Scubapro S600

[IndigoBlue]

Does anyone here have any feedback regarding your setting on your Scubapro S600?

I was discussing the setting of 0.9 with the equipment specialist at my local scuba shop. We discussed all the possible settings, in terms of sensitivity, tendancy to freeflow, etc.

We agreed that 0.9 was the most sensitive setting that should be used.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[redacted]

Why not take it as low as it will go and correct problems with the adj knob. Range of adjustment seems to be well over an inch. Then again, who can tell the difference between .9 and .7 in use?

 

[IndigoBlue]

awap once bubbled...
Why not take it as low as it will go and correct problems with the adj knob. Range of adjustment seems to be well over an inch. Then again, who can tell the difference between .9 and .7 in use?

I am trying to understand what the most sensitive setting would be, "as low as it would go" based on people's experience here.

If you set it too sensitive, it would freeflow, no matter what you tightened the knobs to.

We think 0.9 is where the freeflowing is not a problem, with the knobs tightened shut.

 

[redacted]

IndigoBlue once bubbled...


I am trying to understand what the most sensitive setting would be, "as low as it would go" based on people's experience here.

If you set it too sensitive, it would freeflow, no matter what you tightened the knobs to.

We think 0.9 is where the freeflowing is not a problem, with the knobs tightened shut.

You may be losing me.

I'm pretty sure you are talking the final adjustment of the balance chamber. Not the initial adjustment of the orifice to set lever height just short of freeflow. That final adjustment of the balance chamber is primarily affecting spring tension. It is normally also set just short of freeflow. Setting that tension with the adjustment knob in the "full out" position then allows you to use the adjustment knob to increase the spring tension thus increasing cracking pressure. So either of those adjustments (the user's adjustment knob or the tech's balance chamber adjustment) could be used to control freeflows. Of course, if the freeflow problem is caused by incorrect adjustment of the orifice resulting in too high a lever setting, then trying to control it by adjusting the spring with either adjuster may not be very effective.

I've seen folks report on this board achieving .6 inches of water cracking pressure, not necessarily very stable. I'm a DIYer so my gauge is the bathroom sink. I've found it fairly easy to set it so flow starts when the adjustment knob is between half and fully submerged.

 

[ElectricZombie]

I've had mine set down to .5 before. I found this to be too sensitive. I typically set mine to about .8 with the knob all the way out. I enter the water with the knob turned all the way in and adjust as necessary.

 

[Genesis]

... with acceptable stability if I use a bit of care. That balance chamber adjustment is pretty sensitive when you get it right near the edge, and it takes some time and "finesse" to get it right where you want it if you're going for the best possible performance.

If they leak a bit at depth (and they occasionally will with the diver adjustment full out when set this way) just give it about a half-turn inward on the user adjustment and it stops. You're setting the same thing really, with both adjustements, so there is no harm or foul in going right to the edge with the balance chamber adjustment, since the diver can crank it back in a bit at any time.

Those seconds breathe beautifully. I hate them - but not for that reason. My hatred of them has to do with their fully-plastic construction (airtube, etc) which makes for EXTREMELY serious cotton mouth (for me anyway) when used on my rig - my compressor setup produces amazingly dry air, and this second just doesn't do it for me as a consequence. I end up having to take a mouthwash of salt water every 10-15 minutes or it gets VERY uncomfortable....

I sold my S600 on eBAY as a consequence of this, but I will say this much - its arguably the best breathing second I've ever had in my mouth.

I have gone back to the G250s, which have a metal airtube and don't produce the cotton mouth for me. They also don't have a tech-adjustable balance chamber preload, however, although they do have the "resistance adjustment".

If SP made the S600s with a metal airtube I'd dive them exclusively. Love the breathing performance, cannot deal with the cottonmouth.

 

[ElectricZombie]

Genesis,


I think I have an extra SS air barrel if you need one.

 

[Genesis]

The S600 was ever made with one. The G250 barrel doesn't fit and wouldn't work anyway, as its a completely different internal design.

 

[redacted]

Genesis once bubbled...
...
If SP made the S600s with a metal airtube I'd dive them exclusively. Love the breathing performance, cannot deal with the cottonmouth.

Karl

You're in luck. My G500 has a metal airtube (housing). I'm not sure if all G500s started life as metals but I believe the composite tube appeared with the S600. I purchased mine new in '99. As you know, the rest of the guts are the same as the S600. But if you are serious about relieving dry mouth try a Balanced Adjustable metal. I find I'm working the adj knob a bit more than I did with my G500 but it's become my first choice.

 

[ElectricZombie]

Genesis once bubbled...
The S600 was ever made with one. The G250 barrel doesn't fit and wouldn't work anyway, as its a completely different internal design.

But the G500 did...exact same housing. The S600 just changed the cover and the air barrel. That's why SP sells a G500 to S600 conversion kit.