Apeks DS4 alternatives for rebreathers

[Wibble]

What’s a good cylinder valve for my stages?

Not keen on Apeks cylinder valves as they can be hard to open & close. They also seem to be weak around the valve handle, sometimes leaking when the handle is held.

I like to use handed stage valves so they can be sidemounted for streamlining and control.

 

[inquis]

I think the pelagian comes or came with an unblocked stage.

Some have run their Fathom like that as well.

 

[Wibble]

Some have run their Fathom like that as well.

Hence the needle valve?

 

[rddvet]

Some have run their Fathom like that as well.

My wife and I have many dives without a blocked o2 reg on our fathoms. For me I have to tinker with the needle valve a bit more, but not annoyingly so. My wife pretty much never touches her needle valve ever when the reg is blocked and barely has to adjust when unblocked. We really only do it when regs are being serviced or there's an issue and we need to go to a backup.
Its not annoying but most of our dives are 120ft or less. Anything deep I'd not run an unblanked reg.

 

[Wibble]

My wife and I have many dives without a blocked o2 reg on our fathoms. For me I have to tinker with the needle valve a bit more, but not annoyingly so. My wife pretty much never touches her needle valve ever when the reg is blocked and barely has to adjust when unblocked. We really only do it when regs are being serviced or there's an issue and we need to go to a backup.
Its not annoying but most of our dives are 120ft or less. Anything deep I'd not run an unblanked reg.

How much adjustment does the needle valve allow? Would this work on a deep dive if using an unblocked (i.e. variable IP, not fixed IP) regulator?

 

[inquis]

How much adjustment does the needle valve allow? Would this work on a deep dive if using an unblocked (i.e. variable IP, not fixed IP) regulator?

Define "work". As depth increases, a given turn of the needle amounts to an ever greater change in the flow rate. At some point, it will be difficult to find a setting that is "good" for an acceptable amount of time.

My O2 reg is blocked at 14.5 bar, which should be good to about 125 m. My needle will go from 0.5 to 1 L/min in about 30-40% of a rotation. A normal reg adjusted to, say 9.5 bar above ambient, would have an IP of 22 bar at 125 m. The flow adjustments are 50% larger than normal at that depth, so that full range of useful settings is now under a quarter of a rotation. At 150 m, they're 70% larger. Not impossible to dial in, but probably a fair bit of over/undershooting going on. A similar thing occurs with the MAV presses. Do you have the precision to find a good setting?

Not only is it more difficult to dial in an acceptable flow rate, but when you change depth, you need to adjust again. A 10 m depth increase bumps up the flow by 8% at 125 m.

 

[flymolo]

How much adjustment does the needle valve allow? Would this work on a deep dive if using an unblocked (i.e. variable IP, not fixed IP) regulator?

When properly tuned you should be able to dial it down until there is almost ~0 flow

I don’t know the answer to the second part of your question however, have never tried it

 

[formernuke]

Can you adjust the needle valve easily while under water?

 

[211ratsbud]

Can you adjust the needle valve easily while under water?

yes with dry gloves even.

 

[formernuke]

yes with dry gloves even.

Nice