Regulators Depth Limitations

[DogDiver]

What you should do is look at the regulators used by:
Jersey wreck divers
NC wreck divers
Great Lakes wreck divers
Florida Cave divers
You will generally see them using: Apex, Scubapro, Zeagle, Posiden, Atomic. Halcyon, etc
Can't say I've seen many Aqualung regs in the caves



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[tbone1004]

awap, I thought he was referring to first stages....

If he was on 2nd stages, to the OP, there is no need to change for doubles, very few regulators have the ability to switch, and even those that do have very few divers that actually use that function, usually on stage bottles if you see them. Occasionally in sidemount, but almost never in doubles *though a few pictures of Sheck from way back when have him using his Poseidon's from the other side but Poseidon's are nondirectional, and also happen to be my preferred regulator.

 

[Germie]

The aqualung Titan LX supreme was my first regulator. It is now converted into a stage regulator and I use it on 1 of my bailoutgases, that can be a 6/72 trimix or a 100% oxygen.
Last week I took my regs to 131m and 132m depth. So don't bother about your regs. I have dived them oc to 112m depth. Oh and I have dived it in caves too. So no problem with the Aqualung Titan LX regs.
My regs are from: apeks (most, ds4 and xtx40/50), Scubapro (mk17 and mk19 with G250V), Aqualung titan lx supreme. And I have an Oceanic delta second stage on an DS4.
All DIN of course.

 

[FiddlerOnTheRoof]

No mention of my Hollis 500s....? Sucks

 

[Nemrod]

What you should do is look at the regulators used by:
Jersey wreck divers
NC wreck divers
Great Lakes wreck divers
Florida Cave divers
You will generally see them using: Apex, Scubapro, Zeagle, Posiden, Atomic. Halcyon, etc
Can't say I've seen many Aqualung regs in the caves



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That may be, but in test after test, the two that stand at the top of the heap are the Legend and the Titan XL both available in cold water versions.

Tech divers seem to favor regulators that allow configuring hoses in some "preferred" arrangement usually for twin set ups. This makes sense and I do the same thing, preferring older MK V firsts for my twin rigs due to the superior hose routing vs using a Titan or Legend first, the hoses just do not set up well for twins. That "preference" of mine is not based on performance or reliability but upon utility. I prefer the MK V/MK25 and similar piston first stages with a turret and end port.

N

---------- Post added April 5th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ----------

I'll put my conshelf XIV supreme .... Up against the new kids on the block....

Jim

Owner of several of these, a fine regulator and still a go to often as not. Especially when I want a rugged, reliable no fuss regulator. But it cannot be tuned to equal top of the line SP/AL/Apeks/Atomics. However, on my wish list is the Kirby Morgan version with the adjustment knob.

My SP109 can be set to inhale better than my Conshelfs by adjusting the knob (during set up) to slightly free flow. You cannot do that with a Conshelf and still have a reliable no fuss second stage. That said, my Titan XL also breaths better than the Conshelf and set to a lower, stable cracking force, measurable on my Magnehelic. The balanced second stage mechanism on both my Titan and the SP109 allow a lower, stable cracking pressure. The downfall of the 109 in my opinion is the 25mm exhaust valve. I think the Conshelf has a better venturi action.

Not being a 109 expert, I sent my best set to one of "The Usual Suspects" and he tuned on them. They do fine, I mostly wanted to confirm that they were correctly set. He did improve upon them slightly and they are now very smooth.

WOB, work of breathing, has three basic components;

1. Initial cracking effort
2. Sustained Venturi flow/volume effort
3. Exhaust effort

These may not be the terminologies used by everyone but it is the things being measured. Simply measuring the cracking effort is only 1/3 of the story. These things are measurable and can be quantified. They are not subjective.

N

 

[oldschoolto]

I guess I'm not going deep anough or just am to crud of a diver to feel the difference between them.. Not that I've used many of the other regs... I have a 109 that I dive and can't remember ever saying thank god I got this flow knob ... Diving with the conshelfs to 120' - 150' they breathe fine... And that's working salvage on a wreak...

Now, I don't know if they would turn in to straws at 200' plus.... But I doubt it... Like you said, The Kirby Morgan is a conshelf 14 with a flow control... Is it that much better then the flow control of the 109 ?

I don't think 90% - 95% of divers would know the difference between them...

Jim.,

 

[Nemrod]

I guess I'm not going deep anough or just am to crud of a diver to feel the difference between them.. Not that I've used many of the other regs... I have a 109 that I dive and can't remember ever saying thank god I got this flow knob ... Diving with the conshelfs to 120' - 150' they breathe fine... And that's working salvage on a wreak...

You are not reading what I said and I said nor inferred anything about your abilities, you did that yourself. I measure the difference in cracking effort with a Magnehelic. In the water at any normal depth most would not notice much difference. But you said you would put them against any and I am just saying, put them on a Magnehelic and you can see differences, for what it is worth to you.

On the knob, I cannot say I have ever said thank God for it either but nonetheless it facilitates setting a regulator to essentially zero cracking effort since it can be adjusted, with the knob full out, to free flow ever so slightly. Most would not consider that a proper adjustment but the Legend and my Titan retrofitted with a knob and the 109 BA with the knob can be set such that they free flow knob turned out all the way. Turn it in about 1/2 turn or less and it stops. Turn it in about a full turn or 1.5 turns and I am at the same cracking effort measured on my Conshelf at the lowest stable setting I have been able to achieve with it.

It is difficult to get the effort below 1.2, maybe 1.0 inches on a non adjustable regulator without it being unstable or free flowing into the slightest current. With an adjustment knob one can turn the knob in if swimming into a current for example to prevent free flow. I can set my Phoenix to about .6 inches and the Kraken as well when fitted with a HPR second stage, of course there is no knob but the diaphragm is protected by the cans in most situations. The Kraken wins over all for exhaust effort (in normal swim position).

N

 

[oldschoolto]

I did not mean it in a bad way.... I'm far from a great writer.. The point is.... If you can't tell the difference and you only can see it on a test bench, Does it really matter ?

What I guess I should have said: I'll put my conshelf xiv up against any of the others and in a blind test.. I doubt anyone would be able to pick them out... I know if it breathes good or bad... I could care less that the crack was 0.9 or 1.2 I'm just not that good ....

Jim...

 

[kensuf]

Question 1: Does helium affect this regulator?

Answer: Helium affects all regulators, but in a positive way. It reduces the gas density in your breathing mixture, making it easier to breathe than a nitrox or air mixture at a similar depth.

Question 2: Will this regulator work as a "technical diving regulator"?

Answer: Yes. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the way the ports on the first stage routes the hoses, but it will work fine.

 

[redacted]

When you are looking for performance at depth, the capability of the 2nd stage to "flow" the gas volume becomes a more important parameter. I doubt if you can find any modern 2nd that will beat an original Scubapro Pilot when it comes to high volume of gas flow.