Importing Apex Regs

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ActinopterygiiGuy

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I'm a Fish!
Hi all,

I've just ordered some Apeks regs from a European website and it has since occurred to me that as the EU has regulations surrounding what connection can be used with EANx (anything above 21% O2 uses the M26 connector) that the DIN regs I've ordered may not be nitrox compatible/oxygen clean out of the box.

Anyone know if all Apeks regs are nitrox compatible, even if they don't meet the EU regulations, or is this something I'll need to deal with before chucking 32% through em?
 
Hi all,

I've just ordered some Apeks regs from a European website and it has since occurred to me that as the EU has regulations surrounding what connection can be used with EANx (anything above 21% O2 uses the M26 connector) that the DIN regs I've ordered may not be nitrox compatible/oxygen clean out of the box.

Anyone know if all Apeks regs are nitrox compatible, even if they don't meet the EU regulations, or is this something I'll need to deal with before chucking 32% through em?
As far as I’m aware, nothing special is required for EANx up to 40%. Also, most places in Europe don’t actually use the M26 connector (I think only France primarily uses it?)

Usually “oxygen compatible” refers to 100% oxygen. That you need to be careful with.
 
As far as I’m aware, nothing special is required for EANx up to 40%. Also, most places in Europe don’t actually use the M26 connector (I think only France primarily uses it?)

Usually “oxygen compatible” refers to 100% oxygen. That you need to be careful with.

Cheers, I'm just making sure I'm getting what i expect. Sorry for mixing terms, I do only need it compatible with up to 40%
 
Cheers, I'm just making sure I'm getting what i expect. Sorry for mixing terms, I do only need it compatible with up to 40%
The ‘normal’ ones are certified good for 40% by the manufacturer. I am happy to use those for 100% too. I believe the only actual difference for the m26 ones is that they are green.
 
Concerning M26 : it's a special DIN diameter, with a green wheel, which is (almost) compulsory in France to used when breathing anything above 40% oxygen. I've written almost because the regulation is rather unclear and messy about it. To the best of my knowledge, no other countries use it.

Concerning Apeks regulators, I've got 4 DS4, when I bought them they were guaranteed O2 clean (meaning ready to be used with anything above 40%, but have to be dedicated to that kind of mix, once used with anything below 40%, it's now longer 02 clean), at least that's the way it was 3 years ago, when I bought the last one. You should check with the vendor.
 
Concerning M26 : it's a special DIN diameter, with a green wheel, which is (almost) compulsory in France to used when breathing anything above 40% oxygen. I've written almost because the regulation is rather unclear and messy about it. To the best of my knowledge, no other countries use it.

Concerning Apeks regulators, I've got 4 DS4, when I bought them they were guaranteed O2 clean (meaning ready to be used with anything above 40%, but have to be dedicated to that kind of mix, once used with anything below 40%, it's now longer 02 clean), at least that's the way it was 3 years ago, when I bought the last one. You should check with the vendor.


Interesting that you say M26 is only for >40%, Apeks seem to say anything over 21% needs M26 (and that this is the case for all ECC countries). I only need them for standard (<40%) nitrox mixes so I guess I'm in the clear.

Screenshot_20201116-001018_Chrome.jpg
 
Well, I've been certified for Nitrox in 2000, and there was already much talk about the need or not for specially designed regulators to dive above 40% mix. I can't say it's improved much... I know for a fact that M26 is only used on a regular basis in France. I can't give any explanation about that statement by Apeks.

I've met divers from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain : M26 is quite unknown or unused in their respective countries. When diving in France either they rent deco bottles and plug a converter to use their own deco regulators or they bring their own deco bottles (i.e with out M26 valves) and try to find a filling station which won't be offended.

This last point is becoming more and more of a pain in the joint : insurances, responsibility, etc... act as a strong deterrent for many fill station owners. I only know of filling stations in cave country which won't care a dime about the damned M26.
 
M26 is for everything above Nx21

That may be what the regulations say, but technically, for the last 20 years, I've never seen anyone in Europe, diving an M26 rig, except for deco.
 
I ordered from my local dive shop another set of Apex Sidemount regs. Then I had my 5 year old Apex Sidemount kit serviced to include oxygen safe and Stage/Deco length hoses. All 5 of my cave regs are the same first stage and same reg. All are set up for nitrox and one is set up for 100% for deco.
 

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