Scubapro Air2

[ElectricZombie]

I don't see them freeflow very often, but I have other problems with the Air2.

Say you are doing an OOA emergency. You donate the reg out of your mouth, and switch to your Air2. Eventually you will have to ascend, all the while with your deflator/reg in your mouth. A lot of people would be hesitant to take the Air2 out of their mouths to vent air. (They don't vent well when the reg is in your mouth.) Just seems like the start of a possible runaway ascent. My only other complaints are that they hang down too far and do not breath very well.

I think it would be a lot easier to just have a backup reg.

 

[IyaDiver]

I don't know what generations my ex Air2 was but surely before 1995/96..........NO PINS !!!!!! And so are the rest of my gang's Air2, at least another 10 units. However my 1 year old S600 has a pin.

I too lost the diaghram, cover and that thin plastic shim once long time ago. After trying & wasting money on Air2, old generation Seaquest AirSource and US Diver Air Mic, octo-inflators have proved to me (pesonaly IMHO) not a good choice. I am sticking back to long hose octopus.

If anyone install Air2 type custom fitting Dive Alert or worse add another Hammerhead on his Air2, you probably need alligator jaw to use Air2 with so much extra weight and hose flexing against you. Even pushing the buttons become a challenge........

 

[jamiei]

I too plan on adding a backup reg, but will also still have the air2. The problem with venting air is addressed with a right shoulder dump on my bcd. It leaves my left hand for my air 2 or gauges (true, the air2 doesn't flex easily) and my right hand for venting air. It works for me, and having the air2 with a primary and another secondary reg seems like a good way to go. Plenty of backup without three regs dangling around. My bcd (slightly used) came with the air2. I got the bcd, mk20, s600, air2, and cobra computer (only 12 dives on it) for an outrageous price... cheaper than you can buy a cobra new for. So, needless to say, it works for me.

 

[jamiei]

from what I can tell, the air2 had the pin added to it around 1999? You will see earlier air2 3rd generation schematics without the pin and later 3rd generation schematics with the pin. Mine was purchase jan 2001 so I'm not really sure wether its a 3rd generation or a 4th. Johnathan, do you know an easy way to identify which it is by the way?

 

[ElectricZombie]

I just checked some of my schematics:

1st Generation AIR2s are pretty obvious. They look kind of weird, sort of square like and the purge is on the side, not the end. The deflate button is on the end. Don't see many of these and I've never serviced one, or seen the schematics. Out of production.

2nd Generation AIR2s - No pin. There are a few extra pieces in the inflate/deflate buttons that were later eliminated.

3rd Generation AIR2s - No pin. Very similiar to the 2nd Generation minus about 7 parts...mostly o-rings, etc.

4th Generation AIR2s - Includes pin. Part count increased a bit.


The 4th Generation AIR2s have grey buttons. Some of the previous version will sometimes have blue or orange buttons. The insides of all AIR2s are pretty similiar. The only thing that has really changed is the addition/removal of a couple of o-rings. I always keep the schematics handy when servicing regs so, if there is doubt as to which generation it is, I can just look it up.

 

[jamiei]

i've got an air2 3rd gen. schematic that has the pin... and one that doesn't have the pin. What gives? the 3rd gen with the pin seems to just be slightly revised.