Rebreather or OC for trimix. cost

[adm3745]

I am curious for those of you who have been doing this for awhile..

In the long run would you say it has been cheaper to do deep trimix dives using rebreathers or is Open circuit still cheaper. Including all equip, training, gas, and service costs..

Do you see rebreathers becoming more mainstream along with lower costs in the coming years for recreational/light tec diving?

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I have several friends that dive rebreathers and they know I dont trust them. But yes it is much cheaper. My set up would cost 95-115 bucks for a fill that last 2 hrs. They spend about 10-15 bucks for an 8 hour supply. I think thats a lot cheaper. If you dive that enough, not just an occasional dive here or there.

 

[rjack321]

There is no such thing as recreational CCR diving. You are wearing a gas mixing unit on your back which requires constant monitoring. Even with air diluent and <30m depths its technical diving by most definitions.

 

[HowardE]

There is no such thing as recreational CCR diving. You are wearing a gas mixing unit on your back which requires constant monitoring. Even with air diluent and <30m depths its technical diving by most definitions.

There certainly is recreational CCR diving. Monitoring your PO2 isn't brain science, it's just paying attention. It's "technology diving"

As to the OP's question.

Diving OC trimix vs CCR trimix. CCR trimix is very cost effective, and depending on how much of it you do, you can easily justify and re-coop the initial expense of a CCR in just a few years.

 

[Meng_Tze]

OC mix diving is cheap in equipment, expensive in gas. CCR mix diving is expensive in equipment, cheap in gas.

You pay a lot either way.

 

[HowardE]

OC mix diving is cheap in equipment, expensive in gas. CCR mix diving is expensive in equipment, cheap in gas.

You pay a lot either way.

Cheaper, but really - not that cheap.

Doubles - $1000 (give or take)
Deco Bottle - $150
Regulators (3 sets minimum) - $1500 - $2000
Backplate / Wing - $500

The difference in price gets eaten up pretty quickly if you do 20 or so deep dives a year... no?

 

[adm3745]

I meant to say recreational profiles.
Does anyone think equipment costs will ever come down enough so that it will be cost effective using nitrogen?

 

[bamamedic]

There's a rebreather called the Apocolypse that's still the initial stages of production (as far as I know), and I think it's going to be in the $2,000 to $3,000 range plus training.

"Cost effective"? That's hard to compare....I guess if you need to buy the whole technical kit (doubles, computers, regs, etc), and you buy an Apocolypse rebreather instead, then the price might be comparable.

Rebreathers have different concerns than OC. For one thing, you've got to be absolutely meticulous in maintaining them. Your average OC reg can probably go for years without being serviced and still work fairly well. If you take care of a rebreather that sloppily, it can backfire on you big time.

 

[rjack321]

I meant to say recreational profiles.
Does anyone think equipment costs will ever come down enough so that it will be cost effective using nitrogen?

The cost of air dil, O2, sorb, and sensors is probably the same or more as a few cylinders of air. You have even more regs to service on CCR anyways (3 minimum, dil, O2, and a bailout).

If you are this cost conscious, technical diving by any means is probably not for you.

 

[adm3745]

I'm not cost conscious. Just had a wonder for what the future of diving may be like...