feedback on Decoweenie travelframe

jradomski

Mark,
Let me also add, there are 2 size cam band buckles around.. The larger (more common ones) dont work well at all on small tanks.. The smaller buckles once locked in place do not open easily at all..

I had some older bands that I cut to a length that will work with 3l-7.5l steels, I also ended up redoing the velcro on the bands to be usable for both sized cylinders...

__________________
Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

Mark Chase

I REALLY SHOULD LISTEN TO MY ELDERS AND BETTERS


Well I managed (eventually) to get it wet today. Something wasn't screwed up properly on the dill side and I lost 90 bar of dill before the dive With only 70 bar left I decided to whip from my 7ltr bailout and I found the first minor niggle with the Phi box. Its not that easy to get the 1st stages off on a boat A very minor thing. Having sorted the dil back up to 150bar the bloody thing failed calibration (despite passing in the comfort of my garage last night). Next thing you know its showing screens with garbage info on them and switching them off and back on flags up a low battery warning. Bugger

My Oh so coool suit inflation bottle comes off again and I have to field strip the unit to change the batteries. Within the confines of the Phi frame this is not that easy on a boat. The top to bottom height is the problem as you cant just drop the scrubber straight down like i used to in the old case. as a result I found it best to angle the scrubber out of the frame. Easy on the way out but hard on the way back. Especially hard to keep the spacer ring in place and not catch the cables on the studs.

However we are talking a first attempt by rushed diver on a boat here so it was an extreme test. However it has to be said its easier in the old case as i have had to do this dance before.

Two new batteries and a quick reassembly and neg test and the first teem are in the water as I am kitting up.

Sit down pre breath and the master showed low battery again

My buddy Andyp teams up with the last pair in and I sit out the dive on the boat.

Not to be beaten I strip the unit yet again and switch the master for my last remaining fresh battery.

Hey presto a fully functioning YBOD.

Despite having replaced both batteries the first time one of them (the master obviously) was a duff battery straight out of the box

I have well and truly missed slack water so I wait patiently for the second dive to 8m under Brighton Pier. I am kitted up 30mins early and sitting pre breathing the box to see if its going to try and kill me but it was playing all nice now.

OK back to DIVING the Phi Box.

I was told by people who knew that i wouldn't need a top weight. I chickened out at the last moment and stuffed a 2kg soft weight on top of the scrubber. It was a mistake. I was nose heavy the whole dive and flapping my arms to stop from feet first ascents in the shallows. I found in the end dumping everything from my wing and filling my drysuit up kept my nose out of the silt and I actually got to enjoy the second part of the dive. I was doubtful that it would swim better than the old case because I didn't think the case added much to the drag problem. But I think it does actually swim better. Once I had overcome the snow plough effect I found movement noticeably easier than before. However my old rig had a larger suit inflation bottle on one side and the torch on the other which made it wider.

So having finally got wet using my new baby I was feeling like I had done the right thing. I am looking forward to the next dive without the 2KG on top of the scrubber . The fiddly bits were a bit of a faf but its a small price to pay for the neat and compact design of the case. Dispite my using a top weight i can sense that without it trim would have been nice.

So remember folks always listen to your elders and betters


Thanks Phi its a great bit of kit and it drew ohhhh's and ahhhhhh's from the other 5 YBOD divers on the boat.


ATB


Mark Chase

__________________
Is it supposed to make that noise ?

I took my unit to the dive shop and demanded they bolt on every thing that would fit.

Join my elite diving teem and get a Tshirt

"Doing It Chasey"Hammerhead Eccr Advanced Diving System

Janwillem Bech

Hey guys;

Now I am a user )

Check this out:

http://www.therebreathersite.nl/travelframe.htm

Happy new year!!

Janwillem

diverklondike

Two quick questions from those that have been using the T.F.?

1) How do you actually put the canister into the T.F.? I can not make that out from the pictures and posts?

2) Now that people have gotten a couple dives under their belts, do you think the T.F. could adequately handle 7L bottles?

Dive Safe....

Mark

jradomski

Mark,
the frame appears to be pretty solid and for an occasional use I don't see any issues.. But I'm not sure it would hold up to using the 7l bottles all the time in our conditions.. I think over time it will bend the vertical bars as is..

For an every day rig, I wouldn't use it.. I'd actually have to wear a weightbelt.. God forbid!..
I cant wait to use it travelling..

Its a exceptional value for the money, but Its no replacement for one of the older DES frames..

to change the cannister the entire back lid comes off.. there are 2 wing nuts on the bottom that you unscrew, then you lift off the back cover..

__________________
Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

jradomski

Phi,
Just a small question out of curiosity, are the new vision scrubbers larger in diamether than the old cannisters?(I never ,measured one) I was wondering because the cover is about 1/4 inch from the scrubber, so You really have to secure the cannister...

on my other frame the cannister fits in perfectly and you really dont have to secure it in place if you didn't want to (I actually ahvent used a velcro strap in about 3 years!)

__________________
Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

dave t

No I think they are the same size but we allowed a little more room in the frame for diffiering positions of the manifold and for those that have extras fitted to the manifold such as elbows or tee's. Also Bob howell style 4th cell holders need a little more space due to the shape of the fitting.

We did our best to keep it as tight as poss and still allow for variations of configuration. Better to use a velcro strap than to have some people not be able to get all their bits in.

Dave

ps I know this was for Phi but as I did most of the size testing it was easier for me to answer!!

Mark Chase

[quote]
Its easy, just put the hand sets buzzer and loop ends through the large square hole at the top and slide the can in place. Just like the standard YBOD its held in place with the Velcro strap but this time on a stand off bracket below the lip of the scrubber rather than via a cut out for the lip.


I don't see why not. The problem would be the top bar. Because the 3s fit neatly in between the bars which keep them straight. The 7s would extend past the top bar which would kick the top of the 7 over a bit but I don't think this is an insurmountable problem.

I think care would need to be taken lifting the set up. I would avoid the temptation to lift it by the top bar of the frame with 7s on.

I personally don't think its the ideal choice for multiple back tanks but thats not what I got it for.

ATB

Mark Chase

__________________
Is it supposed to make that noise ?

I took my unit to the dive shop and demanded they bolt on every thing that would fit.

Join my elite diving teem and get a Tshirt

"Doing It Chasey"Hammerhead Eccr Advanced Diving System

dave t

I tried 7l steel's on mine and it swims fine but I wouldnt want to do it a lot, we designed the frame for travelling so making it light was a priority but also versatile from a tank size use. The idea was if you showed up at the dive centre and they only have 2ls then they will fit so will 3l's 4l's 5l,s and at a push 7l's but only for a few days while you are away.

If you want to use bigger tanks all the time then you will need our "drysuit frame" which we will build if there is enough interest

Dave

Mdemon

On cam bands:

To stop them springing open on 3li tins, I use a couple of small, thick rubber bands on each strap. Once the cam is in place, I fold the excess in on itself until there is a neat bundle and stow this under the two bungees. This does the trick for me.

HTH

__________________
www.southwestmafia.com

"small minds talk about people, Average Minds Talk About Events, GREAT MINDS TALK ABOUT IDEAS!"

The WRONG Attitude will get you killed.

"Once the agenda-monkeys and perfect-worlders have moved on, perhaps we can do some diving?"