I'm starting my Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures class this week so I took my stage bottle reg into the shop to have it O2 cleaned in preperation for using it with high O2 concentrations. The tech at the shop, a very experienced individual but old school, said he could clean it but that because it was a balanced piston design he wouldn't reccomend it. He said that because it was for deco that it didn't need to be balanced and that an un-balanced first stage would be better and cheaper. Since I own several back up regs I don't know that buying another "un-balanced" reg strictly for deco would be any cheaper. The better part did make some sense though. Being a balanced design there are more twists and turns within the first stage he explaned that could develop hot spots and result in combustion if used with very high concentrations of O2.
I was wondering what type of deco reg others are using and if you think it's un-wise to use a balanced first stage for this? I understand that if were buying a reg strictly for deco that an un-balanced first stage would work just fine but I don't really want to buy another reg if I don't have to.
I was wondering what type of deco reg others are using and if you think it's un-wise to use a balanced first stage for this? I understand that if were buying a reg strictly for deco that an un-balanced first stage would work just fine but I don't really want to buy another reg if I don't have to.