Mares MR12 Rover and cold Kit

[Scuba-dan]

I posted this in the Regulator section but found this group and tough it my fit better here.

Hi,

I have a Mares MR12 Rover 1st stage and 2nd stage. It doesn't have a cold water kit on it, since I've not dove in water temp lower than 55F. I spoke to my LSD who sold it to me and said that I need a Cold kit if I wanted to dive in water colder than 50F.

I went to another LDS who speciallized in Mares and he took a look at it and said that I did not need a cold kit on it unless I would dive in sewer water conditions. So my buddy and I were thinking of doing a quick dive this weekend and the water is at 38-40 F. Do I need a cold kit to prevent a free flow, or because of the design of the MR12 with the piston it will not freeflow or the chances are low.

I read online other post and some folks dove with the same reg in 4 C water and never had any issues.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[supergaijin]

I would seriously consider the cold kit- diaphragm regs are usually pretty good against cold but it you start breathing hard it may well lockup and freeflow.

---------- Post added April 24th, 2012 at 02:23 PM ----------

I have a Mares MR12 Rover 1st stage and 2nd stage. It doesn't have a cold water kit on it, since I've not dove in water temp lower than 55F. I spoke to my LSD who sold it to me and said that I need a Cold kit if I wanted to dive in water colder than 50F.

So my buddy and I were thinking of doing a quick dive this weekend and the water is at 38-40 F. Do I need a cold kit to prevent a free flow, or because of the design of the MR12 with the piston it will not freeflow or the chances are low.

I'm pretty sure the MR12 is a diaphragm 1st

 

[Scuba-dan]

My bad, you are correct it is a (balanced diaphragm) as you mentioned. I went back to the manual. Now I'm simply deciding if I spend the money on a CWK or spend more and go for the Abyss 22 which is for cold water. No matter what more money....

Thanks for your comment.

 

[Tarmin]

I've been diving with a MR22 for 17 years and a MR12 before that (still use it on my Pony) Only in cold, ice water, fresh and salty. I'm in Canada. I never had a single freeflow with any of em
Never heard about a coldwater kit either !

 

[chrpai]

I had a Mares MR12 that I used to dive in 38f water at 100fsw and never had any ice ups. Can't promise it won't happen of course...

 

[Scuba-dan]

I actually contacted some LDS that specialize in Mares and they all said the samething,you don't need a cold kit. I even contacted a dive shop in Montreal that does Mares and told me the samething don't need a cold kit. Only where I bought it told me I needed it. Why try to sell things to folks who don't really need it. Now I stop buying at that shop and I switch to the LDS who told me I did not need it.

So I went diving in 40F at 60feet, nothing happened. Went for another dive at 44F and everything went well. So bottom line no CWK.