Shearwater Swift vs Shearwater Research vs Aqualung 02 Clean Transmitter

[makar0n]

Thread about all MA8H transmitters:

Are Pressure Transmitters compatible across brands?

I've been a fan of HW for many years, owned 2 of their computers and one of their lights. Customer service rivals Shearwater, just amazing. I had to double check wondering how I missed the introduction to AI. Don't think they'll ever go down that route. To be fair, HW launched an AI computer in...

scubaboard.com

Aqualung green is advertised as "O2 clean". Whether there are any physical differences (other than color or o-ring) that is hard to tell. Tried to get some details from Aqualung but they just do not respond to emails.

If you are in Europe, these sell for 230-250 Euro (~20% VAT included) brand new. Many shops will ship worldwide.

 

[scubadada]

Do you happen to know the difference between the Aqualung 02 Clean and the Black versions? I understand that the 02 Clean can go up to 100% Oxygen while the Black caps out at 40%. At least that's my understanding. Not that I have ever dived more than 34% on Nitrox, but given the Shearwater Teric can go up to 100% I assume I should buy a transmitter that is equally scalable?

Hi @ClintoKL

You would only need an O2 clean transmitter if you intend on diving with >40% nitrox and then you would only need it for monitoring your high O2 cylinder. One of the more common uses would be if you intend on doing AN/DP and would like to monitor your cylinder during accelerated decompression

 

[stuartv]

As far as I know, the only difference between the green PPS transmitter, the yellow one, and the grey one, is they each use a different time interval for when they transmit their data.

I think the grey one transmits every 5 seconds. I have a very vague memory that the green and yellow ones transmit every 4.8 and 5.2 seconds. Or something like that.

The different time interval is to ensure that if you have all 3 and they all turn on at the exact same moment, they will not sit there interfering with each other continuously.

 

[Wibble]

Do you happen to know the difference between the Aqualung 02 Clean and the Black versions? I understand that the 02 Clean can go up to 100% Oxygen while the Black caps out at 40%. At least that's my understanding. Not that I have ever dived more than 34% on Nitrox, but given the Shearwater Teric can go up to 100% I assume I should buy a transmitter that is equally scalable?

I connected the Shearwater to the 100% oxygen. Was purely random.

Not sure anybody bothers about the "oxygen clean" for transmitters. OK, maybe some do and some don't. Have never heard of problems.

I know the Aqualung makes some kind of "only certified to 40%". It makes no logical sense to have oxygen INcompatible O-rings or using some NON oxygen grease.


Shearwater sells (or did before releasing the more expensive Swift) two different colours of transmitters which have different transmit intervals. If using more than one you need different colours (or pay the man for the expensive Swifts) as the different colours will not interfere with each other.

So one cheap Aqualung black transmitter and the (more expensive) yellow Shearwater.

Again. In 4 years of using those transmitters, I've yet to have a problem. I use the small SAFT transmitters.


Oh, you MUST depressurise the gas lines otherwise the transmitters continue transmitting.

 

[stuartv]

If using more than one you need different colours (or pay the man for the expensive Swifts) as the different colours will not interfere with each other.

I wouldn't say you NEED different colours. I used 2 of the same color when I was diving sidemount for a while. I never had any issues with interference.

The broadcast every 5 seconds and the transmit time is very short. You'd have to be very unlucky in turning them on to have their transmission every 5 seconds overlap. I think I calculated it once at 3% chance, but I can't remember now if that calculation was based on 2 transmitters or more. Even if that was for 2, that's still a 97% chance you're totally fine, with no interference.

And if you do turn 2 on and they are interfering with each other, turn one tank off, depressurize the line, wait the 5 minutes or whatever the manual says for how long they wait before they turn off, and then turn the tank back on. No big deal. You could even do it in the water, if needed. Just remember to hit your purge button for a couple of seconds after, to blow any water out of the regs/lines that might have gotten in while the reg was depressurized. Water inside is also not a big deal, as long as it doesn't stay in there.

 

[greeniguana]

Shearwater website says:
"swift transmitters are built with O2 compatible materials; however the swift is not shipped 'O2 clean'".

The swift can also be installed without a wrench. Not supposed to do that with the old version.

 

[Wibble]

I wouldn't say you NEED different colours. I used 2 of the same color when I was diving sidemount for a while. I never had any issues with interference.

The broadcast every 5 seconds and the transmit time is very short. You'd have to be very unlucky in turning them on to have their transmission every 5 seconds overlap. I think I calculated it once at 3% chance, but I can't remember now if that calculation was based on 2 transmitters or more. Even if that was for 2, that's still a 97% chance you're totally fine, with no interference.

And if you do turn 2 on and they are interfering with each other, turn one tank off, depressurize the line, wait the 5 minutes or whatever the manual says for how long they wait before they turn off, and then turn the tank back on. No big deal. You could even do it in the water, if needed. Just remember to hit your purge button for a couple of seconds after, to blow any water out of the regs/lines that might have gotten in while the reg was depressurized. Water inside is also not a big deal, as long as it doesn't stay in there.

Because I bought them specifically for two gasses on a rebreather and there’s no backup gauges, I just opted for the two different colours. In over 200 hours of diving them, there’s been no interference.

I guess sidemount would be a different issue as there’s no issues turning off a reg, dumping the gas in the reg, waiting for 30 seconds for the transmitter to turn off, then turning the reg back on. If there’s issues with the reg unseating you can sort it out as it’s in front of you. On a backmount rebreather it’s a different ball game — I can’t even touch the 1st stages let alone reseat/tighten them.

 

[stuartv]

Because I bought them specifically for two gasses on a rebreather and there’s no backup gauges, I just opted for the two different colours. In over 200 hours of diving them, there’s been no interference.

I guess sidemount would be a different issue as there’s no issues turning off a reg, dumping the gas in the reg, waiting for 30 seconds for the transmitter to turn off, then turning the reg back on. If there’s issues with the reg unseating you can sort it out as it’s in front of you. On a backmount rebreather it’s a different ball game — I can’t even touch the 1st stages let alone reseat/tighten them.

On your rEvo it seems like your pre-breathe would be adequate to notice interference and correct…?

 

[Wibble]

On your rEvo it seems like your pre-breathe would be adequate to notice interference and correct…?

Maybe. But as it was a new config and a known issue (transmitters clashing), it made more sense to by a black one and yellow one. Sure, a few quid/bucks more, but then no grief either.

Most sh!tty dives I've had where the dive went wrong always seem to be a combination of little irritations adding up to result in more serious grief. Actually, not just diving -- it's even got a name "the incident pit".

Just one more thing I don't need to worry about.

 

[scubadada]

Aqua Lung sells regular or O2 clean for an extra $25. No description on their website regarding what O2 clean includes.