Dive Xtras CudaX

[stuartv]

15ah batteries will fit in the blacktip; buoyancy / trim isn’t perfect but it’s way better than the travel with 12ah and I’m not out of tricks just yet.

My piranha was pre PTB and they don’t make a replacement pack anymore. I was told to buy a PTB slice and 4 Dewalts, that definitely rubs me the wrong way.

I thought the 15s were too heavy for a BT Tech to get to neutrally buoyant. Is that not the case?

 

[lostsheep]

I thought the 15s were too heavy for a BT Tech to get to neutrally buoyant. Is that not the case?

They are definitely not too heavy for neutral buoyancy. That said, shifting the CG far enough forward for horizontal trim might not be doable. Even if I had no other tweaks I could make, it’s already better than the travel tube with 12ah.

ETA: I should add, don’t rush out and buy 15ah batteries. I got them in mine but I also started with a bare tech tube, milled my own pvc mounts that are 4mm shorter than factory, (these were originally for the 12ah) and then made adapter brackets for the 15ah. They fit but they are tight. Stock mounts WILL NOT work. I’m sure you can find my post on FB

 

[_Ralph]

They are definitely not too heavy for neutral buoyancy. That said, shifting the CG far enough forward for horizontal trim might not be doable. Even if I had no other tweaks I could make, it’s already better than the travel tube with 12ah.

ETA: I should add, don’t rush out and buy 15ah batteries. I got them in mine but I also started with a bare tech tube, milled my own pvc mounts that are 4mm shorter than factory, (these were originally for the 12ah) and then made adapter brackets for the 15ah. They fit but they are tight. Stock mounts WILL NOT work. I’m sure you can find my post on FB

So the 15aH don’t fit as I said.

Cheaper to buy a 5ft section of 6” sc80 and build it properly from the start.

_R

 

[lostsheep]

So the 15aH don’t fit as I said.

Cheaper to buy a 5ft section of 6” sc80 and build it properly from the start.

_R

Not sure what your problem is, but we are not at odds. I made my own mounts because of diveX’s price tag for a complete tech tube, not because I was trying to fit the larger batteries. If you think you can turn your sch80 for less than the cost of a bare tech tube then do it…good for you.

I am very confident that I can make slightly different adapter brackets that will work with a stock tube. My adapters added 1/4” to stack height, my mounts are only 5/32” lower than factory mounts. You do the math.

Bring me a stock tube, I’ll bet I can make them work. Never said they dropped in.

Enough OT, this thread is about the X.

 

[nickbutcher]

My piranha was pre PTB and they don’t make a replacement pack anymore. I was told to buy a PTB slice and 4 Dewalts, that definitely rubs me the wrong way.

I'm in the process of rebuilding my old Piranha battery as I knackered it by leaving it connected for a few months. When I removed the lithium pack, 4 of the 18650s were dead, all the others were still in great shape.

I think the BMS is probably still OK but I've bought a smart BMS with Bluetooth to upgrade it as I'll be able to monitor it with an iPhone app.

Watch this space and I'll report once I get around to finishing the job.

 

[_Ralph]

Not sure what your problem is, but we are not at odds. I made my own mounts because of diveX’s price tag for a complete tech tube, not because I was trying to fit the larger batteries. If you think you can turn your sch80 for less than the cost of a bare tech tube then do it…good for you.

I am very confident that I can make slightly different adapter brackets that will work with a stock tube. My adapters added 1/4” to stack height, my mounts are only 5/32” lower than factory mounts. You do the math.

Bring me a stock tube, I’ll bet I can make them work. Never said they dropped in.

Enough OT, this thread is about the X.

Not at odds, but out of the box, they don't fit the marketing hype, that's all. If you have to modify something, then it doesn't fit by nature.



_R

 

[nickbutcher]

Also not to mention that I have almost gotten blown off out into the shipping channel when diving the Jodrey with my BlackTip. That is thanks to a combo of having to open it every time to charge it and, apparently, getting a little bit of water inside at some point that eventually created a little corrosion on one of the PTB sockets, along with the BlackTip design’s sensitivity to battery packs being out of balance with each other and just shutting off.

One of the Blacktip's worst attributes is that it's difficult to open it with water dripping in from the nose. When I was using one last year, I took to opening it lying down (the scooter, not me) to stop this happening.

The Piranha doesn't suffer from this problem and I suspect the CudaX will be the same, especially with that pressure test bulkhead which looks like a great addition.

I'm very eager to get my hands on one to try out soon.

 

[_Ralph]

One of the Blacktip's worst attributes is that it's difficult to open it with water dripping in from the nose. When I was using one last year, I took to opening it lying down (the scooter, not me) to stop this happening.

The Piranha doesn't suffer from this problem and I suspect the CudaX will be the same, especially with that pressure test bulkhead which looks like a great addition.

I'm very eager to get my hands on one to try out soon.

Drill 2 drainage holes under the strap area (there is large recess under there trapping a lot of water). Obviously, not through the whole nose, just the external 'pocket',

Also, a quick spray of air (LP nozzle) works great to knock most of the water out post dive

You can also put in a small microfibre cloth or similar before putting the nose on (be careful with the seals), and that will stop water droplets from falling into the rest of the DPV

_R

 

[nickbutcher]

Drill 2 drainage holes under the strap area (there is large recess under there trapping a lot of water). Obviously, not through the whole nose, just the external 'pocket',

Also, a quick spray of air (LP nozzle) works great to knock most of the water out post dive

You can also put in a small microfibre cloth or similar before putting the nose on (be careful with the seals), and that will stop water droplets from falling into the rest of the DPV

_R

That's a lot of workaround to make-up for a very poor design issue. Lying it down seems a lot easier and less likely to cause any warranty issues

 

[_Ralph]

That's a lot of workaround to make-up for a very poor design issue. Lying it down seems a lot easier and less likely to cause any warranty issues

They’re also on design #3 or 4 of the nose…. And still haven’t fixed it…

Warranty? Ha! Good luck.

_R