As far as the Apoc, something smells fishy about the whole thing to me. I've heard so many stories from both pro and con fanatics, other manufacturers, I just don't know what to believe. There are times when I wonder if it could be the good old boy's club ganging up on a newcomer and other times I have to agree it's looking like it's turning out to be a scam. sigh...
Good point, real bitch when a rebreather is formally tested prior to customers getting it. Yeah, they likely shouldn't have taken deposits for orders until they had everything certified but that is as you say buyer beware. Does make one think a bit though, when at that end of the scale it takes a couple of years for CE certification why they didn't shortcut the process and just get a PPE cert to get the CE marking.
Compare the FMECA and design validation reports openly published by DL at
Deep Life Ltd: Functional Safety Design Services with those published by other manufacturers.
From the looks of their last release it looks like one of the 3 rebreathers has acheived the CE certification to 14143:2003, so things still seem to be ticking over.
I've noticed most of the information trickling out of deeplife the last few months has been related to the BOV. It wouldn't surprise me if the BOV became the main product and the Apoc becomes a sidenote.
Doubt it.
Though until other BOVs start to match its performance and specs I wouldn't be surprised to gradually see more kicking around on other units. IIRC its the only BOV currently CE'd for use on mixed gas to 100m that can be bought as an independent item.
1. To my knowledge, it operates on RF with the pods. RF, is pretty reliable underwater, but I don't want my BOV to be pretty reliable.
All other things being equal, its a binary solution. Your either on the loop or your off it! As long as its reliable in both states, or when changing states is it really an issue?
The Apoc is designed for recreational diving, it ain't designed for working dives. One ought to still carry an independent supply of bailout gas anyway. Note the other 2 CCR that DL have designed are designed for working dives and use the same ALVBOV...
Plus what happens when interference is generated from my HID or scooter? Or someone else's?
Nothing!
The electronics have been tested against the interference from UW welding and the design meets all of the EMS, EMI, ESD and Mag Field requirements.
Deep Life Ltd: Design Submission for Open Revolution
iCCR test diving off Sydney this year also included wrapping a shark shield device around the pods with no interference other then zapping the heck out of the diver, the unit worked fine.
2. what if it bails me out to the wrong gas? An empty cylinder? A bad 1st stage? What if the LP hose to the BOV blows, and it startles me, and my heart rate and respiratory rate go up? Or the dozens of other potential issues I can't think of?
And those issues don't occur on any other CCR! Get real.
Just carry the same independent slung or backmounted bailout cylinder and regulator perhaps!
If your bailed out to OC and you have no OC for whatever reason, you can still force the unit into CC mode by holding the BOV lever over with one hand. It will just be logging that it notes the gas your breathing is not considered safe along with the details of what it is measuring at that time.
3. Even if it works perfectly, how does it know if conditions are unsafe?
How do you know the loop gas is safe on the unit your diving!
The oxygen cells are also slightly different to that currently used in other units as they have been stripped to the bare minimum. The unit also carries out onboard checking of the cells for quite a number of failure modes.
To have a safe level of automation on a rebreather requires testing and engineering like to what NASA does with the PLISS backpacks. And none of us are paying a million dollars for a rebreather.
Have a read of some of the R&D done by DL over the past 10 years. Then add up what you figure it would cost to do that!
1. A decent point. I think I would preferred a wired system. However, as far as I know if the BOV loses communications, the result is not inoperable equipment, but rather a normal BOV.
A normal open curcuit 2nd stage might be a better way of wording it, rather then a normal BOV. If the comms are lost, then the ALVBOV bails you out to open circuit as you can't know your ppo2 in the loop.
Once bailed until it regains signal it won't let you lock the BOV back in CC mode, though you can force it there one handed if required. If you look on their website, there is a video showing this effect, simulated by moving the ALVBOV away from the PPo2 pod which is in a sealed pressure housing.
Regards
Brad