New Atomic M1 Questions

[Rick Inman]

Well, the M1 arrived last night, and I dive it in 2 hours! But, for those who own one, I have 2 questions:

1) I put the reg on the tank and pressurized it and some lube oozed out of the seal on the first stage. I think I read somewhere that this is normal. Is that correct? How long should this continue?

2) The primary hose comes off the bottom of the 1st stage (see pic: http://www.divernet.com/equipment/0103divertests.htm), so you can't put the first stage on downward 'cause it hits the tank. So you have to kind of turn it so the hose is pointing like a clock hand at 8 o'clock. This can't be right. But I sure don't want to turn it over and have a giant loop coming off the top. What do you M1 owners do? Take the hose off and move it to a side port and cap the bottom port?

 

[ScubaTexas]

I have an Atomic B2 and I think the first stage has a similar layout as the M1. In any event, I have a recollection of removing the hose that came straight out the bottom, plugging that hole and putting the hose on the port on the side. I think that it was on the bottom for shipping/packaging purposes.

 

[boydski]

Well, the M1 arrived last night, and I dive it in 2 hours! But, for those who own one, I have 2 questions:

1) I put the reg on the tank and pressurized it and some lube oozed out of the seal on the first stage. I think I read somewhere that this is normal. Is that correct? How long should this continue?

2) The primary hose comes off the bottom of the 1st stage What do you M1 owners do? Take the hose off and move it to a side port and cap the bottom port?

Hi Rick,

1. The lube oozing out is normal. The Ambient Pressure chamber is filled up with Christo-lube from the factory. It will stop after your first or second dive. Opening your tank valve slowly makes this less messy.

2. I moved my primary (long) hose to a side port. When configured for doubles, the long hose is on a side port, your inflator hose is on the bottom port. When configured for single tank, I use the front-side port for my "octopus", and the back-side port for my primary "long" hose. If you are diving a short hose on your primary, you may want to reverse the ports (front and back).

 

[Kestrell]

Yes, as has been said before the Crystolube is going to ooze out for your first few dives.

Also, it is much better to use a side port. The end port is just no good for most set ups.

Be sure to post your impressions after your dive.

 

[Rick Inman]

Be sure to post your impressions after your dive.

Todays dive: 47 mins, max depth 85', water temp 61F 0-44', 49F 45-85'.
I spent most of the dive below 60 feet so as to stay in the colder water. I did some hard swimming to get my breathing up at one point as well.

Overall, the reg breathed just great. People have said that it is a little difficult to purge, but I did not find this to be the case.
Went upside down for a bit, and there was just a tiny amount of wetness to the breathing. I wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't been looking for it.
One thing I noticed. there seems to be a very tiny "tick" sound at the very beginning of inhalation.
I went on this dive to test the reg, but after a few minutes I forgot all about it. There was a nice 20' vis today and I found a sunken boat just outside the area I dive. Nice dive, and any regulator you don't have to think about is a good one.

 

[Kestrell]

Just one tip, make sure you rinse off your M1 (or any Atomic reg) while it is still pressurized. It is kind of a pain but better for the reg.

 

[rescuediver009]

Ahhh, the good old messy emvironmental seal. Just one thing to add. I believe that this would be caused by the guy who put it together last not doing it while the reg is pressurized or not accomodating for the pressurization gap. No big deal. Their waste of lube not yours.

 

[Rick Inman]

Just one tip, make sure you rinse off your M1 (or any Atomic reg) while it is still pressurized. It is kind of a pain but better for the reg.

Why (more than any other reg, that is)?

 

[paulwlee]

Atomic regulators have a seat-saving orifice that takes the pressure off the second stage seat when the regulator is depressurized. This means that the seat will last longer than in regulators that do not have this feature, where the seat remains pressed to the orifice by the spring.

The downside is that the second stage is open when it is not pressurized, and water can enter the hose. Thus the instructions to rinse the regulator pressurized in the user manual.

That said, I am lazy and sometimes soak them unpressurized. I then make it a point to pressurize the regulator and purge it, and had no problems with it since I owned one (four years).