TR300sc

TR300sc
By Holger Berghäuser



Hi to All

For many of us in Germany, the only possibility to dive is in narrow lakes or at holiday. So for me (as a rebreather diver) the idea was to have a lightweight rig. I just tried out the Dolphin, very nice and transportable and now my second choice for diving. Other systems are to big for my purpose. (e.g. the Inspiration to much maintenance for a shallow (6m) dive with 30min runtime, same for the Voyager or the CORA2, all systems are to heavy and using to much scrubber)


The TR300sc

The TR300sc (super compact) is a lightweight little rebreather, which operates in KISS-Style mCCR mode.

The whole unit is less than 12kg in weight (with 2 x 1 litre cylinders and 1kg sodalime) equal to a 10 litre steel cylinder and offers nearly 2 hours of dive time in warm water.


The Making Of…

First I designed the scrubber. I had from another rebreather project some Plexiglas tubes left (100m outer diameter, 90mm inner diameter, 250mm long) so I just has to drill me a head and bottom part, some mesh and holders!


Next I need a housing. The design of my Dolphin looks great, so I got the idea.


The housing is open at the back, so the WOB is very good. The TR300sc is then maintained from the front. I use a wing and backplate combination.

Now follows the longer part…


Counterlung

For the first prototype I used water bags. It works but the shape of the bags doesn't fit the housing.
The idea was to build my own bags. Well, I found an idea from a Rebreather World member and still do it.

First go to your gardening centre and look for garden foil (special foil for garden lakes. I found some with 0,5mm thickness), also get the special glue.

Now everything is easy…


Measure the right part from the foil. For the TR300sc I have for the exhale 44x54 cm and for the inhale 44x42 cm.


Cut the foil.


Ready made part.


Clean the gluing surface.


Add the glue on both gluing sides (look on the description of the glue how to do this)


Both sides are ready. Now press both sides flat together. After that, we have a cylinder with both sides open. Next is to close the ends. Before we can glue them together it is a good idea to equalize the gluing edge from the part before.


I just do this with a dremel or use a sharp knife.


Now clean the side endings and glue them


And press everything flat together.


Now ready for drying. We do the same on the other side. Ready?


Pneumatic

At last we need just a sort of pneumatic. I use a bypass from my TR300. It is also possible to take a Dolphin or Ray bypass (just have a P-Con in the scrubber head). For connecting the breathing hose, there are some possibilities. I use the Ray hoses, next I will try the Dolphin connectors. Any other connect should work also.


Thats all. If you are interested I will be able to sell the scrubber parts and the housing soon.

Holger



Further information on the TR300 and Holger’s projects can be found at www.tr300.com
Additional images of the TR300 projects can be found in the Rebreatherworld Gallery
Discuss this article HERE