Differences in Atomic Ti 1st stages ?

[Jacobyz]

Yeah, I have an old T2x yoke. Email me - we'll work something out.

Thanks, Rob. Email sent.

Best

 

[IKO]

Guys

are you able to buy the TFX second stage only , i have not seen the 2nd stage being sold on its own anywhere

 

[scrane]

Google "tfx second stage" and a couple of sources pop up.

 

[Diver-6873]

If you can afford it go for it - you only live once.

I absolutely love my TFX but I would not recommend stretching a limited budget to buy one. It’s more of a luxury item - it is the best/easiest breathing reg I’ve owned (only other reg I’ve used is my T3, for perspective) - but not really worth it if you’re sacrificing other things to buy it.

If upgrading for a frequent use reg (4-8x per week, year round) from the B2, would you go T3 or TFX (all warm water diving).

 

[Diver-6873]

Hi, Rob,

This is delayed reaction, but you commented parenthetically about the TFX yoke knob “occasionally suddenly loosening at low tank pressure.” I have routinely had this occur. At first I thought it was “operator error,” but it recurs for no apparent reason. I find the issue very annoying, particularly with my 14-year old granddaughter often using the TFX set. I am considering selling the TFX 1st and trading out for the “tried and true” T3.

Is there any known fix, or something which can be done at my LDS?

Best

Has Atomic or our local Atomic board member commented on this . . . Flaw? This alone could make me avoid the TFX. How low of a pressure have you routinely had this occur at? Thanks.

 

[Scared Silly]

The first stages for the T3 and TFX are the same except for one says T3 and the other TFX. The second stages for the B2 and T3 are the same except for the bling. The TFX second stage is also Ti but breaths nicer.

 

[Geo7]

The DIN 1st stages of the TFX and the T3 are the same except for the engraving, but the yoke version of the TFX has a steeper thread for the knob, and there was a post by someone who had it come loose (edit: while not pressurized). If it was a real problem, there should be a recall by now. That's a question for @rsingler

Personally, one great thing about Atomic is the compatibility through the decades. So I avoid the TFX yoke for the lack of backwards compatibility alone, but that's me and my spare parts logistics. I'd also be ok owning only TFX yokes and putting them on T3s, but not with a mix of incompatible yokes in my personal inventory.

Both regs should stand up well to frequent diving in the ocean. Titanium does wonders in a scenario of frequent diving and infrequent rinsing.

(Finally, not sure who the local Atomic member is that is being refered to, but I am not afiliated to the dive industry. We receive special pricing (and technician training) for marine bio research from some manufacturers, but I had already bought most of my Atomics second hand...)

 

[Jacobyz]

Has Atomic or our local Atomic board member commented on this . . . Flaw? This alone could make me avoid the TFX. How low of a pressure have you routinely had this occur at? Thanks.

Sorry for the delayed response. On more than one occassion a member of our family of Atomic divers had a TFX yoke screw come loose when, after “rigging up” and checking regulator function at the dock (I personally screwed down the yoke screw the second time as the diver in question is newly certified), then depressurizing for the ride out to our dive site, the yoke “detached” when suiting up to dive. I recreated that scenario around our pool, with the same result. Leaving the regulator pressurized solves the issue (so far), but I have never had this happen with any other yoke regulator, including Atomics.

So, I contacted Atomic support, plus a very experienced SB member. The Atomic rep indicated such an occurrence had never been reported. However, the SB “resource” indicated he had “heard” of similar occurrences, at low psi (around psi, specifically)! I will let them “weigh in” if they choose.

In an abundance of caution, I changed out the yoke assembly and converted it to a T3 yoke screw. No issues, since.

Best