Where should I start to approach the rebreather world

[KenGordon]

I use a shamwow in the bottom of my JJ can, if it helps...

Is that so you can put less sorb in?

 

[Wibble]

As for AL40 vs AL80, I train all my students on an 80, then they can use whatever they like afterwards. Train hard, fight easy.

Not the inbetweener cylinder— ali7 high pressure 232bar?

7 x 232 = 1624 litres

Lots of gas in a small convenient package that’s not floaty. More importantly it doesn’t need topping off so frequently when you’ve done a few dives and done a test bailout on every dive.

 

[Teleopsis]

Not the inbetweener cylinder— ali7 high pressure 232bar?

7 x 232 = 1624 litres

Lots of gas in a small convenient package that’s not floaty. More importantly it doesn’t need topping off so frequently when you’ve done a few dives and done a test bailout on every dive.

Who makes 232 bar ali cylinders? Don't recall seeing these, at least not in the UK.

 

[Wibble]

Who makes 232 bar ali cylinders? Don't recall seeing these, at least not in the UK.

Mine are Luxfer. Have three ali7s and an ali40, all 232 bar

 

[RainPilot]

Not the inbetweener cylinder— ali7 high pressure 232bar?

7 x 232 = 1624 litres

Lots of gas in a small convenient package that’s not floaty. More importantly it doesn’t need topping off so frequently when you’ve done a few dives and done a test bailout on every dive.

I have a couple of AL7L in 232 bar, they are lovely. My general approach is to teach students to use what is easily available to them, for most in my neck of the woods that is AL80 and 40, I usually give them some time to play with my stable of other tanks (7L steel 232, 12L steel, 10L steel, 7L AL 206, 7L AL 232, 8.5L 232 concave bottom, AL30 and AL63) depending on the dive environment they foresee (My 8.5L steels are awesome for drysuit 55-65m dives etc).

Basically, I try to teach them how to choose appropriate bailout tanks to buy, while teaching them to use what is freely available as a baseline.

 

[Wibble]

(My 8.5L steels are awesome for drysuit 55-65m dives etc).

How do you rig those and what gases do you use? Rich left/lean right?

I’ve a couple of those for sidemount and they’re the mutts nuts. Kind of follows on from the v.deep steel bailout discussion earlier

 

[RainPilot]

How do you rig those and what gases do you use? Rich left/lean right?

I’ve a couple of those for sidemount and they’re the mutts nuts. Kind of follows on from the v.deep steel bailout discussion earlier

Lean left, rich right, sidemounted. Usually a 18/45 or a 16/55 depending, with a 50% on the right. AL40 of O2 nose clipped at the butt D-ring if the dive really needs it, very rare though.

They are super lovely SM tanks for OC, in DS with thin undergarments here (19-22C water) they just sit beautifully. For those who aren't aware of these tanks, they are steel, AL30 diameter and AL80 length, hold about 2000L so around 68 CF actual capacity, about 2lbs negative when empty. Very adaptable for OC sidemount and CCR bailout.
The concave bottoms mean they can stand without boots, which is just the cherry on top.

 

[tbone1004]

Not the inbetweener cylinder— ali7 high pressure 232bar?

7 x 232 = 1624 litres

Lots of gas in a small convenient package that’s not floaty. More importantly it doesn’t need topping off so frequently when you’ve done a few dives and done a test bailout on every dive.

not available here, closest we have is an LP50 which is 7/8L/180bar and we will fill them to 250bar. Irritatingly Faber won't make a HP version.
HP aluminum bottles are not common here, only the AL100's and compact 80's that are 8" in diameter and not good for anything.

 

[Teleopsis]

not available here, closest we have is an LP50 which is 7/8L/180bar and we will fill them to 250bar. Irritatingly Faber won't make a HP version.
HP aluminum bottles are not common here, only the AL100's and compact 80's that are 8" in diameter and not good for anything.

Can you not get the 7L 232 bar steel Fabers?

 

[Wibble]

not available here, closest we have is an LP50 which is 7/8L/180bar and we will fill them to 250bar. Irritatingly Faber won't make a HP version.
HP aluminum bottles are not common here, only the AL100's and compact 80's that are 8" in diameter and not good for anything.

That's annoying. Those HP aluminum cylinders (i.e. 232 bar) are nice because there's a bit heavier than their LP (208 bar) cousins, so don't float as much. Being small they're great for the shallower dives.

A side benefit is you don't need all that gas, so you can use it for proving it works on all dives with fewer topoffs. Nothing quite like loop off, bailout in mouth, then... nothing! I could have sworn that I'd turned it on before jumping; still, better to prove it in a test than add to an incident pit when you really need it!