The Apocalypse rebreather is alive and well; shipping semi-regularly still as new orders come in. Just as a very deliberate decision by OSEL, not being actively marketed until after the iCCR elecs with PPO2 and end-tidal CO2 monitoring have been shipped out to all those with back-orders for them.
All of the Apoc Type IV CCR units originally ordered for US$995 were delivered. These are being actively dived worldwide as predominately mCCR units down to well past 100m regularly. There are also a few being dived as eCCRs and a few dedicated O2 only units due to user personnel preference. Factory configured to 19bar, the stock Apollo A320 first stages in oxygen service, are rated for CMF use to ~180m. The Apoc’s WOB is good for 350m but with only a single scrubber on the Type IV and thus 2hr45min 4’C scrubber duration recommendation down to 100m, it works for most recreational divers. Those who need longer durations or routinely dive past 100m, in 4’C water at high workloads, can buy the dual scrubber Type II.
Facebook site with pics of the Apoc’s being dived, ALVBOVs upgrading the safety and breathing performance of other makes of rebreather and some older images of the military focussed Incursions at
Open Safety Equipment Ltd
Last Newsletter discussing the current state of play at
http://www.opensafety.co.uk/files/OSEL-Rebreather-Newsletter-Number22-20171201.pdf
Open Safety was one of the first companies in Europe to transition successfully from ISO 9001:2008 to the 2015 standard, and from ISO 14001:2004 to 14001:2015. This was a full recertification, by TUV Rheinland. Like achieving the first Functional Safety certification for rebreathers to CE 61508 from SIRA, this was not an insignificant milestone.
The Apoc might have been out on the market for a while now but it retains the lowest WOB of ‘any’ unit in the market place at 1.44J/L at 40m/Air/75lpm.
Ships as standard with a BOV, BMCL, gag strap, handle, stand, an oxygen injector that is fail-safe and top of the line Apollo 1st stages. It is also one of the lighter units ready to dive.
Unlike the still current industry norm, you also know the WOB of the BOV in OC mode and the formally tested scrubber endurance under a wide range of criteria
Deep Life Design Team: Selected Design Validation Reports for DL & Open Safety Equipment Ltd's Rebreathers
JohnnyC, Following the above mentioned court case, Deep Life did see an obvious need to expand their over decade long oxygen cell study and the most thorough one available on the topic. With examples that delve into the ill-advised nature of designing and selling a rebreather, such that the oxygen cells achieve a state of being water blocked.
http://www.deeplife.co.uk/or_files/DV_O2_cell_study_E4_160415.pdf
Something basic that was covered in the Apoc’s original design with the PODs on the production units sitting at the top of the unit at 45’.
They also continue to track rebreather fatalities as a free service to the industry:
Deep Life Design Team: databases and analysis of rebreather accident data
RJack, On the contrary to some of the comments made. I have a lot of respect for some of the units out there in the market place.
I just lose respect and personal interest in purchasing a CCR if it isn’t CE certified to the standard, has an obvious safety flaw like water blocked cells, no formal scrubber duration testing, unknown WOB, documented risk of caustic cocktails, lack of flood recovery options or CO2 bypass if you leave out a critical oring or can misassemble it. Claims CE certification but obviously from a visual look doesn’t meet that same standard. Claims a 3-4-5hrs scrubber duration time but has no formal testing published or has had fatalities on the unit and no accident investigations openly published. List goes on a bit but you get the idea. Nothing personnel against any individual manufacturer but that’s just my own selection criteria learnt at the school of hard knocks.
Strangely enough, various militaries are also looking for exactly the same thing, which is why OSEL is doing so well with their Incursion range.
If you can find me a unit that is CE certified to the CE standard 14143, either one. Has no obvious safety flaws to this standard: lack of gag strap, design flaws that require a checklist to make sure you don’t leave a critical part out, tested breathable volume >4.5L in all orientations etc etc. Has comparable breathing performance to the Apoc. Has a minimum of roughly 30% of the testing to the 14143 criteria, inclusive of the basics such as: OC & CC WOB, Scrubber duration at a variety of depths, workloads and temperatures offering a safe diving envelope, >4.5L breathable volume in all orientations etc etc all openly published with calibration data, such that the testing is scientifically repeatable.
I have cash waiting to buy and dive it…. So far the Apoc is the only recreational option on the market for the past decade that meets this minimum requirement I have, but I’m always open to new options.
My above personal selection criteria for a rebreather is one of the reasons why you’ll have never seen me suggest or push the Apoc as an option. Unless the individual indicates an interest in a similarly high standard for their own underwater life support equipment or I bring it up solely for comparison purposes. If the discussion is on safety related features or breathing performance the Apoc is uniquely convenient for that. If you have an issue with this, simply tell me the OC and CC mode WOB of your BOV…..!
Also as the Apocalypse CCR comes with CMF O2 flow of ~0.7lpm as standard, all it needs is any form of PPO2 monitoring for it to be an mCCR.
Regards,
Brad
