P2 is a great unit. There is a group on FB that has some ongoing discussion as well as a few aftermarket bits and pieces.
I have a few stands from Marek, they're far more stable than the Hollis optional stand. Definitely get a stand. When I bought my unit, the previous owner had a sheet metal shop press a very long backplate and then welded a base. Its okay but it pinches when on land, I much prefer Marek's stand and I wish I bought the handle when I got the stands. He didn't have them at the time, but its just some rod so I'll make one.
Lester Maloon makes a carbon fibre folding stand, a H plate with an integrated handle and a new cover, both in long and short version. I have the long cover and I bought a H plate for travel, just to shave another kilogram. Both Lester and Marek are awesome to deal with.
My unit is back-mounted CLs, the Dil flush is a skill that needs some extra work compared to the FMCL. Same with ascending, I think I was maybe 15hrs in when I finally had the situational awareness to feel the lungs getting full against my kidneys, and you feel the loop pressure increasing in your mouth. Give yourself hours in the water to get comfortable. The BMCLs really come into their own with mixed gas and multiple bailouts. The FMCL is fine, just a lot more cluttered, I've only been jealous of the FMCL divers during a Dil flush.
Packing the scrubber sucks but its a radial scrubber so its always going to look like a pain compared to an axial scrubber like a JJ or a Posiedon. A friend has a 3D printer and made me a compression ring for the top of the scrubber, just helps to evenly push down that top layer of sorb so you can pour a bit more in before screwing the lid on. I carry a small brass battery terminal wire brush incase the basket threads get choked with sorb. Keep the threads clean and pack the basket slow and steady, you'll get it consistent. In the early days I'd get home after 4hrs thumping on the boat, pull the basket out and a few times the top layer of sorb was soft. Take the free lesson and take more care next time, but remember to keep checking in case you get slack again after a few good packs.
Great unit, reliable, only unit I have dived but it has never let me down. I've spent a bit time on trips helping some Revo issues, same with the Poseidon 7 which is a complex unit. I've only ended one dive early with the P2 and that was with the old CL bladders. The JJ also appears to be highly reliable. Again not dived one myself, but I've dived with a few and it seems like a solid unit. But zero complaints with the P2 and I think its a very robust and reliable unit, in my experience.
When I ascent I usually isolate the ADV and change the 02 setpoint back to 0.7, then add 02 manually. Occassionally the solenoid just starts blasting and it's easier to stay at 6m if I'm driving. Especially when I do an Oxygen purge, the last thing I want is the ADV dumping in helium and the solenoid deciding to chase the setpoint. You will find what works for you and your thought processes, but a group of P2 divers is always good to discuss with.
My instructor runs the O-MAV modded to blast it in. I haven't but I think I will. It just trickles in so annoyingly slow. I run it as an eCCR on descent and at the bottom so the solenoid does the fine work. To have the O-MAV shift the same volume as the Dil-MAV seems like a better idea.
I have a few stands from Marek, they're far more stable than the Hollis optional stand. Definitely get a stand. When I bought my unit, the previous owner had a sheet metal shop press a very long backplate and then welded a base. Its okay but it pinches when on land, I much prefer Marek's stand and I wish I bought the handle when I got the stands. He didn't have them at the time, but its just some rod so I'll make one.
Lester Maloon makes a carbon fibre folding stand, a H plate with an integrated handle and a new cover, both in long and short version. I have the long cover and I bought a H plate for travel, just to shave another kilogram. Both Lester and Marek are awesome to deal with.
My unit is back-mounted CLs, the Dil flush is a skill that needs some extra work compared to the FMCL. Same with ascending, I think I was maybe 15hrs in when I finally had the situational awareness to feel the lungs getting full against my kidneys, and you feel the loop pressure increasing in your mouth. Give yourself hours in the water to get comfortable. The BMCLs really come into their own with mixed gas and multiple bailouts. The FMCL is fine, just a lot more cluttered, I've only been jealous of the FMCL divers during a Dil flush.
Packing the scrubber sucks but its a radial scrubber so its always going to look like a pain compared to an axial scrubber like a JJ or a Posiedon. A friend has a 3D printer and made me a compression ring for the top of the scrubber, just helps to evenly push down that top layer of sorb so you can pour a bit more in before screwing the lid on. I carry a small brass battery terminal wire brush incase the basket threads get choked with sorb. Keep the threads clean and pack the basket slow and steady, you'll get it consistent. In the early days I'd get home after 4hrs thumping on the boat, pull the basket out and a few times the top layer of sorb was soft. Take the free lesson and take more care next time, but remember to keep checking in case you get slack again after a few good packs.
Great unit, reliable, only unit I have dived but it has never let me down. I've spent a bit time on trips helping some Revo issues, same with the Poseidon 7 which is a complex unit. I've only ended one dive early with the P2 and that was with the old CL bladders. The JJ also appears to be highly reliable. Again not dived one myself, but I've dived with a few and it seems like a solid unit. But zero complaints with the P2 and I think its a very robust and reliable unit, in my experience.
When I ascent I usually isolate the ADV and change the 02 setpoint back to 0.7, then add 02 manually. Occassionally the solenoid just starts blasting and it's easier to stay at 6m if I'm driving. Especially when I do an Oxygen purge, the last thing I want is the ADV dumping in helium and the solenoid deciding to chase the setpoint. You will find what works for you and your thought processes, but a group of P2 divers is always good to discuss with.
My instructor runs the O-MAV modded to blast it in. I haven't but I think I will. It just trickles in so annoyingly slow. I run it as an eCCR on descent and at the bottom so the solenoid does the fine work. To have the O-MAV shift the same volume as the Dil-MAV seems like a better idea.
