Scuba Pro second stages?

[DTB1981]

I went to the SP web page Checked the Zip of our APO address. Under us dealers and the shop shows up there. As a California dealer. I should be good geting one from them right?

 

[KarolinaKid]

Anyone diving deep and cold have the "environmental kit" installed on/in their first stage?
I was told that was needed or recommended if you get down to 50 degrees or less to reduce the risk of free flow due to ice. I was told that 50 degrees or less + 150' or more = risk of dumping 80cf in about 2.5 minutes. Anyone agree or disagree? I had no problems with an MK25/x650 at 145'/54 degrees, but I got a lecture from a diving mentor.

 

[shooter226]

I just picked up a Mk25/s600 and love it. It does not breath as easy as my old Mk10/AIR l but it is very close after adjusting it.

I have had nothing but good luck with SP regs and have dove them for the past 25 years.

Mark

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Anyone diving deep and cold have the "environmental kit" installed on/in their first stage?
I was told that was needed or recommended if you get down to 50 degrees or less to reduce the risk of free flow due to ice. I was told that 50 degrees or less + 150' or more = risk of dumping 80cf in about 2.5 minutes. Anyone agree or disagree? I had no problems with an MK25/x650 at 145'/54 degrees, but I got a lecture from a diving mentor.

Scubapro, to its great shame, excuses problems some divers have had with the Mk 25 freezing up in cold water as being due to the "extreme" conditions in water temps less than 50 degrees. That ain't extreme, that's just the way it is many places.

All Mk 25's produced since May of 2003 have the full AF kit including the finned swivel cap, and frankly the finned cap is the least important and least effective part of the AF kit. The rest of the current AF kit comes with the annual service kit, so any older regs should have had this updated at their 204 or 2005 annual service anyway. The possible exception would be a few Mk 25's that had the new composite piston, but not the latest composite piston with the mirror polished stem. That would be a $20.00 upgrade at annual service.

Most of the problems I have seen and heard of with the Mk 25 seem to occur when an S600 is used as the s600 has a bad habit of developing a very slight freeflow in cold water that in turn and over time can push the MK25's TIS/AF kit past its limits. That said I never had any issues with a MK 25 D400 on numerous dives below 100ft with bottom temps in the mid 30's and the Mk 25 G250 is virtually never implicated in cold water freeflows. I have had my X650 spit little ice chunks at me on ice dives, but it have never actually frozen up.

My thoughts are that if you are below 130 ft under any circumstances, you need to be using doubles. And with doubles all you need to do is turn off the post feeding the offending reg for a couple of minutes to allow it to thaw out. So at worst, it's a pain, but not all that great a problem if you are skilled enough to turn the valve of promptly and you are never going to find out haow fast a freeflowing Mk 25 will empty an AL 80.

If your instructor/mentor was crabbing at you for using a Mk 25 in very cold water, he is not exactly incorrect, but he is most defintely missing the bigger picture here. Get yourself some deco procedures and/or extended range training and go with either a large single tank and H valve or even better a set of doubles.

 

[Dan Gibson]

I haven't had any problems with the MK25/S600 and I routinely dive in the low 40s. There has been no hint of a freeflow. It could also be I don't hammer the inflator and hoover my gas at the exact same time.

Scubapro, to its great shame, excuses problems some divers have had with the Mk 25 freezing up in cold water as being due to the "extreme" conditions in water temps less than 50 degrees. That ain't extreme, that's just the way it is many places.

All Mk 25's produced since May of 2003 have the full AF kit including the finned swivel cap, and frankly the finned cap is the least important and least effective part of the AF kit. The rest of the current AF kit comes with the annual service kit, so any older regs should have had this updated at their 204 or 2005 annual service anyway. The possible exception would be a few Mk 25's that had the new composite piston, but not the latest composite piston with the mirror polished stem. That would be a $20.00 upgrade at annual service.

Most of the problems I have seen and heard of with the Mk 25 seem to occur when an S600 is used as the s600 has a bad habit of developing a very slight freeflow in cold water that in turn and over time can push the MK25's TIS/AF kit past its limits. That said I never had any issues with a MK 25 D400 on numerous dives below 100ft with bottom temps in the mid 30's and the Mk 25 G250 is virtually never implicated in cold water freeflows. I have had my X650 spit little ice chunks at me on ice dives, but it have never actually frozen up.

My thoughts are that if you are below 130 ft under any circumstances, you need to be using doubles. And with doubles all you need to do is turn off the post feeding the offending reg for a couple of minutes to allow it to thaw out. So at worst, it's a pain, but not all that great a problem if you are skilled enough to turn the valve of promptly and you are never going to find out haow fast a freeflowing Mk 25 will empty an AL 80.

If your instructor/mentor was crabbing at you for using a Mk 25 in very cold water, he is not exactly incorrect, but he is most defintely missing the bigger picture here. Get yourself some deco procedures and/or extended range training and go with either a large single tank and H valve or even better a set of doubles.

 

[Wijbrandus]

Wow. You guys go a lot deeper and colder than I do.

My best cold water dive has been about 40' and 50 some degrees. No problem at all.

I do have the Mk25AF, which has some sort of anti-freeze kit built in. >>shrugs<<

 

[tboxcar]

I am not a cold water diver, strictly tropical, but love my Mk25/S600, about the adjustment on the second, I use it, but not a whole lot, I have done 30 dives with this setup so far and am still experimenting 'so to speak' with the adjustment, I do use the 'freeflow' adjustment almost every dive!

 

[DTB1981]

I went for a MK 25AF/S600 I got it on sale for less than the others.

 

[jptrealty]

I am looking for a new reg. I am AOW diver and will be taking the deep dive specialty I noticed that my unbalanced breaths hard at 100 ft and want to get a new balanced reg before then.

So I am down to three Scuba Pro models they are all the MK25 first stage. The second stages are the G250HP, S550 and S600.

The G250HP is the cheapest; it has all the fetchers of the S600 but is the older bigger reg

The S550 is the same as the S600 but without the diver adjustable inhalation control I don’t know if I would use it.

The S600 is the most expensive of all but there is only a $60 difference between it and the G250 and a $40 difference with the S550

Any one have any thoughts on what one I should get I am thinking the S550 but not too sure.

The G250 is one of the most reliable regulators ever made, the disign hasn't changed with good reason, I have several that havn't been touched (svc.) in many years, and they work well, still the best breather was the old PILOT

 

[rpodos]

Shout out for the D400 and X650 second stages (with a Seacure mouthpiece).