backmount counterlungs

NorthWoodsDiver

I am curious to find out about some options on backmount counterlungs. I went through the forums and found several old posts about converting the OSCL's to BMCL's but the process sounds less than ideal and worst of all it means you have to buy a new set from APD if you still want to retain the old ones too.

is there any way to use KISS counterlungs on a APD unit? What sort of modifications would need to be made?

Rather than keep people in the dark, I ask because I am trying to design a dual rebreather system. without going into an argument for or against I just want to find out the how portion. This has been done before with sidemount rebreathers, the mega-meg, and other various setups but I am not aware of many (accept maybe 1) person who has made a dual vision system.

Anyway I need a way to have both systems of counterlungs on the unit at once and the best option I can see is a backount set and an over the shoulder set.

Any ideas...

spunkmire

Try Narked@90, a UK-based company, they sell the parts (remote inflator fittings) that will make it work. Although with the OPV/ dump behind you I can't see it working (IMHO).
Although again if you are prepared to undo the t-piece fititings and rotate them 90' I can see something happening,
I guess there really is no elegant solution. (Though I have seen someone do it on a Megaloadon).
Occasionally BMCL kits do pop up on the for sale forum.

EDIT: it does take some balls to take the AP counterlungs apart, they are double bag cordura outer & clear rubber inner with complicated vinyl and take a lot of effort, the only prob is that KISS lungs prob won't fit inside the Inspi case.
I see you have "Not Bought Yet" in your owner status, if that is the case and you really want back-mounted lungs, have a look at the Closed Circuit Research "Sentinel", from the makers of the Ourobouros, a new model that is attracting a lot of attention-

eCCR, back mounted lungs, onboard deco (via latest edition of VR3), scrubber temperature (i.e. life) monitor and decent scrubber duration.

Getting an Inspiration and modifying it so early prob isn't the way forward. IMHO please don't Sorry!

colinicky

To my knowledge the BMCLs that are around for the inspiration still have the lungs coming over your shoulders from the back , If you imagine the "T" pieces staying in place & turning the lungs from your chaest to your back . I have been diving bmcl since the 3 dive after my course & would never go back to ots . In my experience the opv is not a problem but I always vent around the side of the mouth piece anyway .
The lungs on the inspo are easy to take apart , there is a zip on the back of the outer casing , You can buy a set of SS spanners from Kent Tooling (Diving Products - Rebreather scroll to the bottom ) for the "T" pieces & the OPV ,They also produce a tool that has the hex plug on the end for undoing the manual inflator fittings IMPORTANT THESE ARE REVERSE THREADED SO UNDO THE WRONG WAY . Then remove the inner bags through the unzipped outer casing .
Spunkmire is correct that narked @ 90 do a very nice remote addition kit .available here :- PRODUCT

narked at 90

thanks guys, we do a couple of kits for bmcl, but think very carfully before you mod your kit, people that have made there own back mounted systems will tell how critical the positioning is, as well as the shape,
that said we have one kit on the website that give you remote control over the o2 or dil, you can place the manual add anyware you like, the other kit is not on the site but it is the kit we made for paul channing,
this kit turns one of the t-peices into an o2 add, so you have an adv on one side the other is o2 add,
kind regards john routley

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NorthWoodsDiver

Thanks for the pointers, I was already familiar with everything at narced@90's site but like many places some products are not always online.

I have a pretty intensive plan in place and will have some visual aids next month I hope via autodesk inventor software.

The idea is to build a sort of travel frame system, I am hoping that I can actually get Home Page to help me rework his design to come up with a custom unit of a similar style.

This new frame would take 2 evo+ scrubbers or 2 regular evo scrubbers and hold them side by side and have a single dil and O2 bottle mounted on it. Then the offboard bailout gas would be plumbed into the second loop to supply it.

The theory is to have the ability to bail to a completely redundant rebreather. it wont be cheap and it wont be super compact but it will eliminate the need to stage bottles or dive a large team for support in case of emergency.

I live in an area with few divers and only 1 has a rebreather and no one else in the immediate area is interested in one. I dont have the ability to dive with lots of people on deeper dives. in fact only 2 people in the city are (tri)mixed gas certified and only 5 or 6 are nitrox certified so I am pretty limited.

Right now the largest single issue is the second set of counterlungs and making them not interfere with the primary OTS counterlungs.

So to be more specific in my questioning. Will the fittings from an APD system fit on the KISS lungs? or would a better system be to use the entire KISS loop system, as in the hoses, "T" pieces, and lungs? In that case would the kiss hoses fit onto the APD head and scrubber canister?

Thanks

spunkmire

Best of luck. I won't lie to you about your chances but... you have my best regards!

Deepdiving.net : The Pearse Resurgence - Twin Inspiration Rebreather
http://www.therebreathersite.nl/13_I...spiration3.htm

You might just be able to get KISS rubber hoses to screw into the AP hose connectors (the connectors provide a genuine grip of death), and you could probably get the AP t-pieces fit onto KISS counterlungs with some fabric spacers, but...I wouldn't use it for deep bailout! Just save your money and carry more bailout cylinders. More reliable IMHO, remember than the rebreather has multiple rescue options (O2 rebreather/ SCR /offboard manual add e.t.c.).
For very deep dives, consider carrying you bottom bailout and travel gas/ middle deco gas only off the boat (and a 1L of O2 for onboard O2 loss),
and deploy a yellow SMB if shallow deco gas (O2/ 80%/ 50%) is needed, giving the skipper orders to throw a drop bottle at the yellow SMB if seen.
-you are paying the skipper anyway, gives him something to do while he waits!

Apologies
W

NorthWoodsDiver

I appreciate the tips on using open circuit bailout but these options are not available to me on 99% of my dives. Like stated before I will be diving with one other person most of the time and from a small aluminum or RIB boat with no surface support or support divers. There is no easy option for carrying that much open circuit bailout gas. The other portion of my diving is in caves (vacation diving) where I would rather not carry and stage cylinders.

This has been a long thought out decision and I weighed the options the best I could and came up with no other good option.

I will be diving a single breather with OC bailout on all dives above 180ft, everything else will be dual breathers unless the circumstances provide otherwise.

Toman

Hi John,

Do you have a kit for the Meg?

Cheers
Thomas