T3 is the bomb!

[DiveMaven]

I just wanted to post that I love, love, love my new T3 regs!! Besides being unbelievably light, they breathe so easily at all depths and in all positions. It was so nice to do a deep dive yesterday and not feel any difference in breathing effort from being shallow.

The only "negative" is that I had to add a couple of pounds to my belt to compensate for the weight difference between my old and new regs.

 

[Akimbo]

… The only "negative" is that I had to add a couple of pounds to my belt to compensate for the weight difference between my old and new regs.

Couple of pounds? This chart shows a half pound difference between the T3 and Z2 yoke for example.

Atomic Aquatics Regulator Systems Comparison Chart

 

[eelnoraa]

Sorry for bust your dream, but I am with Akimo. My entire set of single regulator, with Atomic Ti 1st stage, 2x B2 2nd, all Ti is at 4lb-3oz. My entire double reg, both posts, 2x brass Mk25, 1x M1 2nd, 1x HOG 2nd, 2" brass spg (no titanium at all, extra Mk25), 6lb-3oz. For apple to apple comparison, I highly doubt Ti vs Brass is more than 0.5lb of differences.

There are advantages to Ti, but overall weight saving is minimal if noticeably at best.

 

[Akimbo]

… There are advantages to Ti, but overall weight saving is minimal if noticeably at best.

True, like being the most corrosion resistant metal in salt water known. It should come with about 30 sets of soft-goods spares since the metal parts should outlast every manufacturer of dive gear on earth.

Titanium alloys are expensive, but it is insanely expensive to machine.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I'm going to assume the magnitude of the weight difference was stated tongue-in-cheek. Monel internals or not, though, the other "negative" is that you shouldn't put it on anything much more than 40% O2.

I'm guessing the difference in corrosion resistance of the Ti regs and my ST1 is very minimal. Guess the weight difference is worth the O2 limitation to some, though.

 

[Akimbo]

…Guess the weight difference is worth the O2 limitation to some, though.

It’s a pretty expensive regulator for a stage bottle, I could live with that limitation.

The big disadvantage of 300 series stainless steel and Titanium alloys are their horrible propensity to gall. The large diameter fine threads on the first stage are really scary to me. Galling is a pretty amazing phenomenon, which it is often called “cold welding”. Stainless bolts literally twist off before releasing from a galled nut.

 

[DiveMaven]

My old regs weigh about 3.5 pounds, the Atomic T3 is about 2. That's a significant difference in weight IMO.

 

[BoltSnap]

It’s a pretty expensive regulator for a stage bottle, I could live with that limitation.

The big disadvantage of 300 series stainless steel and Titanium alloys are their horrible propensity to gall. The large diameter fine threads on the first stage are really scary to me. Galling is a pretty amazing phenomenon, which it is often called “cold welding”. Stainless bolts literally twist off before releasing from a galled nut.

Akimbo,

Please clarify how what you said relates to the use of Titanium and Stainless-steel regulators and if there are any cases in the dive business to support your statement.

---------- Post added July 10th, 2014 at 03:49 AM ----------

True, like being the most corrosion resistant metal in salt water known. It should come with about 30 sets of soft-goods spares since the metal parts should outlast every manufacturer of dive gear on earth.

Titanium alloys are expensive, but it is insanely expensive to machine.

Akimbo,

It is probably due to the very late hour where I am now and fasting all day but I don't understand what you said, can you please clarify?

(I am not picking at you at all, I am just trying to understand)

---------- Post added July 10th, 2014 at 03:52 AM ----------

Why would the fact that the Ti regulator can't handle more than 40% O2 matter if it is used for main gas not the stage/deco bottles? Atomic has the M1 regulators that can be used with up to 80% O2 for the stage/deco bottles anyways. Tx3 for the back gas and M1 for the stage/deco bottles, what's wrong with this setup?

---------- Post added July 10th, 2014 at 03:54 AM ----------

I just wanted to post that I love, love, love my new T3 regs!! Besides being unbelievably light, they breathe so easily at all depths and in all positions. It was so nice to do a deep dive yesterday and not feel any difference in breathing effort from being shallow.

The only "negative" is that I had to add a couple of pounds to my belt to compensate for the weight difference between my old and new regs.

Congratulations and may you enjoy decades of safe and fun diving in total safety, health an happiness!!!


Are you implying that you have more than one T3 regulator? If so, what do you use them for please?

 

[eelnoraa]

My old regs weigh about 3.5 pounds, the Atomic T3 is about 2. That's a significant difference in weight IMO.

For 2lb, what is counted? Just 1st and 2nd with stock Atomic swivel hose?

 

[Akimbo]

Akimbo,

Please clarify how what you said relates to the use of Titanium and Stainless-steel regulators and if there are any cases in the dive business to support your statement….

Galling is a common problem across all industries with machined threads that is particularly severe in 300 Series Stainless Steel and Titanium alloys. It is even worse in the marine environment.

Galling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stainless Steel Galling / Locking Up / Freezing Up

https://www.fastenal.com/content/feds/pdf/Article - Galling.pdf

Unfortunately, the most effective anti-galling compounds are not compatible with Oxygen or breathing systems. The finer and larger diameter the threads the worse it is… like the ones that hold the first stage together.

… I don't understand what you said, can you please clarify? ….

Pure Titanium is the most corrosion resistant metal in salt water we have that has reasonable strength (Gold is better, but is too soft and weak). There are several “marine grade” Titanium alloys that can last virtually indefinitely in the ocean.

The same properties that give Titanium the best strength-to-weight ratio make it one of the most expensive and difficult metals to machine. That increases the cost of manufacturing even more the high material cost. On the other hand, free-machining brass is the benchmark for low machining costs.

Titanium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Does that explain it?

…Why would the fact that the Ti regulator can't handle more than 40% O2 matter if it is used for main gas not the stage/deco bottles?...

IMHO, it doesn’t matter. Like I wrote in post #6, it is too expensive a regulator for a stage bottle.