Hollis Explorer

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I can see photo bugs, deep divers and spear fishers using this rig. For those types the explorer fits well with. But for the average diver I still think the price to play is too high.

I think this thing is a UW photographers dream. Besides the normal re-breather benefits, it appears to be SIMPLE, and relatively inexpensive. I'm not interested in "Tec & Deco", and doing all the "math" that goes with. I'm already "splitting the atom" on a dive while shooting and changing camera settings and adjusting strobes on the fly. My hypothetical perception of the Explorer is that it would allow me to do a dive like the Spiegel Grove, stay down (within rec limits), silently, and shoot for a good hour, instead of a 10 to 12 minute dive, at depth. Why spend $10k on a re-breather if I'm only going to dive "recreationally", when I can get the Explorer for under $5k. Not to mention, I'm already dragging $6k worth of camera down. Makes total sense to me. I'm in !!!
 
I just don't see people getting excited about the pre-packed scrubber. The last I looked, those things cost about $30 apiece; divers around here complain about paying $12 for a Nitrox fill.
Where are you getting prepacked scrubber from what I posted? It uses loose sofnolime not prepacked.

I was told by hollis that The option to pack your own will only be available to dive professionals and not regular ow certified divers. Ow certified divers will have to use pre package cartridges.

Daru
 
I was told by hollis that The option to pack your own will only be available to dive professionals and not regular ow certified divers. Ow certified divers will have to use pre package cartridges.

Daru
If that is the case then they will have to dispense with the temp stick that was fitted on the Explorer I used or else they will have to use a custom designed cartridge to work with it.
 
Honestly don't know what Hollis plans to do. I am quoting what the Hollis rep said during my training. Also the unit I saw may not be the final production line unit so maybe they have already tweaked the design it like the BOV are still trying to get it the way the want.
 
I got to dive the explorer over the weekend, it's a really fun little unit. Very easy to set up, VERY easy to dive. As for the pre-packed vs user packed scrubber, the pre-packed option will be training agency specific.
 
Aside from warranty issues et al, is there a way to turn off the electronics and replace the bottle with pure O2? I occasionally have an application for a pure O2 rebreather and it would be great to switch back and forth. What would happen if the sensors and batteries were removed?
 
The unit itself is not oxygen clean. Also I remember being told one of the factors the SCR considers as a failsafe is number respirations since last injection so you would end up wasting a lit of o2.

Daru
 
No, there is not a way to convert this unit to an O2 unit and still have the electronics function correctly.

There is no electronics required for an pure oxygen rebreather. You would remove it or disabale the electronics in that mode.
 
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There is no electronics required for an pure oxygen rebreather. You would remove it or disabale the electronics on that mode.
So since you know the answer to the question, why did you ask it?
I think anyone who dives rebreathers knows an oxygen rebreather is the most basic form of CCR possible. I usually construct one using a plastic soda bottle a plastic bag and duct tape just to demonstrate to my students just how simple a rebreather can actually be.
Since Matt is a representative of the Hollis Company it is unlikely he would engage in a discussion of how to modify their rebreather outside of factory specs.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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