What is on their backs?

[vondo]

so they have 3 30's and a CCR under the hood? thats amazing.

No, you read too much into it. Reading what's written they say it's 3x30. Then in the same section they talk about CCR. But they are not saying they dive with both at the same time or one unit contains both.

 

[rcs9250]

If I recall from many years ago they used small cylinders but were 6000 psi.

 

[Nemrod]

Those are not rebreathers, it is a streamlined shell over triple tanks. It is an updated version of the UDS "type" systems. Notice the buoyancy bladder under the shell and the right shoulder valve. They seem to also be using a full face masks with communication capability. N

 

[Royce]

I wonder why they do 3 separate tanks instead of one larger one?

I suppose with seperate tanks if one fails they still have the other two. Also, I suspect it is a manufacturing thing... The manufacturing plants are geared to make cylinders. They would have two set up a totally different sistem to make "backpacks" of air.

 

[Cave Diver]

I was surfing the Youtube and came across this video of Diving with Manta Rays...

YouTube - Diving with Manta Rays

I thought at first that they were diving with rebreathers but then noticed at a number of instances throughout the video that there were bubbles coming from their mouths. is this an "all in one" type bundle that there wearing? or is it that rebreathers actually expel gas at some point through their operation? It was always my understanding that rebreathers recycled the air and produced no bubbles..... however the more I think about it now the less that sounds correct since (if I understand correctly) in order to dive at different depths the mix needs to be adjusted and the added gas would need to displace existing gas.

Maybe its just my understanding about rebreathers that needs to be corrected....

Thanks

They are diving open circuit gear under a colored shell. The easiest way to distinguish this is because there is only a single, small diameter low pressure hose coming from the tanks.

CCR utilizes a larger diameter double hose.

 

[scuga]

No, you read too much into it. Reading what's written they say it's 3x30. Then in the same section they talk about CCR. But they are not saying they dive with both at the same time or one unit contains both.

Dare to dream

 

[SailNaked]

yes yes but what is the light? that thing is huge, car battery and car head light? 4" PVC? I want one.

 

[Nemrod]

I wonder why they do 3 separate tanks instead of one larger one?

I suppose with seperate tanks if one fails they still have the other two. Also, I suspect it is a manufacturing thing... The manufacturing plants are geared to make cylinders. They would have two set up a totally different sistem to make "backpacks" of air.

A single large tank cannot be easily streamlined or fit into the very photogenic tank fairings they want to use. With anything Cousteau, style/looks is more important than function or at least as much so thus the silver suits and head lamp helmets in the past and now cute blue suits with full face masks. It looks cool, it looks outer space. A huge set of doubles or singles with all the DIR clips and rings looks dorky, they look cool and streamlined by comparison, if less functional.

Surely you can see that three tanks of smaller diameter and length can be kept closer to the back and more easily contained within a low profile fairing that one large tank or even two large tanks? Thus, three small tanks.

BTW, during the 50s and 60s triple tanks were in vogue, more so in Europe than in the USA, Nemrod Seamless Rubber and U.S. Divers had triple manifolds and U.S. Divers also has the streamlined UDS packs modeled after those from the Cousteau documentaries.

Cousteau and company did not use an SPG, the third tank on some of their systems was a fail safe reserve system, Cousteau preferred that concept to the SPG and as you probably do not know, most divers did not use an SPG until into the 70s, we used J valves for a reserve. Once the Cousteau divers depleted their main air supply, they would turn the valve on for the third tank which was upside down in the fairing with the valve more readily accessible that way and then return to the ship, essentially a pony system. No, they did not pester one another every few minutes to look at SPG gauges they did not have or use.

N

 

[kanonfodr]

Wow...checked out that page and that stuff is kinda...well I like some of it (the HD video camera, that HUUUGE surface powered light), the rest does seem to have more show than go. I guess if you were going strictly for looks it works for the cameras, but in one picture I spotted a regular old AL80 with regulator behind one of the divers' back. I can't imagine a scientist doing the mundane scuba work in that spiffy getup without arguing.

Peace,
Greg

 

[Tortuga68]

Cousteau and company did not use an SPG, the third tank on some of their systems was a fail safe reserve system, Cousteau preferred that concept to the SPG and as you probably do not know, most divers did not use an SPG until into the 70s, we used J valves for a reserve... No, they did not pester one another every few minutes to look at SPG gauges...

I recall a Sheck Exley story (in 'Caverns...' I think?) about the J valve being on (off?) from the start of the dive...