second stages cost a pretty penny.

 

[beanojones]

Herman,
Thank you for allowing me to correct you but you have been given bad information. Aqua Lung sells its regulator stages separately. They are all there in the dealer's Spare Parts Catalog.

Tom Phillipp
Product Manager
Aqua Lung America

As an instructor working through Aqualung shops, this info is held onto as if it is a deep dark secret. You know it, and I assumed it, but I am not a buyer for the shop. I know I would be diving a Legend LX second stage if I could buy it easily. But I can only buy an octo version which does not have the adjuster on it. So I don't dive Aqualung.

 

[beanojones]

Nah, it's an older Alpha 8. The reg is tuned properly, the problem is that it's an implicitly bad design for the type of diving I do. The faceplate is soft, so it free-flows when facing into a strong current. De-tuning the reg might solve that, perhaps at the expense of breathing resistance. The other problem is that the exhaust T is too small: in certain positions the bubbles are not deflected enough. The AquaLung SEA seconds avoided both these problems. Atomic appears to make great regs for travel and light-weight, low-profile applications, but this particular one just isn't up to snuff for abusive conditions.

An Atomic Z2 octo(second stage only) is $290, the other Atomic octos go up to $430 (for the second stage only).

Either the tech you deal with has absolutely no idea what he is doing, or you are not diving an Atomic reg. Bubbletrouble is trying to politely say that. If it is an Atomic reg, and you want to get rid of it, put it on eBay and you will easily get enough money to cover the cost of a replacement Aqualung reg (If it is a Ti2, I'll buy it.). There is someone selling an SEA second stage for $25.00 in the SB classifieds, so you could end up with money in your pocket pretty easily.

 

[g2]

Duh, you're right. It's an Oceanic second, not Atomic. Doesn't change anything... still doesn't work well for my kind of diving.

Both of the original AL SEA seconds failed because the cases cracked. I expect any used SEAs will likely have the same problem.

I've moved on, so it's pretty much a dead issue now. Thanks anyway.

 

[NCadiver]

G2 I think this is the part number you are looking for #104101 and it is in stock. The alpha 8 is crappy second stage.

As an instructor working through Aqualung shops, this info is held onto as if it is a deep dark secret. You know it, and I assumed it, but I am not a buyer for the shop. I know I would be diving a Legend LX second stage if I could buy it easily. But I can only buy an octo version which does not have the adjuster on it. So I don't dive Aqualung.

beanojones All you had to do is look in the parts catalog and you would find it.