Simple

[KaaWazuri]

I am going to add 10 divers to my staff.
I need to buy new equipment.
I would like to hear yours opinions regarding which regulator to buy.

Our conditions:

Tropical water.
Up to 40 meters.
2 dives per day, 7 days a week.
Users are careless!
There is no technical assistance in the area- we will have to care about maintenance alone.
Must be cost effective!

Any idea?

 

[jeffsterinsf]

Sounds like obtaining spares is likely to be the biggest issue. Might want to consider becoming a dealer of the line you select to get access to the parts and service network.

 

[KaaWazuri]

No use to become a dealer.
There is no potential client in 200 Km range.
We will buy the spares needed with the equipment.
The big question is , WHAT TO BUY?

 

[divrnr]

Scubapro's, can't go wrong with dependablity. Easy to get parts for in just about any part of the world. What kind of work?

 

[IyaDiver]

Wazuri,

U must tell which country u R in, having a dealer some distance away is better than having no dealer in the country at all.
In certain Asian countries US Diver is a safer bet than Scubapro, as far as dealer/s in concerned.

That reg must be for work then. I advice u to get quite a high performance model cause if at 40 meter ur divers need to do lot of "hard" work, a high performance one is easier on them.
Middle range will be good. I advice models that been around for at least the past 3 years, avoid super new ones. Let others sort out the bugs.


I advice enviromentaly sealed 1st stage, so they should last longer in rough use or careless use. What u need is a big bucket of fresh water, soak it after each use. Waiting for the salt to dry is too long and since it runs 7 days a week, u must have this set up.

I been using US Diver Micra for some 600 over dives each but I keep buying new ones every 2-3 years. Now I am using Scubapro and still under 300 dives with it. My US Diver been kind with me but I service them every 6 months. At ur diving rate 6 months between service is as far as u can go.

I have not been a gadget head for years now so I am not very familiar with very new products. Will try to find time to do some homework 4 u.

If u buy ten regs, u can have the dealer give you the spare part catalog and have at least 2 person of ur stuff to do servicing/over haul training. Not that difficult.

But this is what u will need for spares:

01. Intermediate pressure adjusting tool/gauge.
02. Special tool if any.
02. Lots of mouth piece.
03. Low pressure seat
04. High Pressure seat
05. All kind of 0-rings , of which u need to replace if u change those low and high pressure seat.
06. Various springs
07. The rest check with the dealer.


If I were you, my main worry will not be the regulators, it will be the compressor/s. Having to fill 20 tanks a day, everyday is no joke. If you choose a wrong compressor specification u might need to push it very hard and if it break down, the entire diving week/s will stall. At 140 kg, that compressor is not something u want to transport up and down for repair. It is also many times more difficult to repair than a reg.

Later the tanks are another worry, u need to be able to do ur own visual. With ur kind of use, sell them by the time u need ur first 5 years hydro. Keep them healthy this way.

Have plenty of spare mask straps.

In the mean time talk to me of ur compressor and where u are at cause ur location might dictate the brand to choose. What is the nearest big town to u ?

I am based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

[IyaDiver]

Wazuri,

Before I ask u this I need to apologize if the questions are rather straight forward or appear rude.

01. Are you a diver ?
02. Are your divers properly trained and to what level are their training.

I am asking u this because I worry of a few things :

U stated ' Users are careless". No properly trained divers are careless with their gear, because it is their life support system. I fear ur divers are ex traditional Hooka divers or divers who only know diving but not formaly trained. This kind of divers are common in my country. They collect pearl oysters, sea cucumbers and so on. They are great divers but do not know of the proper diving science. I seen crippled and deaths come to this poor people from decompression sickness. The hirer/boss only knows the word PROFIT and not diving. To me this is equivalent to let people die or crippled slowly. These guys can empty twin tanks twice a day at at least 30 meters with a back pack and no BCD ( u do not mention BCD too in ur list ).

I am so sorry if I appear too suspicious but until u mention ur diving operation in details, I can' t and won't help U.

If you do not know anything of decompression sickness, I will be glad to help u out. Can't blame u if u don't understand it.

Cheers
IYA

 

[KaaWazuri]

THANKS TO ALL,

1. I AM A DIVER. I AM HOLDING INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE FROM 1983. I HAVE WORKED IN DIVING CENTER FOR 6 YEARS DURING MY UNIVRSITY DAYS. I WAS INVOLVED IN COMERCIAL DIVING FROM THEN TILL 1997 . I TOOK A BREAK TO INLAND AREA.
I RETURNED TO COMMERCIAL DIVING- FISHING OPERATION- ON MARCH THIS YEAR.
I AM NOT UPDATED AT ALL, AND THIS WHY I AM ASKING.

2. I AM IN TANZANIA. I A RURAL PART OF IT. ONLY BIG TOWN IS DAR ES SALAAM WHICH IS 7 HOURS BY 4x4 AND NO SPARE AVAILABLE THERE.
WE ARE COLLECTING LIVE FISH , AND SEA FOODS.

3. MOST OF THE WORK IN 8-15 METERS (YES I KNOW WHAT DECOMPRESSION IS...).

4. I AM USING DIVERS WITH BASIC TRAINING AND BELEIVE ME THEY WILL STAY CARELESS. IT IS PART OF LIFE. SO, PLEASE, NO ADVISE AS "TRAIN THEM". THEY WILL NEVER TAKE CARE OF EQUIPMENT AS IT IS THERE OWN. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE ALONE.

5. I AM PLANING TO BUY HP-5500-NA3-E1 COMPRESSOR.

6. I WAS USING US DIVERS AND SHERWOOD EQUIPMENT FOR YEARS. IN FACT I STILL HAVE MY CALIPSO J FROM 1984.

SO, I THINK I HAVE ANSWERD TO ALL.
WAITING FOR YOUR COMMENTS

Kaa Wazuri:mean:

 

[IyaDiver]

Here goes :



AQUALUNG, COUSTEAU IMPULSE CRYO. Price +- US$ 300.00


DESCRIPTION:

Same as the standard impulse but the Impulse Cryo comes with an environmentally sealed first stage and has antifreeze features on its second stage.This regulator has Aqualungs top SEA first stage plus their high performing adjustable impulse second stage. The first stage has angled ports which allows for a smoother movement of air towards the second stage. The second stage has a large easy to grip side adjustment knobas well as the handy flow adjustment vain which is used to prevent surface free flows which are common to all high performance regs.


This reg 1st stage is the same as mine and u need not worry of the performance and it is sealed, unlike me. So better. The 2nd stage been around for long time and it is improved. Ur US Diver reg is probably the Conshelf 21, bullet proof but not a very good breather for deep dive.

For pressure gauge/depth gauge, the mini Scubapro gauge so far so good for me. I ruined already 4 SPG consoles. Try the mini Scubapro.

For compressor I am only familiar with BAUER of Germany. I have a few from small to big ones. U need a model with at least 6.5 Cubic per minute of output (older Mariner ) operation to 4 hours a day based on 20 fills of 80 cubic aluminum tanks. New Bauer compressor have improved significantly. U might want to take a look at the new Mariner with almost 10 CFM output and price wise it is not much higher than older Mariner.

Anyway goodluck and please buy computers for ur divers and rotate them 2 days dive 1 day rest please.


IYA

 

[IyaDiver]

Here goes :



AQUALUNG, COUSTEAU IMPULSE CRYO. Price +- US$ 300.00


DESCRIPTION:

Same as the standard impulse but the Impulse Cryo comes with an environmentally sealed first stage and has antifreeze features on its second stage.This regulator has Aqualungs top SEA first stage plus their high performing adjustable impulse second stage. The first stage has angled ports which allows for a smoother movement of air towards the second stage. The second stage has a large easy to grip side adjustment knobas well as the handy flow adjustment vain which is used to prevent surface free flows which are common to all high performance regs.


This reg 1st stage is the same as mine and u need not worry of the performance and it is sealed, unlike me. So better. The 2nd stage been around for long time and it is improved. Ur US Diver reg is probably the Conshelf 21, bullet proof but not a very good breather for deep dive.

For pressure gauge/depth gauge, the mini Scubapro gauge so far so good for me. I ruined already 4 SPG consoles. Try the mini Scubapro.

For compressor I am only familiar with BAUER of Germany. I have a few from small to big ones. U need a model with at least 6.5 Cubic per minute of output (older Mariner ) operation to 4 hours a day based on 20 fills of 80 cubic aluminum tanks. New Bauer compressor have improved significantly. U might want to take a look at the new Mariner with almost 10 CFM output and price wise it is not much higher than older Mariner.

Anyway goodluck and please buy computers for ur divers and rotate them 2 days dive 1 day rest please.


IYA

 

[KaaWazuri]

THANKS

IT IS CALIPSO J. WITH THE RESERVE VALVE ON THE FIRST STAGE
AND "SEMI SELF BALANCE" SECOND OR AT LEAST THAT HOW US DIVERS USE TO CALL IT IN THEIR ADV THOSE DAYS.

DO ANYBODY HAVE LINK TO BAUER SOUTH IN AFRICA OR MALAYSIA?

THANKS AGAIN...