What is the Easiest Breathing/Maintenance Free Reg

[taat2d]

OK Thanx for that bit of info guys, Scoobie, MD.

Now I have to look at this a whole different way. As far as reg servicing.

I'm not too worried about being on a dive trip and needing service. I'm more worried about being home and having to try and find a Poseidon reg tech.

I may very well now have to start leaning towards the Scubapro regs, or Apex. Something to think about....

 

[Bob3]

The new Poseidon reg, the Xstream, is so robust that it requires an "annual" only every 2 years.
IP is supposedly pre set, no worries there. Very minimum number of parts.

The Cyklon has only 4 parts in the 2nd stage rebuild kit, and that includes the zip tie for the mouthpiece. Rebuild 'em (2nd stage) with little more than a stout thumbnail.
re-confoozed now?

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Tatt2d,
I am looking in Candian Diver Magazine... there are several dealers in Canada who are servicing them...

One in NY is:

Lifeguard Systems
P.O. Box PO Box 548, 12443 Hurley NY, USA
Phone: +1 845 331 3383
Fax: +1 845 331 3383

 

[taat2d]

Bob3 once bubbled...
The new Poseidon reg, the Xstream, is so robust that it requires an "annual" only every 2 years.
IP is supposedly pre set, no worries there. Very minimum number of parts.

Ok Bob. I like the new Xstream alot. The second stage is smaller. I hear they got great reviews too. What are the prices on them? Are they in the same price range as the Jetstram?

The Cyklon has only 4 parts in the 2nd stage rebuild kit, and that includes the zip tie for the mouthpiece. Rebuild 'em (2nd stage) with little more than a stout thumbnail.
re-confoozed now?

Yes now I'm even more confuzed.... But I know one thing I'm not crazt about the Cyklon. So that ones's not an issue.

 

[SeaJay]

(From a source on the 'net which I can't accurately credit... I don't know where I got this from... Some DIR site...)

"Poseidon 2nd stages are "upstream" and if the LP seat or spring fails, they fail closed... Thier popularity among die-hards harks back to the days when they were a relatively good performer. Alas, the rest of the world has overtaken them with higher performing & more reliable regulators."

That was all I had to read. Poseidon regs fail closed. In other words, if they don't work any more, they don't give any air/gas... Whereas lots of regs will freeflow, giving you time to reach back and correct for the problem of a failed second stage.

That said, I just bought a Scubapro MK16/S550/R380 set of regs, and I would highly recommend them. All three of these are of the "diaphragm" type, meaning that they tend to stay sealed against the muck in our local waters a bit better than piston regs. Of course, those who have pistons don't have any complaints either.

I bought Scubapro because they were so easy to have serviced. We do not have a trustworthy local Apeks shop.

I also very much like the Apeks DS4/TX50, though... And the hose routing on a DS4 first stage is better, IMHO, than a Scubapro MK16.

...But for the regulator purchase, I'd look no further than the DIR-F manual.

 

[Bob3]

... if the LP seat or spring fails, they fail closed...

That's an often quoted Urban Legend.
Just the venturi assist (servo valve) in the Jetstream is upstream, they act up (a trickle freeflow) long before it'll have a chance to fail. If it does fail, you only lose the venturi assist. It still breathes, just with a tad more resistance. (it just turns into a "normal" reg)
Neither myself nor any of several old fart service techs have ever heard of a Poseidon failing closed. The "legend" just started within the past few years.

Retail price on the Xstream is $555, Jetstream is $460. Shops are allowed to discount, so you should be able to cut a deal for a fair amount less.

There are a couple of comprehensive threads on the topic of Poseidons: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2294
and an epic 3-pager: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4914

The latter describes how the Poseidons "fell from favor" & became the target of the Urban Legend.

Cyklon Trivia:
Poseidon had the first single hose scuba regulator with the 2nd stage at the mouth, back around the mid 1950's or so. Their original reg was very similar to the Cyklon.
The design on the 2nd stage hasn't changed much for over 30 years, attested to by being able to use the same 2nd stage rebuild kits on the 300 as the newer 5000. The 2nd kit consists of a couple o-rings, a little rubber plate, and a new zip tie for the mouthpiece.
They're an extremely robust & hardy regulator, & the first single hose to come out with antifreeze protection.

Not too long ago a Cyklon was found laying on the bottom attached to a rotted out pony bottle. The rig had been down for over 2 years. The reg was rinsed out & the darn thing not only still worked w/o any tinkering, but all that was required to put it back into service was a simple normal service kit.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Bob3.
Thanks for that info...but if they have SO few working parts in the 2nd stage. who are they 'said' to be SO fussy to tune, adjust, etc.

 

[taat2d]

I think the deciding factor for new regs is going to be one of availability. Meaning the few local shops, and which regs they service. Especially since I don't servive my own gear.

Scoobie I read your post, saying about LDS servicing Poseidon. If I have to send my reg out for any reason, I wouldn't be happy bout that. I'd rather buy a reg that I can take to a close shop and have it serviced.

I know this is gonna sound really cheesy. I know that all 3 regs are good quality regs. BUT... I just really happen to like the the way the Poseidn Jetdtream 2nd looks. And being so vain, LOL that's why I was leaning towards them. I need to rethink the reg choices.

 

[Bob3]

... 'said' to be SO fussy to tune...

You can spend a fair amount of time tweaking a Jetstream 2nd stage getting the cracking pressure down so low that it'll start to give air just by thinking about it. If you're happy to go with a 1/2 lb crack, it'll go a lot faster.
Another quirky habit of the Jetstream 1st stage is it likes to have the parts seat up (particularly the HP seat) at initial pressures well below tank pressure first, before throwing full tank pressure to them.
Reg techs that aren't familiar with applying graduated pressure, starting about 500 psi, can wind up with a HP seat that'll let the IP creep.
Jetstreams like their innards to be super-clean too, no loose eyelashes & a light polishing of the pistons-needles seem to be appreciated.
Other than that, it ain't rocket science.

 

[undah20]

But that's the thing isn't it.... too many "quirky habits" with the Poseidon's. Thats why it's DIFFICULT to find techs that are actually GOOD at working on them. There are good and bad techs and all sorts in between, but maybe a handle of god Poseidon techs. Far more Scubapro and Apex techs out there that along with not needing rocket science, don't need to fin tune "quirky habits" along with it.

Plus with the absolutely HORRIBLE distribution and parts availability of the Poseidon's, it could lead someone who doesn't work on them themselves (unlike Bob3) to be in for a heck of a wait and nightmare on vacation.

I don't think things are going to turn around any time soon for Poseidon, even with Viking's help. Wave your hand...bub-bye...bub, bye....

Stick with the Scubapro and Apex ....less "quirky excuses" to have to deal with in the future.