Regulator Resistance Adjustment on My ScubaPro MK25/600T

[liberato]

I like having the adjustment knob, especially on the X650 because I have to have it tuned to the point of instability (it is a dog if set to factory specs) and then I back off the knob very slightly. On the S600 I have never needed to turn the knob but it is noticeable if I do. The VIVA I use only for reg in mouth or not, which I think is the intent. My partners SP octo, on the otherhand, will uncomfortably slam the air in to my lungs unless it is in full predive. Probably time for service.

 

[WileEDiver]

Is the problem that you believe I am wrong? Or is it just that you are concerned about appearing to question someone in such an exhalted position? Or have you heard the same things I have about how interested SP is in what the "little guy" has to say?

First of all, I wasn't aware of a "problem". Secondly, I've got to LOL, "someone in such an exhalted position?", hardly! It's more a case of your last point--especially given the arogance of ScubaPro. And it's also a little of just not feeling like anyone's errand boy this week.

 

[WileEDiver]

Well...not really...It depends on how the second stage is tuned.

DA,

Please don't confuse one reporting on Joe's comments as one defending them. Since the point seemed relevant, I was just trying to pass on the word (freely spoken on the record) from a SP insider.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

DA,

Please don't confuse one reporting on Joe's comments as one defending them. Since the point seemed relevant, I was just trying to pass on the word (freely spoken on the record) from a SP insider.

Don't worry, I did not assume your reporting of the comment implied agreement with it. I did however want to address the comment to prevent anyone from thinking that being an SP sales rep precluded their also being wrong.

I like having the adjustment knob, especially on the X650 because I have to have it tuned to the point of instability (it is a dog if set to factory specs) and then I back off the knob very slightly.

The doggy factory specs on just about every manufacturers second stages regs started when they all went after CE certification. In the interest of meeting a totally unrealistic, impractical and unneccesary set of European freeflow standards, second stages now get badly detuned. In the case of the R190 and R390 SP even went so far as to plug one of the aspirator ports to meet the requirement which really reduces their otherwise excellent potential performance.

The VIVA I use only for reg in mouth or not, which I think is the intent. My partners SP octo, on the otherhand, will uncomfortably slam the air in to my lungs unless it is in full predive.

That is the intent of the VIVA switch.

SP second stages all currently use one of two flow vanes. The older one was straight on both sides and it made no difference how it was installed. However the current one is curved on one side and the VIVA varies depending on how it is installed.

The current flow vane can be reversed to reduce the VIVA effect. If your buddy's octo his attempting to remove tonsils due to excessive VIVA effect, he should have the tech check the orientation of the flow vane. If the side with the curve in it is facing the front of the reg with the switch in the max position (which I would bet it is) have him reverse it so that the straight end of the vane faces the front of the reg. This will reduce the VIVA effect.

Personally, I think reversing the flow vane is a good idea on all SP second stages where the curved side is facing forward as I have never seen a need for a flow blown VIVA effect.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Mart,

Here's a link to Scubapro's UK site. On it you'll find two animated demos to click on. One covers the VIVA design and operation, the other covers the breating resistance control knob design and function (as well as general S600 second stage design and function). It'd be nice if Scubapro posted that on all their web sites, but at least it's on one where language differences aren't too severe from their USA site.

http://www.scubapro.co.uk/utilities.asp#util2

There's also electronic copies of various posters detailing product designs in cutaway fashion on the bottom of the page.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

SP catalogs used to be just packed with cut away diagrams and technical explanations of features that described the same types of processes, but with several pictures and text descriptions rather than the animation and...umm...adult oriented movie music.

Those diapgrams and explanations really appealed to the technically inclined and were quite educational even to those who were not. More than one SP catalog got used as supplemental instructional material in OW and AOW classes.

It's too bad SP went away from that technically oriented marketing approach and it's really too bad that their US website sucks compared to the SP websites in nearly every other country. Sp does a poor job of updating the US site (especially the dealer only site) and does not offer the same diapgrams, etc as they do on many other sites.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Maybe the link should be made a sticky here in the forum - I'll defer to your judgement.

I'm pinin' for a translation from the Scubapro Japan site to English now that I've seen the other variants of the Xtender available there (and only there)! If only a 2 mix version was out . . . and marketed by TUSA . . . but that's another post in a different forum. I might have to go try the Alta Vista Babelfish site and see what I get for 'literal' translation.

The SP Japan & SP UK sites seem to be their 'premier' sites in terms of effort put into the site, ease of use, and info available. You wouldn't happen to have info on % income or % profit from these different Scubapro regions (North America, UK, Japan, Asia/Pacific, etc.)would you? It would be very ineresting to see if that correlated with the advertising / marketing/ website / info efforts or not.