Need Help - Understanding Regulator names and advice for Tech sets

[Zeke XA3]

I am looking to make some purchases for some tech courses i wish to do at the end of this year(TDI).I have been told i need a "bottom" set and a "deco" set.

I assume my bottom set is normal 21% O2 and my deco set up 100% O2 ?
I also assume that if i my bottom set was 40% O2 out of the box this would be fine?

I am leaning towards APEKS although am open to Poseidon based on advice from many other professionals. With APEKS does anyone understand the number system for the XTX system, ie the XTX 40, 20, 50 and 200. It looks like the number is the 02 percentage it is ready for out of the box. But what is the 200 ? Can all the sets be cleaned for great % O2 usage?

And then of course any good retailers, im based in Oz now but willing to buy abroad if needed.

Cheers guys and girls.

 

[Ragnar]

You assume correctly, you'll need two oxygen cleaned regs for Deco and the set for your doubles will be fine as purchased.

As far as Apex goes, no the numbers don't have anything to do with o2. They are paired with the respective first stages and the only difference between regs of the same class are the covers. For instance, both the XTX 50 and XTX 200 second stages are exactly the same except the chrome trim on the cover and the XTX 200 comes paired with the FSR first stage while the XTX 50 is paired with say a DS4. Browse the Apexs website and you start to sort it out.

You can read volumes about these regs here, from hose routing on singles and doubles to cold water use and flooding. All I can say is that you have a sizable outlay of money ahead of you and since the breathing is nearly identical between all Apex regs and they even use the same parts kits for rebuild, I can't recommend the DS4/XTX50 combo enough. People will argue the fine points until blue in the face, but for the money the DS4 (non turret is what I like) is a great reg for everything from doubles to stages, check it out.

Poseidon uses an over-balanced design which is not desirable.

 

[DevonDiver]

I used to own and dive (tech) with Poseidons. Great regs, but a nightmare to get spares or service done... especially if you are travelling.

I now dive Scubapro Mk25/S600... the choice was determined by the fact I could buy a complete set from a mate for silly money..

Otherwise, I recommend Apeks... especially with the new tech orientated 1st stages.

 

[Fishpie]

All Apeks 2nd stages are identical gas flow wise.
All have a venturi lever.
The 40 adds a heat exchanger sleeve.
The 50, 100 and 200 add the exchanger and and a cracking pressure knob.
......the 20 can be upgraded to a 40 or 50.

1st stages are US4 ... un sealed with 4 LP ports
DS4 ... dry sealed 4 LP ports
DST ... dry sealed with rotating turret (allows a 5th end port if available)
FSR and FST ???
Tec 3


......again gas performance is almost identical.

 

[Fishpie]

I like the "scubapro piston style" hose routing on my narrow(er) doubles (al 80's and st 72's) but prefer diaphragm regs.
I have 4 Hog regs that come with the 5th port as standard.
They are almost identical to the Apeks DST with a (X)ATX50 2nd stage ... which do not come with the end port.
.....the Hogs are also considerably cheaper.

 

[Zeke XA3]

Ok so looking at APEKS site,

- The difference between say XTX200 and XTX200 Nitrox is.....added colour bits and it leaves 100% O2 cleaned correct?

- In order of extra features and therefore "betterness" (ok couldent think of the right word) 2nd Stages- 20 (Not recommended for Tech), 40 (Not recommended for Tech), 50, 100, 200, tungsten, tec (Why they couldn't put their comparison chart in order i dont know!)

- 1st stage - thinking that dry sealed is necessary so i can use back home one day - DS4 very simple, cheap but overbalanced?, then FST, DST, FSR in order of extra features....Cant see any difference between FST and XTX FST etc though

I am liking the look of the new tec 3 kits. 2 x 1st stages and 2 x 2nd stages set up for left and right hand configurations Comparable to the DS4 in terms of features?. Works out at about 200 Euros more for the Tec than two DS4 with XTX50!

 

[Fishpie]

As I said in a previous post there's no difference in the breathing performance between ANY of the Apeks 2nd stages and any difference in the 1st stage performance will be undetectable by any diver.

Before I got the HOG sets I was using the ()TX 20's and US4's for my doubles......the cheapest set made by Apeks. I was using them to 300' and was very happy with the performance and dependability.

 

[Ragnar]

I like shiny things too, but $200 Euros more for a bit better hose routing isn't worth it to me, you'll also lose the ability to switch posts for more even wear. But they are all equally good performers so just buy what ya like and be happy