Garspeed
02-05-2016, 09:03 PM
Okay, so this will come as no surprise to most of you as i have been in love with the JJ since it first came out and i have spent several years and lots of my kids inheritence trying to make my inspo vision into a JJ. So having spent 2.5 weeks diving in palau with the most excellent wreck x team i had to see these lovely devices every day and it finally got the better of me. I blame ramo personally as his parting shot was to park a bare JJ canister and stand next to my gbox dressed inspo as we were packing for home. It was about 3/4's the size of my unit so that was it, i had to get one. Roll on several weeks, lots of emails and some dodgy dealing and i had an 18 month old DiveCan JJ winging its way to me from france with brand new petrel 2 upgrade and replacement head. So what do i do when it arrives, you've guess it, pull it apart and "garspeed" it, as follows...
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpswce666sx.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpswce666sx.jpeg.html)
Step one was to stop the mounting studs moving around which was easily achieved with some black tape (dont worry, i did eventually clean the crud off and install some rubber washers to prevent more issues)
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpso3ydbfib.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpso3ydbfib.jpeg.html)
I wanted to add an o2 feed so purchased a new manifold from the good people at narked@90 and some new milflex hoses to allow me to do this, as shown below (note the rubber washers on the mounting bolts which came from electrical grommets that i had handy)
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsi0me8g6h.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsi0me8g6h.jpeg.html)
I did originally dive the unit with my abs plastic backplate but i was so horrified that i needed to add 10lbs of weight in fresh water that i resorted to my old steel backplate which i made a new single piece harness for, as shown below
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps0ejqq879.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps0ejqq879.jpeg.html)
As many others have done before me, i got the old pot out and cooked up some lead to make some tube weights. My first efforts were using plastic pipe formers but with large wall thickness i only managed to get 3.3lbs per side. I therefore went to the tried and tested 28mm copper pipe solution that many have done which gave me 4.5lbs each side. This added to approx 5lbs of steel backplate should be perfect for salt water although i have yet to make a sea dive since the weather has been poor round these parts lately. Note that i sunk self tapping screws and some string into the end of each weight to aid removal efforts later. I also covered them with grease, just to reduce sticking potential in the tubes.
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsteyjen0v.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsteyjen0v.jpeg.html)
In amongst all this fiddling i also managed to do plenty of routine maintenance such as loop o rings, wing inflator, mav's and a first stage regulator service, just to ensure all was in good shape
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps4p9m7uwd.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps4p9m7uwd.jpeg.html)
I really wanted to keep the unit neat and simple with torch and suit inflate mounted on the side of my backplate but after several dives trying this, it was clear that the lungs were way too restricted with the adv firing on every breath which is not clever. I therefore went to the backup plan of mounting all on the cannister, as is intended in the unit design. This is not so neat or tidy and does leave my 1.5 litre ally suit inflate acting as a door stop on some tight squeezes but it seems the best option without resorting to a smaller suit inflate for plate mounting which i dont fancy. In order to get my small greenforce f2 battery to fit on the cam band i had to bulk up its circumference with some old rubber strapping i had kicking about, as shown
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsnrsbulih.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsnrsbulih.jpeg.html)
This left the rear of the unit looking pretty standard as follows
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpskr54lwfm.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpskr54lwfm.jpeg.html)
At the regs i did my old trick of adding bungee looks to stoo regs clanging around when cylinders ars not fitted. These are also used to hold spare smb when diving which is easy to deploy
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps4kvljo28.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps4kvljo28.jpeg.html)
Round front below backplate i added some more bungee loops ready for my lift bag which will sit just behing my home made butt plate
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpscv5pajzt.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpscv5pajzt.jpeg.html)
In above picture you can also clearly see my home made side mount straps
With all above sorted out, the rear of the unit was looking quite nice as follows
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsvvuj4pi4.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsvvuj4pi4.jpeg.html)
I am a big believer in having a bov plumbed to a large offboard tin, even thought the JJ brigade seem to think otherwise. With this in mind, round the front i added my new purchase from jakub in Prague, a golum gear shrimp (hoses were a beatch to fit!). Note old AP hud holders on either side to retain o rings on my home made gag strap which i can highly recommend for both comfort and safety
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps1fgjentp.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps1fgjentp.jpeg.html)
Round the front i was really struggling to get the hoses to line up and sit nice. I therefore resorted to turning both t pieces the wrong way round to give me the mav feed ports on the inside instead of the outside. As i never run a flow stop on the adv as i think they introduce more issues than the fix this was not an issue for me
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsogim2znu.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsogim2znu.jpeg.html)
With the t pieces turned round, the mav hose routings were much neater as shown in the next post as it has stopped working here
Before i forget and get stuck into technical issues with last remaining pictures, big thx to ramo and nickb for help and advice with my JJ mods and servicing requirements
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpswce666sx.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpswce666sx.jpeg.html)
Step one was to stop the mounting studs moving around which was easily achieved with some black tape (dont worry, i did eventually clean the crud off and install some rubber washers to prevent more issues)
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpso3ydbfib.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpso3ydbfib.jpeg.html)
I wanted to add an o2 feed so purchased a new manifold from the good people at narked@90 and some new milflex hoses to allow me to do this, as shown below (note the rubber washers on the mounting bolts which came from electrical grommets that i had handy)
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsi0me8g6h.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsi0me8g6h.jpeg.html)
I did originally dive the unit with my abs plastic backplate but i was so horrified that i needed to add 10lbs of weight in fresh water that i resorted to my old steel backplate which i made a new single piece harness for, as shown below
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps0ejqq879.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps0ejqq879.jpeg.html)
As many others have done before me, i got the old pot out and cooked up some lead to make some tube weights. My first efforts were using plastic pipe formers but with large wall thickness i only managed to get 3.3lbs per side. I therefore went to the tried and tested 28mm copper pipe solution that many have done which gave me 4.5lbs each side. This added to approx 5lbs of steel backplate should be perfect for salt water although i have yet to make a sea dive since the weather has been poor round these parts lately. Note that i sunk self tapping screws and some string into the end of each weight to aid removal efforts later. I also covered them with grease, just to reduce sticking potential in the tubes.
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsteyjen0v.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsteyjen0v.jpeg.html)
In amongst all this fiddling i also managed to do plenty of routine maintenance such as loop o rings, wing inflator, mav's and a first stage regulator service, just to ensure all was in good shape
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps4p9m7uwd.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps4p9m7uwd.jpeg.html)
I really wanted to keep the unit neat and simple with torch and suit inflate mounted on the side of my backplate but after several dives trying this, it was clear that the lungs were way too restricted with the adv firing on every breath which is not clever. I therefore went to the backup plan of mounting all on the cannister, as is intended in the unit design. This is not so neat or tidy and does leave my 1.5 litre ally suit inflate acting as a door stop on some tight squeezes but it seems the best option without resorting to a smaller suit inflate for plate mounting which i dont fancy. In order to get my small greenforce f2 battery to fit on the cam band i had to bulk up its circumference with some old rubber strapping i had kicking about, as shown
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsnrsbulih.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsnrsbulih.jpeg.html)
This left the rear of the unit looking pretty standard as follows
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpskr54lwfm.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpskr54lwfm.jpeg.html)
At the regs i did my old trick of adding bungee looks to stoo regs clanging around when cylinders ars not fitted. These are also used to hold spare smb when diving which is easy to deploy
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps4kvljo28.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps4kvljo28.jpeg.html)
Round front below backplate i added some more bungee loops ready for my lift bag which will sit just behing my home made butt plate
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpscv5pajzt.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpscv5pajzt.jpeg.html)
In above picture you can also clearly see my home made side mount straps
With all above sorted out, the rear of the unit was looking quite nice as follows
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsvvuj4pi4.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsvvuj4pi4.jpeg.html)
I am a big believer in having a bov plumbed to a large offboard tin, even thought the JJ brigade seem to think otherwise. With this in mind, round the front i added my new purchase from jakub in Prague, a golum gear shrimp (hoses were a beatch to fit!). Note old AP hud holders on either side to retain o rings on my home made gag strap which i can highly recommend for both comfort and safety
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zps1fgjentp.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zps1fgjentp.jpeg.html)
Round the front i was really struggling to get the hoses to line up and sit nice. I therefore resorted to turning both t pieces the wrong way round to give me the mav feed ports on the inside instead of the outside. As i never run a flow stop on the adv as i think they introduce more issues than the fix this was not an issue for me
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q658/Garspeed/JJ%20info/image_zpsogim2znu.jpeg (http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/Garspeed/media/JJ%20info/image_zpsogim2znu.jpeg.html)
With the t pieces turned round, the mav hose routings were much neater as shown in the next post as it has stopped working here
Before i forget and get stuck into technical issues with last remaining pictures, big thx to ramo and nickb for help and advice with my JJ mods and servicing requirements