What Support Equipment for CC ?
- Thread starter Zebra 1
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That's the question
If you're not cave diving, where are you intending to dive that requires all that setup that you're going to drive to (because you're not flying with it)? A good spares and tool setup for sure, but buying anything beyond your immediate needs is a waste of money.
Highly recommend you postpone stockpiling bailout cylinders for hypoxic dives before you get some hours on the unit, learn about ccr gas planning and figure out what works for you in terms of rigging and what doesn't.
Are you training here in Houston?
If you're not cave diving, where are you intending to dive that requires all that setup that you're going to drive to (because you're not flying with it)? A good spares and tool setup for sure, but buying anything beyond your immediate needs is a waste of money.
Highly recommend you postpone stockpiling bailout cylinders for hypoxic dives before you get some hours on the unit, learn about ccr gas planning and figure out what works for you in terms of rigging and what doesn't.
Are you training here in Houston?
LOTS of people sidemount 2x al80s on CCR. For me an 80 of 18/45 or 15/55 and an 80 of 50% gets me down into the 210-220 range and just over an hour of deco. Basically MOD2 limits.
broncobowsher
Contributor
Adaquate bailout dictates what you need. Pool work (where you will start) an AL40 is fine. Your first dives, recreational levels without planned deco, a single AL40 works perfect.
As you get into planned deco, you need to plan the bailout to get you through ALL of your deco. Depending on how much deco you have a pair of 80s can be correct. Now are these needed to start a rebreather, no they are not. But not far into the journey they are needed, at least one.
And this is all open water stuff. Cave is not being discussed but that is a whole new can of worms. If you want to discuss cave, start a new thread to keep this from getting any more silted out.
As you get into planned deco, you need to plan the bailout to get you through ALL of your deco. Depending on how much deco you have a pair of 80s can be correct. Now are these needed to start a rebreather, no they are not. But not far into the journey they are needed, at least one.
And this is all open water stuff. Cave is not being discussed but that is a whole new can of worms. If you want to discuss cave, start a new thread to keep this from getting any more silted out.
So, to the original question, here's what I carry for my CCR spares (meaning, this doesn't include other spares, like regulators, low pressure inflators, etc.). This is good stuff to have from the get-go.
I have one of those Plano tackle tray-type containers with compartments. The thicker version with latches.
Laminated and taped to the top is my assembly checklist. A very handy place to keep one. Inside the box:
spare orings for the unit - head, scrubber, t-pieces, etc. and unit-specific spares, like a latch for the head.
spare 9V batteries for the head (I dive a meg)
spare O2 cells
several OPVs
spare in-line shutoff
spare charger for the controller (an easily misplaced item on my unit)
a small AAA flashlight (you will often be assembling the unit on a hotel room floor or somewhere else with crappy light. A small flashlight or headlamp is VERY useful)
10' or so of white gaffers tape (3" wide) and a thick sharpie for marking cylinders
Tribolube
Molykote 111
spare mushroom valves
a small vial of Deoxit for cleaning contacts if necessary
a bunch of foam tip makeup applicators (like Qtips, but don't leave lint). Best thing ever for rebreathers and camera housings.
A set of very thin nylon brushes that are like pipecleaners. They cost about 5 bucks on amazon and come on a little keychain with different diameters. Great for cleaning female end of connectors. Again, no lint. I don't like regular pipecleaners for that reason.
A blunt tip syringe and a small vial of saltaway.
An extra mouthpiece for the DSV.
Unit-specific tools, like the thing I need to disassemble my ADV to change the Schrader valve
A 35MM film canister with Steramine tablets in it.
The idea is that all my rebreather-specific stuff, and everything I need to build the unit, is in this little kit with the checklist on top.
Of course, I have a separate little tool bag and a small bag of general spares for regulators and the other gear.
I have one of those Plano tackle tray-type containers with compartments. The thicker version with latches.
Laminated and taped to the top is my assembly checklist. A very handy place to keep one. Inside the box:
spare orings for the unit - head, scrubber, t-pieces, etc. and unit-specific spares, like a latch for the head.
spare 9V batteries for the head (I dive a meg)
spare O2 cells
several OPVs
spare in-line shutoff
spare charger for the controller (an easily misplaced item on my unit)
a small AAA flashlight (you will often be assembling the unit on a hotel room floor or somewhere else with crappy light. A small flashlight or headlamp is VERY useful)
10' or so of white gaffers tape (3" wide) and a thick sharpie for marking cylinders
Tribolube
Molykote 111
spare mushroom valves
a small vial of Deoxit for cleaning contacts if necessary
a bunch of foam tip makeup applicators (like Qtips, but don't leave lint). Best thing ever for rebreathers and camera housings.
A set of very thin nylon brushes that are like pipecleaners. They cost about 5 bucks on amazon and come on a little keychain with different diameters. Great for cleaning female end of connectors. Again, no lint. I don't like regular pipecleaners for that reason.
A blunt tip syringe and a small vial of saltaway.
An extra mouthpiece for the DSV.
Unit-specific tools, like the thing I need to disassemble my ADV to change the Schrader valve
A 35MM film canister with Steramine tablets in it.
The idea is that all my rebreather-specific stuff, and everything I need to build the unit, is in this little kit with the checklist on top.
Of course, I have a separate little tool bag and a small bag of general spares for regulators and the other gear.
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broncobowsher
Contributor
If you have to bailout while doing a deco dive...
What do you call the bottles?
Personally they are all bailout. There is no plan to actually use them in a dive. Unless something goes wrong and you have to. The intention is to end the dive with them full.
Deco bottle is when you plan to use the bottle during the dive, the intention is to end the dive with it empty. It is a stage bottle, specifically the deco stage of the dive.
What do you call the bottles?
Personally they are all bailout. There is no plan to actually use them in a dive. Unless something goes wrong and you have to. The intention is to end the dive with them full.
Deco bottle is when you plan to use the bottle during the dive, the intention is to end the dive with it empty. It is a stage bottle, specifically the deco stage of the dive.
That is my normal great lakes wreck configuration. One 80 of deep to get out of the wreck and up, one 80 of 50% for deco. I will add a 40 if the depth requires it.
If you have any Optima specific questions, feel free to ask, I actively dive one and have a few around.
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