TX100 on a Panorama FFM

leptonyx

Sorry if this sounds trivial and obvious, but I use double-layer smooth neoprene face seals on my hooded drysuits for work (Poseidon Unisuit Pro/Exclusive) and have a separate "ffm-ready" drysuit hood also with smooth neoprene inside and outside when diving ffm's with my personal suits (Waterproof, Viking) without attached hood.

That way, there are no seams, leaks at the edges of the face seal, or other irritating details to pay attention to, as the seal is also wider i.e. covers more of your face, so just pop it on, and you are ready to go.

(I have been told that in such a hood my face sometimes looks like it is being squeezed out of a neoprene sausage, but I guess that is the price I have to pay for comfort...;-)

The "good" double-layer smooth neoprene has a thin layer of nylon mesh sandwiched in between the two thin neoprene layers (so it is really a triple-layer) and this adds some robustness to the seal which otherwise rips more easily if it only consists of two neoprene layers.

Viking (Trelleborg Ind.) has a nice separate hood with these features off the shelf, and Poseidon glues them on our work suits as BTO option.

Maybe somebody will find that useful, it certainly increased my ffm comfort, ease of use and dryness.

RonMicjan

I went to a latex hood with a beanie underneath for warmth, this has been working great, even to near freezing water. I like the idea of the three layer hood, have to look into that.

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leptonyx

IMHO neo hoods are more comfortable to don and doff, plus they offer a bit more warmth than latex.

As mentioned, I believe the VIKING hood is a pretty good choice here, and is meant/made for the KM and Interspiro masks.

Most "regular" hoods, i.e. designed for half masks, have a wider opening around the eyes/nose region, to allow a half-mask to come on under the face seal of the hood. This inevitably leads to (potential) leaks or at least bad sealing. Hoods made for use with FFM's are as mentioned tailored with a wider seal so they close narrowly around eyebrows etc. (...which in turn makes it harder to cram a half mask underneath the seal...)

RonMicjan

have you a model name or part number on that triple layer hood? Need to call up my favorite rep and get one ordered

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"Life is pain princess, anyone who tells you different, is selling something", The Dread Pirate Wesley.


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leptonyx

Hi

In my Trelleborg/VIKING catalogue it is listed under "Nautic Hood" (one size, double-layer smooth neoprene) item # UW020012

However I am not certain whether that is a universal Viking item no. or whether it is dealer-specific. But "nautic hood" and neoprene should get you there.

paulraymaekers

hello, yesterday pooltest of the TX100 mounted on the right side port of my panorama, LP-hose going over backside of my neck to a left-side-mounted block
rebreather-hose in center port of the mask

flow-stop mounted on TX100

(I must adjust the length of the LP hose to get free move, ok..)

but, when I open the flow-stop, it does ZWFOEFFF, short overpressure in mask, you feel the mask lifting a bit from your face, even hurting a bit my right ear..
tried diff things, flow-stop open during decending, than closing, but... after a minute, even triing to open slowly (you can not open a flow-stop slowly, surely not in emergency situation :-( ) ZWOEFFF
??? any recommendations ???

also: TX100 quite big, the rebreather hose touches the TX100, the hose is not 100% horisontal (not a problem)
also: exhale-pressure of the TX100 is to low for rebreather-use: you must be carefull not to vent accidentally by you nose: how can it be increased????

thanks
paul

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leptonyx

Hmmm, never had that ZWFOEFFF...

maybe your reg was on "dive" i.e. lever on "+" while you opened the flow stop? I usually turn the lever to "-" on my bailout reg until I need it.

Drmike

Yesterday I jumped in with my Panorama mask and started to put my sidemounts on and generally getting my act together on the surface when I noticed the mask was leaking a little. Dropping down to 3m it seamed ok but still after clearing a bit of water came back in.

Then I realised I hadnt plugged in the TX100

Reasuring to know even with a girt big 'ole on the side of the mask it doesnt just flood.

BTW during one of my 'drill dives' today I did some reg swapping bailing out type stuff with the mask on a 50m wreck - it is very very easy to swap the Rebreather to OC mouthpiece and back again. Its great to be able to nose breathe off the tx100 whilst removing the Rebreather mouthpice and putting the off board 2nd stage (same supply as the tx100) in. No water entered the mask if keep in heads up position.

If there is any negative pressure in the mask the tx100 will open. Its easy to have a bit of -ve in the mask without realising. I keep mine shut off.

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nmanfield

re TX 100 an P-ports - Apeks in the UK were very helpful and I contacted brett at divelife.co.uk to see if he can order me a couple.


-----Original Message-----
From: Nick Manfield [mailto:nmanfield@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 15 January 2007 21:47
To: info@apeks.co.uk
Subject: Drager FFM second stage

Dear Sir or Madam,

I recently bought a Drager Rebreather Full face mask and I am looking to add a second stage to it. I have been using Apeks equipment for a while now and have a stock of TX100 second stages. I would like to fit one of these to my FFM but would need a connector. Am I able to do this, and if so from where can I buy or order the connector



the reply:

Hi Nick,

This can be achieved, but it is a little more than just a connector to fit onto your existing 2nd stage. The 2nd stage for the FFM has a specially manufactured case. The connector that plugs into the FFM, is actually ultra-sonically welded to a specially machined case, so it isn’t something you can just buy and connect your self. To use your existing TX100 2nd stage, you would have to change the whole 2nd stage case, but you can use all the other existing parts. This must be carried out by a trained technician.

The part number of the case is AP6802. We don’t have a recommended retail price for the case, as we don’t deal direct with the public, but it would be between £15 and £20 retail.
You would need to contact your nearest Apeks dealer to buy the case, but they would not have this part in stock, so they would have to order it from us.

Best regards

Landon Helsby

untitled.bmp



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RonMicjan

thats a nice bit of info Nick, thanks for sharing that.

I just finished my CCR cave class on the draeger ffm. there were some problems using it and my instructor suggested rather strongly that I go to a regular mask but agreed to drill me on it until it became clear either way whether it would work or not.
My configuration was as in my post above, but with the addtion of a 7 foot hose for gas sharing on my bailout reg. so I had one standard reg on a 7foot hose, a whip with LPI for backup to BC or offboard dil, and a short reg hose with the Apex TX100 on it for pluggin into the mask for my personal bailout.

It was agreed that in the team, I would carry sufficient bailout for my self and the other two guys in the class would carry enough to get 1.5 divers out between them. We still did all the gas sharing exercizes to cover standards, even though some exercizes required me to doff the mask and go onto another divers OC for a touch contact exit. In that instance, I had to pull the mask and accept another divers OC reg with standard mouthpeice. this presented no problems, just a brief delay while I stripped the mask. In the zero viz drill I would wait until a team stop (for a navigation verification) and put on a spare standard half mask.

Problems arose during the no viz exit while another diver was changing gas supplies and needed my bailout off the long hose, but while I deployed the long hose and tried to put it in his hand, he had located the short hose with the tx100 on it and was breathing off of it sans rubber mouthpiece(and short hose), when he finally got the idea to take the reg with the mouthpiece the other got dropped and, of course, wedged itsef in a crack and started free flowing. (Im certain the instructor had something to do with this) : ) I did get it unwedged and secured it for the rest of the exit.

The discussion of the week was concerning the FFM, the instructor suggested it had many more failure points (true) and has added complexity in planning and executing bailout (also true). My points suggested that because of the nature of my diving at home (cold water, salvages, body recoverys, oil, gas, contaminated water etc) that I would prefer to dive and train using one system and get very comfortable with that one system. I have gone to FFM for a couple reasons, one, survivabilty from oxtox convulsion, two the ability to use comms, for the above mentioned salvage and PSD tasks, plus since I have started using the FFM, I am warmer, have a MUCH easier time clearing my ears for multiple days diving and have a dry mask 99% of the time. The only thing I see that I will go back to a regular mask is for instruction, as its easier to chat with students while on the surface by just removing the loop, rather than pulling the whole mask. I think this may change when I get comms and receivers for the students so there is no need to come to the surface to discuss things.

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Ron
"Life is pain princess, anyone who tells you different, is selling something", The Dread Pirate Wesley.


www.tmishop.com Diving bits etc.