Best Rebreather

[TheGnome]

I posted not to long ago about making scuba diving a carrier. I still want to but in order for me to start that I must be 18 years old, but at the moment I am only 17 years old and I just turned 17 so, I would like get the rebreather because next year I go on a deep dive with some friends down to a ship. I scuba dive at least 5 times a week minimal, and I keep up with all my dives.. I would like to know which rebreather would be the best and the cheapest way to go. I would also maybe like to buy a used cheap one, but please post what you think is the cheapest and works... I have already signed up for nitrox and advanced nitrox. Well please give me some advice.


Thanks,
David

 

[InspirationDave]

I was 3 year younger than you when I wanted a Beckman Electrolung, the first closed circuit computer controlled rebreather. It took me another 30 years before my dream became a reality. The thirty year wait part really sucked, but it is an example of never giving up on your dreams.

When you say "best" you have to define what you think that means. Then you look at a list of the available equipment, and determine which one fits into your parameter of being "best". Unfortunately, most people's definition of best will be in direct conflict to also being the cheapest.

Used Draeger semi closed circuit rebreathers are available for 2-3k on E-bay regularly, but until I learned what semi-closed meant, I had no clue. Once I did, they were immediately written off my list.

Most who dive rebreathers will tell you to get alot of open water dives in first, then worry about getting one. Easy for those of us who have them to say that, huh?! hell, I didn't listen to anybody at 17, if you do, you're just not a normal 17 year old! lol....

BUT, they do have a point. I know I would have been the total cock of the walk in front of my buddies if I had a rebreather at 18, but you're a bigger honcho if you have dove open circuit to 150 feet on a deep wreck than you are if you are so broke from saving $ for a used lame semi-closed circuit rebreather that you can't afford to go on that 150' deep wreck dive.

Once you have taken your nitorox classes, try Jeff Bozanics rebreather book (google it), do lots of reading here on this forum, and THEN try a rebreather experience pool session with hopefully a local dive store that has seveal different types, and ask alot of questions from alot of different people.

Hope that starts you in the correct direction.

 

[TheGnome]

I was 3 year younger than you when I wanted a Beckman Electrolung, the first closed circuit computer controlled rebreather. It took me another 30 years before my dream became a reality. The thirty year wait part really sucked, but it is an example of never giving up on your dreams.

When you say "best" you have to define what you think that means. Then you look at a list of the available equipment, and determine which one fits into your parameter of being "best". Unfortunately, most people's definition of best will be in direct conflict to also being the cheapest.

Used Draeger semi closed circuit rebreathers are available for 2-3k on E-bay regularly, but until I learned what semi-closed meant, I had no clue. Once I did, they were immediately written off my list.

Most who dive rebreathers will tell you to get alot of open water dives in first, then worry about getting one. Easy for those of us who have them to say that, huh?! hell, I didn't listen to anybody at 17, if you do, you're just not a normal 17 year old! lol....

BUT, they do have a point. I know I would have been the total cock of the walk in front of my buddies if I had a rebreather at 18, but you're a bigger honcho if you have dove open circuit to 150 feet on a deep wreck than you are if you are so broke from saving $ for a used lame semi-closed circuit rebreather that you can't afford to go on that 150' deep wreck dive.

Once you have taken your nitorox classes, try Jeff Bozanics rebreather book (google it), do lots of reading here on this forum, and THEN try a rebreather experience pool session with hopefully a local dive store that has seveal different types, and ask alot of questions from alot of different people.

Hope that starts you in the correct direction.

Thanks for the info. I have done alot of research on semi closed circuit rebreather. I know they are not wroth it. I guess I will just look around at rebreathers and see what I can find. Thanks!

 

[Se7en]

Best rebreather? Arguably the Cis-lunar Mk V

Cheapest rebreather? Probably sports Kiss

Most popular CCRs?
In terms of numbers in use probably
Inspiration
Biomarine MK 15 15.5 16
Prism
KISS Classic
Megladon

Best first rebreather?
One you build yourself. Once you've done this you'll be able to figure out what it is that you actually want in a CCR. That's if you survive the homebuilt experience...

Se7en

 

[boomx5]

I would like get the rebreather because next year I go on a deep dive with some friends down to a ship.
Thanks,
David

What do you consider deep, and why can't you do this on OC?

 

[wedivebc]

What do you consider deep, and why can't you do this on OC?

As a rebreather diver, agreeing with this post goes against the grain, however....
Since you want the cheapest,best rebreather that is a triple contradiction. The cheapest is not the best, the most expensive is probably not the best and in your case open circuit may at least be a safer and less expensive way to go.
Bottom line is, if cost is an issue, rebreathers may not be best for you. Especially not a homebuilt. They are never cheaper and often less safe than a properly engineered, mass produced unit with some R&D history behind it.

 

[padiver]

As a rebreather diver, agreeing with this post goes against the grain, however....
Since you want the cheapest,best rebreather that is a triple contradiction. The cheapest is not the best, the most expensive is probably not the best and in your case open circuit may at least be a safer and less expensive way to go.
Bottom line is, if cost is an issue, rebreathers may not be best for you. Especially not a homebuilt. They are never cheaper and often less safe than a properly engineered, mass produced unit with some R&D history behind it.

As far as homebuilt not being cheaper I have to strongly disagree I have put together 2 full CCR's and working on a third and still only have about 2K in them if that much.
I converted a SCBA (BioPak 60, and 240) into a SCUBA CCR so the design was and is a proven design. Actually if you look at the pictures of the 240 it looks exactly like the 500 that is built for underwater use.

Granted I replaced all the copper tubing with stainless steel, rotated the counter lung, added 3 O2 sensors, PPO2 monitoring for all sensors, a metering valve just like in the kiss. The unit is based on the KISS method pictures of both rebreathers are posted on my website as well as picture of it in use underwater at http://www.rebreathertech.com . Now I do not recommend people building one until they really know what they are getting into cause CCR is no where near like OC and pretty much everything you know and think in OC will do nothing for you in CCR.

Ted

 

[wedivebc]

As far as homebuilt not being cheaper I have to strongly disagree I have put together 2 full CCR's and working on a third and still only have about 2K in them if that much.
I converted a SCBA (BioPak 60, and 240) into a SCUBA CCR so the design was and is a proven design. Actually if you look at the pictures of the 240 it looks exactly like the 500 that is built for underwater use.

Granted I replaced all the copper tubing with stainless steel, rotated the counter lung, added 3 O2 sensors, PPO2 monitoring for all sensors, a metering valve just like in the kiss. The unit is based on the KISS method pictures of both rebreathers are posted on my website as well as picture of it in use underwater at http://www.rebreathertech.com . Now I do not recommend people building one until they really know what they are getting into cause CCR is no where near like OC and pretty much everything you know and think in OC will do nothing for you in CCR.

Ted

I am assuming this was not your first homebuild or at least your first RB experience. I have about $5000 in my converted dolphin and if sport Kisses were available when I bought mine I would have gone that route.
For the purposes of a newbie RB diver building their own they can get pricey. Now include the learning curve and the cost of the failed units/parts to get you to the one you have now.

 

[TheGnome]

What do you consider deep, and why can't you do this on OC?

Well to tell you the truth I could do It on OC but it is a wreak I would feel safer on the rebreather money is not really a issue. I am taking alot of diving for boats trying to get better at diving wreaks I am going to dive the Andrea Doria next year and I would feel safer with a CCR. Well I got to go thanks for everyone that said something

 

[padiver]

I am assuming this was not your first homebuild or at least your first RB experience. I have about $5000 in my converted dolphin and if sport Kisses were available when I bought mine I would have gone that route.
For the purposes of a newbie RB diver building their own they can get pricey. Now include the learning curve and the cost of the failed units/parts to get you to the one you have now.

Yes I was not the normal, the BioPak 60 was my first try but also had a friend that converted one and helped in answering my questions. But building from a BioPak 60 isn't all that hard since it is a CCR as is. You could buy one and basically jump in the water (assuming you atleast tested it before hand above water) and you could have a pure O2 rig only good to 20 feet. First 60 cost me $300.00, second 60 cost me $75.00, and my 240 cost me $300.00. Now those prices are just for the unit no changes at all.

I do agree that if the person is building one from scratch or on thier own without knowing someone that has done it than it would take along time, and also alot of trial and error. Hopefully done in the shallow end of a pool. My friends rebreather took him about 3 years before it was in the water, but he also programed his own controller and stuff. His will actually fire and add O2 at setpoints just like any other comercial RB.
I went more the manual route (KISS style) with a metering valve.

Building your own has alot of benifits and alot of negitives also. On one end you would know your rebreather better than most people would know a comercial unit cause you built it. But on the negitive side you can't get trained you have to learn yourself or learn from other people that have done it. You not only have to know how to build one but you have to have alot of trust in your knowledge and skills in building it cause if you screw up you can die.

There is actually a web site http://www.atlimp.com/home.htm for a $100.00 dollar rebreather by Tom Rose. Tom's site has alot of really good information. If someone was going to start building a rebreather I would really recommend they do not build one from scratch but convert one first to atleast learn what a working RB does and how it works. The BioPaks are a great one to convert cause you can pick them up on Ebay for 200-300 normally but stay away from the 45 go with a 60 or 240. If you convert a Dolphin you will have to put out more for the unit of course and would be cheaper buying a comercial unit.

I can think of three places on the web for information on BioPak conversion
Mine: http://www.rebreathertech.com
PPO2 : http://www.PPO2.com
Oxycheq: http://www.oxycheq.com
All three sites have converted, dived, and explain what needs to be done to convert one and mine shows pictures from the orignal to what it is today.

With RB's it is all about how much information you have and you can NEVER stop learning about them or watching them cause while they can be great to dive for many reasons it is when you don't watch that it will kill you in a minute.

Ted