Which regulator for both very cold & warm waters?

[lowviz]

 

[ams511]

I didn't post it someone else did. I was just pointing out that there is a reason they used a piston reg for that gimmick.

Scubapro is a piston regulator company. From their start to the 90s, they only made piston regulators; MK-2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 200, 15, 20 and finally 25. Because of competition, (especially in Europe) they were forced to sell a diaphragm regulator, the MK-14, not a well regarded regulator. Then came the MK-16/18 and finally the MK-11/17/19. They did not want to sell diaphragm regulators because they felt it would cut into their MK-25 sales. The MK-19 was never sold in the US and only for a short time in Europe.

Again, I never said that I had a hard time breathing underwater, never have.

Then why all the talk about over breathing?

I am not sure when this thread went from best cold and warm water regulator to the best super colder water diving regulator. The OP wanted the best of both worlds, and I was sharing with him that is impossible.

The OP mentioned ice diving. So you have both cold water temperatures and cold air temperatures. I think you are the only poster that says he cannot have both. Also once you get to mid-level and above regulators, personal preference takes over. So there is no best, just what is best for you. This relates to breathing not cold weather performance.

They almost always do.

Looking at the latest Scuba Lab test, the Cressi (piston) got a perfect score as well as the Oceanic (diaphragm). For the U.S. Navy tests, diaphragm regulators are the usual choice.

I collect regulators and have a wide assortment of different types (no Atomics though). I have and dive both pistons and diaphragm regulators. The main thing that affects breathing performance is the tune of the second stage.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

Scubapro is a piston regulator company. From their start to the 90s, they only made piston regulators; MK-2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 200, 15, 20 and finally 25. Because of competition, (especially in Europe) they were forced to sell a diaphragm regulator, the MK-14, not a well regarded regulator. Then came the MK-16/18 and finally the MK-11/17/19. They did not want to sell diaphragm regulators because they felt it would cut into their MK-25 sales. The MK-19 was never sold in the US and only for a short time in Europe.

Man your making some good points about ScubaPro and actually I enjoy and appreciate the knowledge, but just FYI I was never really pushing ScubaPro, I don't even own one. At the same time I have done quite a bit of research on them, and a lot of people I dive with use them so I wouldn't hesitate to use one for a second.

With all that being said the relevance to the thread pertaining to the comment I made, is that most piston regs are based off that ScubaPro design, and I found it ironic that someone would use that as their argument for a diaphragm reg, when I had pointed out that the piston reg can deliver more air.

Then why all the talk about over breathing?

I am not sure there was a ton of talk about it, I pointed out that it is theoretically possible and everyone had a fit, then proceeded to to tell me that diaphragm regulators can deliver plenty of air, while simultaneously using a piston regulator demonstration by ScubaPro to substantiate their argument

The OP mentioned ice diving. So you have both cold water temperatures and cold air temperatures. I think you are the only poster that says he cannot have both. Also once you get to mid-level and above regulators, personal preference takes over. So there is no best, just what is best for you. This relates to breathing not cold weather performance.

Yes the op mentioned ice diving, and I merely stated the difference between the two types of regulators and that pistons can be used in cold temperatures if they are packed. Yes if all you were doing is diving cold water you would get a diaphragm reg, but thats not what the OP said, he said he would be doing both.



For me it boiled down to two regs like I said earlier, the Zeagle or the Atomic, both American made. I went Atomic because of the higher performance, and the fact that IF I decide to dive cold water (probably wont ever happen) I can just pack my reg.

 

[Diving Dubai]

The very existence of an ACD would cause my worry.

It’s a personal choice of course

But there is nothing wrong with the ACD. On a DIN set it’s fail safe, the only very few issues on yokes is because the yoke nut has been loose, and the user hasn’t carried out basic pre use checks

 

[lowviz]

...//... I am not sure there was a ton of talk about it, I pointed out that it is theoretically possible and everyone had a fit, then proceeded to to tell me that diaphragm regulators can deliver plenty of air, while simultaneously using a piston regulator demonstration by ScubaPro to substantiate their argument ...

I offered that demonstration. Either style will deliver far, far more gas than you would ever need at any given moment. I couldn't find a similar demonstration for a diaphragm reg because it just doesn't matter so nobody even half-considered doing such a stunt. ScubaPro loves this kind of hype, but thankfully their gear is top-shelf so I tolearate it. They aren't leading anyone down the primrose path. They do take their cut, however.

The intent was to put the magnitude of air delivery into some perspective. It is a moronic number to fuss over for ice diving.

Most of the fun of ice diving is at the surface. Why go ice diving and spend all your time at depth? Same old, same old, but really cold...

All the fun is at the surface, ice is amazing stuff from below. Something you just have to experience. And BTW, your reg breathes like a charm and your gas lasts forever at a couple of feet. (Should I log those dives? I never went deep...)

 

[Centrals]

https://www.scubapro.com/sites/scubapro_site/files/scubapro_regulators-eng_rev-h.pdf
Section 5.3
Air flow at 200 bar(l/min/SCFM) for Mk25
8500/301
A normal 11L/80cu.ft scuba tank fills to 200 bar has about 2200 free litre of air. So a free flow MK25 should be able to drain a full tank in no time at all!
Anyone know how long it will take to drain a 11L/80cu.ft tank?

 

[lowviz]

@Centrals, this old thread may give some insight: free-flow - what to do?

-I love the closing post...

 

[Centrals]

I am talking a stand alone tank ie. without regulator.
8600l/min at 200 bar for MK25!
My SAC is about 6-8L with a single tank set up. Why would I need anything to deliver thousand times more than necessary?

 

[lowviz]

Uh, dunno. Give me a while if you want me to try to come up with something bizarre...

(to interested readers, you really need to try this stuff on your own under controlled conditions such as a pool)

 

[EireDiver606]

Sure, I will be doing guided only dives at the beginning. However freeflow seems to be a major problem no?

Free flow is a big problem when people breathe their rigs out of the water doing their pre dive checks when it’s colder outside than in water.