Older Gear

[kcbdiver]

I have two Dacor setups. One is an extreme and the other is an extreme plus. Both setups are about nine years old. Dacor quit manufacturing the extreme and extreme plus 2-3 years ago. They are required by law to only stock parts for these regulators for six years after manufacturing has ceased. (So is any dealer.) They are offering a deal for customers to trade up ANY BRAND regulator and octo's with brand new ones with a lifetime warranty at incredible savings. A Viper America first and second stage regulator setup and Viper Octo that normally retails for $560.00, it on sale through September 30, 2001 for only $325.00. You can only by the octo and it would be $75.00. I'm turning in both of my setups!

 

[SubMariner]

KC I had the opportunity to buy either a Viper or an Abyss & went with the Abyss for a couple of reasons:

1) Abyss has a better flow rate. So far I have had in in 52F water and down to about 110', inverted, sideways, whatever... still breathed great. However, I do find that it does have a little more bubble interference than I would like.

2) Vipers, as cool as they look, have a history of leaking from that side port. The Tech at my dive shop warned me about it when I was reg shopping, saying that he gets them in all the time to repair that problem. I didn't put much store in that until I actually conducted a Rescue Diver class 3 weeks back & did an AA & Buddy Breathe with a fellow who had Vipers as both primary and octo. Yes, they DO leak! Talk about "wet breathing..."

~SubMariner~

 

[kcbdiver]

Were you using the Viper TEC, Viper America, or the Viper Metal?
The Viper TEC did have a small flaw in it that at the surface it had a tendency to free flow (and Free Flow Badly!) so Dacor fixed that problem with a small spring in the Dynamic Flow Control (the vein that leads directly to the mouthpiece) and changed the name to Viper America. That's the only difference between the two. The spring also has to be added to the Viper Metal and the Viper Octos.

Dacor raves about the depth compensating regulator. I found that it breathed as well on the surface as at depth. I am glad you told me about the wet breathing as you are the first.

Did that regulator have the spring adjustment in it?

 

[SubMariner]

No offense, KC, but since the reg wasn't mine, I can't answer any of your questions except to say that both regs the fellow had were Vipers and that they leaked. Beyond that

Sorry!

As for "depth compensating regulators", ANY good balanced reg is essentially a "depth compensating regulator". However, I do admit that my new Abyss is a wonderful breather! I guess I'd have to try some other mfg's regs in a "head to head" with the Dacor to see if their brags are true or just more marketing blather.

DSDO

~SubMariner~

 

[egg007]

Good deal take advantage.
I buy new as by the time you add the service cost to old equipment you save very little