rebreather for videographer

[PeCeDiver]

Hi all,

I've been filming underwater for six years. I realise the benefits of "no bubles" and would like to know what rebreather you would recommend for me as a videographer. I also do deeper dives, but I'm not yet Trimix certified.

SCR will probably not do it since they still produce far too many bubles. Unless they can be converted to CCR. mCCR is probably better with eCCR being the best.

The Inspiration seems a very good candidate, but it is rather pricey. Especially if you start adding all the extra bits like HH, ADV, ...

I came across the KISS rebreather. The concept of CMF is very simple. But I'm not sure whether the unit would work for me since there are no alerts with high or low PPO2. I have been known to loose track of time while filming, so active monitoring with alerts is a must. It it possible to add active monitoring to the KISS rebreather? Or better, can HH be added to this rebreather?

A couple of new rebreathers are being released as well, what makes my search even more difficult. DiveRite is building one, the Nemesis from OMG, ... I haven't found much info on those. Anybody with more details on those?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[padiscubapro]

Hi all,

I've been filming underwater for six years. I realise the benefits of "no bubles" and would like to know what rebreather you would recommend for me as a videographer. I also do deeper dives, but I'm not yet Trimix certified.

SCR will probably not do it since they still produce far too many bubles. Unless they can be converted to CCR. mCCR is probably better with eCCR being the best.

The Inspiration seems a very good candidate, but it is rather pricey. Especially if you start adding all the extra bits like HH, ADV, ...

I came across the KISS rebreather. The concept of CMF is very simple. But I'm not sure whether the unit would work for me since there are no alerts with high or low PPO2. I have been known to loose track of time while filming, so active monitoring with alerts is a must. It it possible to add active monitoring to the KISS rebreather? Or better, can HH be added to this rebreather?

A couple of new rebreathers are being released as well, what makes my search even more difficult. DiveRite is building one, the Nemesis from OMG, ... I haven't found much info on those. Anybody with more details on those?

Thanks,

Peter

The HH can be added to the KISS.. Add this to the base price of the KISS and you are in the price range of a standard inspiration but cheaper than an inspiration with the new vision electronics.

ALARMS are good but are no substitute for active monitoring by the diver.. Complacency is a sure way to kill yourself.

The HH does have a heads up display which will at least give you a system status without having to look at the controllers.

Another thing to consider SOLO diving on a rebreather must only be done by the most experienced RB divers.. Most RB deaths have been by SOLO divers.

 

[PeCeDiver]

The HH can be added to the KISS.. Add this to the base price of the KISS and you are in the price range of a standard inspiration but cheaper than an inspiration with the new vision electronics.

ALARMS are good but are no substitute for active monitoring by the diver.. Complacency is a sure way to kill yourself.

The HH does have a heads up display which will at least give you a system status without having to look at the controllers.

Another thing to consider SOLO diving on a rebreather must only be done by the most experienced RB divers.. Most RB deaths have been by SOLO divers.

When you say same price range - What range are we talking about here?

HH comes with HUD. Excellent, this way I'll be able to monitor PPO2 while filming. Probably very useful while filming durent descent or ascent.

Am I correct in assuming that HH also includes full multi-gass deco computers? Or do I still need a VR3 or HS?

 

[padiscubapro]

When you say same price range - What range are we talking about here?

HH comes with HUD. Excellent, this way I'll be able to monitor PPO2 while filming. Probably very useful while filming durent descent or ascent.

Am I correct in assuming that HH also includes full multi-gass deco computers? Or do I still need a VR3 or HS?

Yes the HH has full deco.. A kiss runs about 5k us depending on the model, the HH is another 3k..

I worte the HH manual for the inspiration, virtually everything is applicable to any other use of it..
here is a link for the manual
http://www.rebreather.us/Hammerhead/hh_manual_31.pdf

I still use an explorer as an additional backup hooked into the loop..

The HH has been used to 225+ meters, On an expedition I was involved in we used it to 150+ meters

 

[PeCeDiver]

Yes the HH has full deco.. A kiss runs about 5k us depending on the model, the HH is another 3k..

I worte the HH manual for the inspiration, virtually everything is applicable to any other use of it..
here is a link for the manual
http://www.rebreather.us/Hammerhead/hh_manual_31.pdf

I still use an explorer as an additional backup hooked into the loop..

The HH has been used to 225+ meters, On an expedition I was involved in we used it to 150+ meters

Thanks for the link and the info. Kiss + HH certainly seems like a viable combination. 8000$ is not too bad. I noticed that they produce a sports model. Is that also compatible with the HH? I like the reduced weight for travelling. Last time we had 135 kgs for only two people.

What about training? Anyone you could recommend in Europe, preferably Belgium or the UK?

One more question. The HH completely replaces the KISS controls, so what parts of the KISS rebreather are now obsolete? Would it be possible to order a KISS without those parts, making the unit cheaper?

 

[padiscubapro]

Thanks for the link and the info. Kiss + HH certainly seems like a viable combination. 8000$ is not too bad. I noticed that they produce a sports model. Is that also compatible with the HH? I like the reduced weight for travelling. Last time we had 135 kgs for only two people.

What about training? Anyone you could recommend in Europe, preferably Belgium or the UK?

One more question. The HH completely replaces the KISS controls, so what parts of the KISS rebreather are now obsolete? Would it be possible to order a KISS without those parts, making the unit cheaper?

Right now there is a fairly easy connection for The standard KISS, The sport KISS is new so another adapter would have to be made.
The main thing replaced is the triple display.. I think its about $800

In holland, I would recommend Pim Van Der Horst. I know he does training all over the area. He trains both ANDI and IANTD, the KISS cert right now would be an IANTD cert.. The ANDI program hasn't been completed yet..

If you go to www.andi-benelux.com and look under instructors you can find his contact info.

 

[Diver Mike]

To me one of the biggest reasons I choose the KISS is the ability to customize it for your own use.

You can add bigger tanks, larger scrubber, electronics from several different sources (or none at all).

You have many, many options and that makes it very flexable. I went the rebreather route because of video work as well. Started with a Dolphin and moved to the KISS this year.

You cannot go wrong with the KISS. One of the side benifits is that since you build it you MUST be familiar with the workings assembly etc. Even more so than an "off the shelf" unit.

Mike...

 

[PeCeDiver]

Hmmm ... I called some people this afternoon and send some e-mails and very surprisingly a new Inspiration with all bells and whistles will come out slightly cheaper then the KISS + HH combination.

The difference will be around 500 to 700 €. Is the KISS + HH better then a new Inspiration with ADV, new electronics, trimix & nitrox upgrade?

Recommendations please ...

 

[scubahubby]

I have been known to loose track of time while filming, so active monitoring with alerts is a must.

IMHO, alerts will not save you, a hud will not save you, only knowing the ppo2 reading of all three O2 meters at all times will save you. This means monitoring the readings visually every two or three minutes (if not more frequent).

If you can not discipline yourself to monitor the meters while filming, your best bet is a unit with buddy lights so your buddy can easily monitor your ppo2. Unfortunately I am not aware of any units in current production (or add on's) that have this feature.

- Ozzy

 

[padiscubapro]

IMHO, alerts will not save you, a hud will not save you, only knowing the ppo2 reading of all three O2 meters at all times will save you. This means monitoring the readings visually every two or three minutes (if not more frequent).

If you can not discipline yourself to monitor the meters while filming, your best bet is a unit with buddy lights so your buddy can easily monitor your ppo2. Unfortunately I am not aware of any units in current production (or add on's) that have this feature.

- Ozzy

The HUD on the HH can be set to 2 different modes

one displays green if the loop is within 15% of setpoint, yellow(orange) if it is 15-24%, and red if it is >=25%

The alternate mode blinks the po2 of each of the 3 cells continuously.. It is pretty easy to learn the patterns

yellow (orange) is a 1.0, each green blink per sensor indicates a tenth above 1.0, each red blink a tenth below 1.0..
you might see a sequence like this

long pause, green, pause, yellow, pause, green, green, long pause

that means sensor #1 = 1.1, #2=1.0, #3= 1.2 (al values are averaged so 1.0 is a 0.95 to a 1.04, 1.1= 1.05 to 1.14 and so on)

Unless you are very shallow and working very hard the loop DOES NOT NORMALLY change quickly.. If you kill all oxygen addition and stay still on the bottom of a pool it takes more than 3 minutes for the po2 to drop from the working setpoint to an unbreathable loop.
Other than the above mentioned work/shallow the only other way the loop can change quickly is the addition of either diluent or oxygen, but you should be able to hear this..
This still does not overide that fact that the loop must be monitored, the HUD gives you readings close enough, that only an occasional look at your controllers is warranted..