KM Mk48 Supermask & CK

gathan

Does anyone use this combination or tried it? I am wondering if you can fit the pod to the KISS DSV.

cys

I am keenly interested in this too. I know from a thread on another board that scubahubby does: http://www.scubaboard.com/archive/in...p/t-77228.html I am planning to do the same with my KISS.

Drmike

Ive fitted a few DSVs into the pods including a inspiration mouthpiece and prism.

Just buy the OC pod (without the OC reg) and remove the mouthbite off your dsv, push the mouthpiece into the pod and cable tie the rubber pod diaphram to the DSV (just imaging the pod is a new mouthbite and your swapping them over) Now you need to fit an internal mouthbite over the end of the DSV that sticks into the pod.

The pod is designed for OC use with comms. It has a rubber diaphram that is flexible and when you release the mouthbite the diaphram pulls it out of your mouth enabling you to use comms. There is therefore always a small pull on the mouthbite via the diaphram and it also employs a lightweight telescopic mouthbite. I used it in this way for about 100 dives without any issues - but be aware the supplied 'extended' mouthbite has a small cross section and quite franky pants.

There are two main issues.

1) Your DSV when first fitted sits further forward from your mouth than normal. The pod comes with a weak extension mouthbite (designed for lighter OC regs that dont have the pull of Rebreather hoses)that you can fit thats longer than normal and telescopic (to enable use of comms) - but be aware it has a smaller cross section and not terribly robust. It is ok to support the weight of an OC reg but not great for heavier BOVs. You put on the facemask fit the pod, push the BOV towards you untill your mouth can reach and grip the mouthbite.

2) BOVs are heavy and with the longer or telescopic mouthbite tends to flop around out of the water - unmodified you still need 2 hands to operate underwater (one to support the DSV the other to operate it)

What I first did to try to counter these 2 issues was to fit a stronger/stiffer mouthbite. This I made out of some clear hose material and it meant I could impart stiffness to the DSV with my mouth and because it wasnt telescopic like the supplied one I could hold the DSV closer to my mouth. However pulling against the rubber diaphram of the pod all the time can get a little hard on the mouth.

The second (better) way was to fix the DSV in closer to the mouth by some other means (other than gripping it in the mouth as described above) and use a normal mouthbite. This is only suitable if you dont intend to use comms. To keep the DSV close you will need to make up some retainer straps to hold it in position and take all the strain off the mouth. These retainers (and the fact you are using a normal mouthbite) also aid the stiffness of the set up making it less floppy.

I dont have a picture of how I did the very simple straps before but ill try to knock out a sketch on monday to explain what Ive badly explained above. If you look at my oc/cc pod on my website you will see stiffenning arms on top that rest on the top of the BOV preventing rotation during operation and a ratchet system that holds the BOV close to the mouth. Something like this would need to be made up (you dont need a racthet system unless you need comms - I have fixed my ratchet in one position with a cable tie and dont use it)

Finally another thing you can try if you have access to plastic fabrication is to replace the rubber diaphram in the pod with a rigid one - I havent tried that but it may be the simplest solution.

__________________
Cave diving is a sport
Wreck diving is a sport
Diving in general is a sport

'Rebreather diving' is not a sport
its the delusional obsession with a highly dangerous and often inappropriate piece of equipment