Octo Performance

[ComputerJoe]

It is common for Octo's to be a lesser performing regulator. I'm think that something should be done to reverse this trend. Why would anyone want to give a stressed OA diver a lesser perorming regulator, or have to switch to a lesser regulator yourself in an emergency situation?

Why not just make a sweet breathing octo reg that will not freeflow? Adjustable regs or those with a simple, obvious on/off work , still I see lesser stripped down regs being sold as emergency octos.

 

[tstormdiver]

Personally, I donate my primary to an OOA diver for the very reason you describe. My regulator is an MK25/S600 with another S600 as the alternate air source. My alternate air source breathes just as well as the primary. All's I have to do is turn the venturi knob & crank down the adjustment knob to prevent free flow.

 

[GeorgeC]

I think the lower performance octo is the choice for manufactures for a few reasons:
Cheap!
Typically not used often (Hopefully)
Lesser chance to free flow without adjustment
Did I say cheap?

I simply use two primary regs off of my 1st stage when I am not slinging a pony.

 

[tomfcrist]

The freeflow is probably the issue that prompted harder breathing octo rigs......I tune mine down a little bit, but it still breathes nicely at 120'. I've even had some students ask why my octo breathes better than their primary.........Answer: Because I cant afford to have you freak out when you are OOA and i give you a junk regulator.

In all reality though, if I am OOA, I'll gladly accept any reg that breathes. Even if it breathes like crapola, It'll do until we get our butts to the surface where im sure I'll get a ration of crap from my colleages ab out running OOA in the first place.

 

[divenutny]

To me, this is only an issue with the cheaper oct's. Not to beat on sherwood, I bought the minimus a few years back. It is like breathing thru a straw. I gave up on that octo and bought a better performer. If the person needs air, I doubt they will notice the regulator is a bit harder than their primary 2nd stage. But if the regulator can be easily breather better than what it can provide, that may stress out the OOA diver. In that case, swap regulators. Detuning the Octo should be cause any alarm.

Some folks use the same 2nd stages for the primary and octo. That could get pricey. There are plenty of less expensive choices that do not restrict the air flow like the minimus. You need to shop around, possibly dive on an Octo to see how it performs. When testing it, breath hard on the primary, then compare how the octo performs. I bought that minimus 10 years ago, maybe they perform better today.

 

[Brishar]

I came to the same conclusion a few years ago. I dive a pair of Atomic M-1s.
I do the same thing Tammy does, turn the knob in on the one under my chin.
I switch to it when I do my safety stops.
Hope this helps.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

From another thread; works here too.

As an Instructor I actually prefer to have a low profile hard and wet to breath alternate, because then my students all get to experience what most likely they will run into in the real tourist rental insta-buddy world.

As a guide I actually prefer to have a low profile hard and wet to breath alternate, because if those lame KIA vacation divers don't follow the briefing to look at their SPG regularly, tell me when they get to half a tank and when they get to 1000 psi, they deserve a hard and wet to breath alternate.

 

[Nemrod]

You know, my wife has one of those stripped down yellow Legend octos that came free with the set, it will breath circles around most regulators and is not sub standard in any way. A yellow Titan LX octo came free with my Titan LX set, it breaths just as fine as the "black" one, which is better than the great majority of regulators ever made. Either are certainly capable of providing an OOA diver with all the air they need.

The air passing through the second stage does not know what color it is, if your units do not breath well then perhaps you need to adjust them a bit.

N

 

[meesier42]

in traditional recreational diving, the octo is an emergency air source, not commonly used, hopefully, never used. the better ones are full fledged regs with nothing changed but yellow purge covers, that have their cracking effort set somewhat higher to reduce freeflow possibilities. These better ones are excellent breathing machines, are most likely outbreathe the Conshelf XIV that so many thousands of people still use today. Even the many of the cheaper, striped down octo's that are out there will out breathe the regs of yesteryear.

IMHO- even the cheap regs are fine. I think all of them breathe perfectly well (assuming they are tuned and maintianed properly). Use of an Octo is an Emergency situation that needs to result in an immediate abort of the dive and a 60' per minute ascent to the surface. The problem does not lie in the Octo, but in the failure of divers to discuss/plan/ and most importantly PRACTICE their emergency procedures. In many years of diving, I have been lucky not to have seen any major injuries from diving, but I have seen many close calls. ALL of them caused by diver stupidity, the diver did not monitor their air/depth/time and put themselves in a bad place. Practicing and discussing your OOA and other emergency procedures will not only make you better prepared to deal with situations that may arise, but will make you a better diver as it makes you more aware of the problems and how to avoid them

 

[DiveGear4Less]

It is common for Octo's to be a lesser performing regulator. I'm think that something should be done to reverse this trend. Why would anyone want to give a stressed OA diver a lesser perorming regulator, or have to switch to a lesser regulator yourself in an emergency situation?

Why not just make a sweet breathing octo reg that will not freeflow? Adjustable regs or those with a simple, obvious on/off work , still I see lesser stripped down regs being sold as emergency octos.

Or just buy a better 2nd stage and use it as an octo. Attach it to your 1st stage with a yellow hose or buy a separate yellow face plate to distinguish it from your primary. Some companies simply add a yellow faceplate to their regs and market it as an octo.