Octopus selection with MK17 1st stage and G250V second

[aoumi]

Hi,

I'm new to scuba and am in the process of purchasing my gear. I have a Scubapro MK17 first stage matched with G250V second.

I want to buy an octopus, is it best to stick with a scubapro octopus? Or is it no problem to buy a different brand of octopus (Aqualung/Cressi/Tusa etc??) Will there be any compatibility issues with an octopus which is a different brand from the primary first and second stage?

Thanks!

 

[g1138]

There is no problem to mix and match. All modern regs and second stages should have the same hose fittings.
However, when you service your regs it would be easier to take them all to one shop instead of having to split them apart. So if you know which shop you'll be frequenting for your annual servicing needs, it be best to buy an octo that they're authorized in as a dealer.

Since you already have Scubapro as your main, it might be easiest to get another Scubapro in case you move or change shops and they don't service your brand of octo. If that isn't likely then forget I mentioned it.

 

[c5diver]

my kids dive mk 19's with s600 and have s555 octos. i changed the purge button over to yellow ones. and presto perfect octo,
but its over kill an r395 or the new r195 would work fine or another g250. but for service i would keep it all scubapro

 

[Islandheart]

I also use a couple for SP regs but prefer the puck style Octos for quick use and the SP boys don't have them.
My Mk20/g250 has a Mares MV and my Mk25/g260 has an Apeks Egress

so the answer is no, use what you want....

 

[stanleychan]

I took Mares MV as my octo. It's a good economy octo so far because it works well even reversed. Mares is a big brand too, so don't worry its service. Almost every dive shop sell and service these two brands.

 

[beaverdivers]

I would add a Scubapro or SubGear oct. so that servicing your gear is easier.

 

[ams511]

I would add a Scubapro or SubGear oct. so that servicing your gear is easier.

I agree with this. I mixed brands at the advice of my first scuba instructor, it causes a problem with some shops that don't sell the brands because they do not want to use generic parts. If the place that services your regs doesn't care, then buy what you want. If they do care, your better off with the same brand.

 

[g1138]

I agree with this. I mixed brands at the advice of my first scuba instructor, it causes a problem with some shops that don't sell the brands because they do not want to use generic parts. If the place that services your regs doesn't care, then buy what you want. If they do care, your better off with the same brand.

If the shop doesn't care, you'll lose your warranty, because the manufacturer does care.
For something like a free parts warranty, this is probably something you wouldn't want to do. For something that you've had for several years of use and it isn't defective, it's not so much an issue (if you personally don't care about your warranty), as long as there's no special proprietary parts.

 

[ams511]

If the shop doesn't care, you'll lose your warranty, because the manufacturer does care.
For something like a free parts warranty, this is probably something you wouldn't want to do. For something that you've had for several years of use and it isn't defective, it's not so much an issue (if you personally don't care about your warranty), as long as there's no special proprietary parts.

This is not necessarily true, it depends on the manufacturer. For example my Scubapros are not covered under parts for life anymore but are still under warranty. In the past, Scubapro used to allow you to come back into the parts for life after paying once for parts. They no longer do this but Aqualung and some of the others might. Other such as HOG do not have free parts for life, but you can buy the parts and have someone else (or yourself) service it,and still be under warranty.

Regulators generally do not break. The ones that do usually break due to some type of abuse (which is not covered), so a warranty is not a big issue. If you look in the DIY forum you will see that most second stages can be serviced with a few standard o-rings and a generic seat from Trident. Some dive shops will do this and some won't.

I think we both agree but for different reasons that it is best for the OP to stick to one brand for the regulators.

 

[g1138]

This is not necessarily true, it depends on the manufacturer. For example my Scubapros are not covered under parts for life anymore but are still under warranty. In the past, Scubapro used to allow you to come back into the parts for life after paying once for parts. They no longer do this but Aqualung and some of the others might. Other such as HOG do not have free parts for life, but you can buy the parts and have someone else (or yourself) service it,and still be under warranty.

Regulators generally do not break. The ones that do usually break due to some type of abuse (which is not covered), so a warranty is not a big issue. If you look in the DIY forum you will see that most second stages can be serviced with a few standard o-rings and a generic seat from Trident. Some dive shops will do this and some won't.

I think we both agree but for different reasons that it is best for the OP to stick to one brand for the regulators.

Yes, but that wasn't my point. If you want to keep your warranty, you have to use manufacturer parts by an authorized shop&tech. Even the O-rings; even though they're the same exact thing.

Now that part is on an honor system for the tech. But if you take it to a non-authorized dealer, it's pretty much a dead give away that you're not using authorized parts (Orings included).

This happened recently when my shop knocked itself out of the Scuba Pro authorized dealer list (because we refused to stock more).
Well our perfectly good tech whose been servicing Scuba Pro is no longer "authorized". He'll still service, he's still qualified to service, but your warranty isn't covered because of the politics. And if you need to make a claim, well that receipt that he did the annual service doesn't count. Because our shop is no longer authorized.