usil
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anybody dove the prism topaz from steam machines inc.??
prism topaz
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Ontario Diver
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Meet the guys selling them at the show. I must have spent an hour with them taking the thing apart and putting it back together. They have some interesting ideas and (what to me looks like....) a neat piece of kit.
But I don't know rebreathers.....
But I don't know rebreathers.....
prismdiver
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I've been diving one for over four years now, what would you like to know ?
Prismdiver,
What's your experience been like with the Prism Topaz? Any problems, issues of concern, dislikes as well as likes? Compare it's use versus other rebreathers you may have used in the past. Hae you used it in a variety of environments like cold water, cave, deep, etc? Have you traveled with it, run into any complications while in transit? Where did you receive your training on it from and where did you purchase your unit? How has the maintenance schedule and costs been, what's been the dollar amounts you've incurred with use? Have you had any problems for maintenance parts or supplies?
Lots of questions, but whatever feedback you can provide would be great! So many threads here touting only the YBOD and it's salesmen
it would be nice to hear an objective review on on the topaz with someone who has 4 years of experience on it.
What's your experience been like with the Prism Topaz? Any problems, issues of concern, dislikes as well as likes? Compare it's use versus other rebreathers you may have used in the past. Hae you used it in a variety of environments like cold water, cave, deep, etc? Have you traveled with it, run into any complications while in transit? Where did you receive your training on it from and where did you purchase your unit? How has the maintenance schedule and costs been, what's been the dollar amounts you've incurred with use? Have you had any problems for maintenance parts or supplies?
Lots of questions, but whatever feedback you can provide would be great! So many threads here touting only the YBOD and it's salesmen
it would be nice to hear an objective review on on the topaz with someone who has 4 years of experience on it.
Ontario Diver
Guest
madmole once bubbled...
Ontario diver, why do you have a description of the UK in your Sig?? when your plainly not from here
Must be my heritage coming out )of the pub)
prismdiver
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My first rebreather was a BP45 converted to use underwater, probably had a duration of perhaps one hour, I'm lucky to have survived it :hanged:
My second was a CCR1000, which I acquired in three cardboard boxes. Getting spare parts for it is when I first became a customer of Steam Machines. They sold me the last steel sphere and new counterlung they had, and helped me get the CCR back in the water. They really went above and beyond the call of duty to help me get that CCR diving again.
The training was with Peter Readey, the pool and classroom was in LA, the open water was Morrison Springs near Panama City, FL. The training lasts about 5 days and is very intinsive. Lots of drills, hypoxic, hyperoxic, failed displays, flooded loop, maintanance, cleaning, etc. You are taught to survive when ( not if ! ) the rebreather fails underwater. My training was for the MK15/CCR1000, and after a test dive of the new (then) PRISM I asked to have it added to the training course. They have a lot more instructors now, Ron in NY, Matt in LA, the website shows that they've been training on Roatan and in Alaska, I think there's a dealer in Canada now ? Several of the instructors offer demo days where you can "test drive" a PRISM in the pool, and Steam Machines has rentals so you don't have to buy right away.
I have been a customer of SMI for about five years, and have done some consulting for them, so my opinion is probably biased, but here's my impression of the PRISM.
I have dove it in water 45F to 85F, drysuit and wet. Caves in Florida, freshwater lakes, but mostly wreck diving offshore in NC. in the 100 - 130 ft range. It is much lighter than a MK15. Duration is over 6 hours. Regs, pressure hoses and gauges are scubapro ( spares anywhere in the world ! ), BC is fairly standard with ditchable weight pockets. Scrubber can be well packed in about 5 minutes. DIN valves on tanks and the tank size can be changed ( I've dove it with 30's, it comes with 19's, seen pictures of one with 45's ). Can be torn apart and reassembled with no tools. Battery is off the shelf standard 9 volt ( cheap and everone has one ).
It is divable with the battery, primary display, or on/off switch broken. You can flood the battery compartment and keep diving ( yes, I have :croctears: ). Spare parts are in stock and can be overnighted to get you going again. ( If you break something on a trip )
I haven't traveled out of the country with mine, but heard that Jeff Bozanic took his to Bikini Atoll, took the tank valves, left the tanks at home, wrapped the whole thing up and put in the overhead compartment and wasn't charged extra baggage ! I have flown it cross country, just pack it in a pelican case and take it as luggage or UPS it ahead of you. ( empty tanks of course !)
Maintanance hasn't been a problem. I've went thru several sets of sensors, they last 18 months, maybe a bit longer, O-rings for the scrubber and battery cap. You can get a spare parts kit with the unit that has all the o-rings and a spare sensor sealed in a bag. Cleaning is simple, take the mouthpiece and hoses -betadyne them inside the scrubber bucket, betadyne the breathing bags, rinse it all out and hang it up to dry. About 5 minutes.
About the only change to mine is to a stainless backplate. Several of the guys diving the PRISM are using stainless backplates, they work well, but add probably ten pounds to the unit - only important if you're traveling.
If you want more feedback on it, there's a testimonials page:
http://www.steammachines.com/ag0-Testimonials.asp
Steven
My second was a CCR1000, which I acquired in three cardboard boxes. Getting spare parts for it is when I first became a customer of Steam Machines. They sold me the last steel sphere and new counterlung they had, and helped me get the CCR back in the water. They really went above and beyond the call of duty to help me get that CCR diving again.
The training was with Peter Readey, the pool and classroom was in LA, the open water was Morrison Springs near Panama City, FL. The training lasts about 5 days and is very intinsive. Lots of drills, hypoxic, hyperoxic, failed displays, flooded loop, maintanance, cleaning, etc. You are taught to survive when ( not if ! ) the rebreather fails underwater. My training was for the MK15/CCR1000, and after a test dive of the new (then) PRISM I asked to have it added to the training course. They have a lot more instructors now, Ron in NY, Matt in LA, the website shows that they've been training on Roatan and in Alaska, I think there's a dealer in Canada now ? Several of the instructors offer demo days where you can "test drive" a PRISM in the pool, and Steam Machines has rentals so you don't have to buy right away.
I have been a customer of SMI for about five years, and have done some consulting for them, so my opinion is probably biased, but here's my impression of the PRISM.
I have dove it in water 45F to 85F, drysuit and wet. Caves in Florida, freshwater lakes, but mostly wreck diving offshore in NC. in the 100 - 130 ft range. It is much lighter than a MK15. Duration is over 6 hours. Regs, pressure hoses and gauges are scubapro ( spares anywhere in the world ! ), BC is fairly standard with ditchable weight pockets. Scrubber can be well packed in about 5 minutes. DIN valves on tanks and the tank size can be changed ( I've dove it with 30's, it comes with 19's, seen pictures of one with 45's ). Can be torn apart and reassembled with no tools. Battery is off the shelf standard 9 volt ( cheap and everone has one ).
It is divable with the battery, primary display, or on/off switch broken. You can flood the battery compartment and keep diving ( yes, I have :croctears: ). Spare parts are in stock and can be overnighted to get you going again. ( If you break something on a trip )
I haven't traveled out of the country with mine, but heard that Jeff Bozanic took his to Bikini Atoll, took the tank valves, left the tanks at home, wrapped the whole thing up and put in the overhead compartment and wasn't charged extra baggage ! I have flown it cross country, just pack it in a pelican case and take it as luggage or UPS it ahead of you. ( empty tanks of course !)
Maintanance hasn't been a problem. I've went thru several sets of sensors, they last 18 months, maybe a bit longer, O-rings for the scrubber and battery cap. You can get a spare parts kit with the unit that has all the o-rings and a spare sensor sealed in a bag. Cleaning is simple, take the mouthpiece and hoses -betadyne them inside the scrubber bucket, betadyne the breathing bags, rinse it all out and hang it up to dry. About 5 minutes.
About the only change to mine is to a stainless backplate. Several of the guys diving the PRISM are using stainless backplates, they work well, but add probably ten pounds to the unit - only important if you're traveling.
If you want more feedback on it, there's a testimonials page:
http://www.steammachines.com/ag0-Testimonials.asp
Steven
caveseeker7
Contributor
Andfor some good and detailed Prism pictures visit Jeremy's Rebreather site at
http://rebreathers.tripod.com/prism/index.html
http://rebreathers.tripod.com/prism/index.html
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