Recommendations: Cylinder pressure gauge (surface, not submersible)

[dwhitlow]

I'm not after amazing absolute accuracy, but would like to know within a few percent, especially for bailouts.

Why?

For bailouts, which you may never need, forget precision when you mix. Just make sure the analyser works and you know what the gas actually is.

I recently checked the 10 year old gas in some of my bailouts. It is still a useful mix so I've refreshed the label.

[Wibs]

Why?

For bailouts, which you may never need, forget precision when you mix. Just make sure the analyser works and you know what the gas actually is.

I recently checked the 10 year old gas in some of my bailouts. It is still a useful mix so I've refreshed the label.

As in I want to know if it's 230 bar, 200 bar or 170 bar. My current gauge definitely reads lower, but now I'm beginning to doubt them all!
Deeper and longer chews through gas with bailout being the main bottom time constraint. Yes, there's the shot line with other divers gas, but "what if" the bailout meant loosing the shot too?

Just prudence really.

[dwhitlow]

As in I want to know if it's 230 bar, 200 bar or 170 bar.

Why stress? If you look after kit, check things that matter, and have a bit of luck, you'll never need it.... 12 years since my last bailout and I'm staying hopeful....

If you do need bailout the important check is that the gauge doesn't show gas when it is actually empty. After all, unless you've been very unlucky, when the gauge says you've run out the surface shouldn't be far away. Possibly bent is better than drowning, and possibly bent is usually not bent, and even a bit bent is usually repairable. Drowning tends to be a lot more binary.

My current gauge definitely reads lower, but now I'm beginning to doubt them all!

A gauge that reads lower is fine. A gauge that read high (i.e. not empty when empty) should be destroyed.

Deeper and longer chews through gas with bailout being the main bottom time constraint. Yes, there's the shot line with other divers gas, but "what if" the bailout meant loosing the shot too?

So what? I can imagine lots of horrid things in the future an mostly they don't happen.

Living life in the world of 'what if' is a terrible idea. It's like being trapped in a crazy movie where you are being forced to deal with your worst imaginings!

IMHO just enjoy the moment, be fairly sensible, deal with obvious stuff, and make the most of what you can see...

[graham_hk]

Deeper and longer chews through gas with bailout being the main bottom time constraint. Yes, there's the shot line with other divers gas, but "what if" the bailout meant loosing the shot too?

Just prudence really.

Think you need to dive a bit more and worry a bit less. You can’t mitigate all risk - accept some and move on.

[Wibs]

Think you need to dive a bit more and worry a bit less. You can’t mitigate all risk - accept some and move on.

I'm not a worrier, but do like to do the prep properly beforehand. Alas whenever writing anything it's never quite what you'd really like to write.



Regarding deco bailout regulators (not the deep bailout)... What's the opinion of putting an inline shutoff valve on the reg (with an OPV on the 1st stage)? This means the 1st stage can be left powered up (therefore dry), but the 2nd stage wouldn't be able to leak gas if scootering or the reg gets knocked.


Had a leaking XTX50 2nd stage which lost about 50 bar of deco gas last weekend. Annoying, but still plenty of bailout.

[notdeadyet]

I'm not a worrier, but do like to do the prep properly beforehand. Alas whenever writing anything it's never quite what you'd really like to write.



Regarding deco bailout regulators (not the deep bailout)... What's the opinion of putting an inline shutoff valve on the reg (with an OPV on the 1st stage)? This means the 1st stage can be left powered up (therefore dry), but the 2nd stage wouldn't be able to leak gas if scootering or the reg gets knocked.


Had a leaking XTX50 2nd stage which lost about 50 bar of deco gas last weekend. Annoying, but still plenty of bailout.

I just leave mine pressurised and off. If it leaks gas who cares? Switch on, purge, get on with your day.

[Wibs]

I just leave mine pressurised and off. If it leaks gas who cares? Switch on, purge, get on with your day.

Agreed. However, if it depressurises during the dive seawater will get into the first stage which isn’t good for it, especially the filter.

Or should the first stage always be dunked - cap off - into fresh water and flushed through by connecting the stage to a cylinder and purging?

[graham_hk]

Had a leaking XTX50 2nd stage which lost about 50 bar of deco gas last weekend. Annoying, but still plenty of bailout.

stop diving shit regs - my SPs never have issues. All over world only issues are always apex

[Wibs]

stop diving shit regs - my SPs never have issues. All over world only issues are always apex

A month ago went to a diving lake to check out a new drysuit and undersuit for leaks, weighting, etc. In sidemount as them's the rules for solo.

About 5 mins in the necklaced XTX50 regulator went into an uncontrolled freeflow -- amazing how much gas comes out and how much it buffets your head! Shutdown the valve, tried again after a few seconds and it freeflowed again.

The sidemount regs (2x Mk25 with XTX50) were recently serviced. Checked the IP which was fine. Didn't freeflow again later though, nor in a pool check.

I'm really getting tired of some of these problems. My kit's pretty much all Apeks and have had several second stage issues even with ATX40s. Pissed off about the Tec3 body which they want the price of a new reg.

Also pissed off with Apeks cylinder valves which are most definitely not "the best". They're pretty shit as they are tight to open, open really suddenly, not good for oxygen. But worst of all I've had several where the valve leaks when the knob's pushed around (e.g. carrying). For bailout it's not good.

Given the opportunity I'd change them all to another manufacturer.

[notdeadyet]

Agreed. However, if it depressurises during the dive seawater will get into the first stage which isn’t good for it, especially the filter.

Or should the first stage always be dunked - cap off - into fresh water and flushed through by connecting the stage to a cylinder and purging?

My regs are all 20+ years old. They get a quick rinse when home. Once a year they get pulled apart, cleaned up, greased where it's needed, put back together. I've never had any issues with them.