Dive Rite Regs w/ Meg?

Cave Diver

Ok, so I'm back to giving some serious consideration to going the Meg route again. Planning to do a Meg experience with Gregg Stanton at the JB social this coming weekend.

I've spent a lot of time reading and re-reading some of the setup options and choices y'all have made and why. It seems many opted to use parts from their original O/C kit since they were already used to it.

I've mainly used Dive Rite regs for all my O/C stuff and been happy with performance and ability to route hoses.

Anyone use these for their Megs, or have pros/cons to offer?

I've also got extra Dive Rite wings, Rec (dual rec actually, but I capped off the second inflator hose) as well as a set of Classic wings on a D/R backplate and harness, neither of which has ever been wet.

I'm using one of the older Halcyon wings and plate on my doubles.

Is it worth it trying to recycle this stuff to the Meg, or should I just look at the complete setup so there is less to jack with?

Thoughts?

Celia_E

I tried to do something like that and the bottom line is I gave up, not worth the headache. You can buy DS-4's 1st stages for $165 and use your old stuff if you like.
But if you are already planning to buy a meg you might as well go with the full package, it is only a couple of hundred dollars over the meg lite version and what you decide you don't want you can keep in your box of spares or sell on the board. Why be cheap with regulators when you are spending major bucks on the breather?

Anyway, my 2 cents, only my opinion so no need to flame. I will be at the JB experience as well if you'd like to talk about options etc...

Dive safe,

Celia

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Cave Diver

Definitely!

diver1369

I have a set of DR modular valves on one set of tanks, and they are more compact and lighter than the THermo valves that came with my Meg. Every bit of weight that you can shave on the bottom end of your rig is goodness.

Don't forget that you'll need regs for Bail out bottles, booster pump and so on - and you may end up with more than one set of tanks for your Meg. Chances are that you'll be able to use your prior DR regs, even if you do order a set of tanks and regs with your Meg.

But, don't get hung up on re-cycling all your old gear. Focus on the best pieces of equipment for each use (a wing that gets you into good trim is especially important) and then if you can work pieces of kit in from your old gear, do so, and loft the rest onto eBay.

john

mattmexico

yo

I bought some Dive Rite first stages to change them for my Scubapro ones but never came to it. I finally started using them for bailout bottles instead. So I still have my Scubapros on, and they work like a charm, still.

I do not dive much in cold water that I would start thinking about piston versus diaphragm first stages, as well the flow through the first stages is minimal as I am not breathing o/c through them as I have no BOV attached to my dil or o2 tank. Dry suit is fed of the bailout tank, but wing is coming from the dil tank. So for me freezing first stages are not so much a concern.

However ..... I think when my Scubapros give up .... one day ... I will change them for Dive Rite first stages, as almost all of my stage regulators ( and o/c double tank regulators ) are Dive Rite, more for conveniance on spare parts then anything else ... as I do not dive every day to the bottom of the sea ... or cave.

greetings
Matt

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bobby

I have DR regs on my Meg and like the way I can route the hoses. I have used these regs deep on OC so I have no issues with them on the breather, I will never put the demands on them CCR compared to OC.

I put a DR Trek wing on first and now have a DR classic on the rig. I did not change it for any reason pertaining to the rig. It was a situation that the wing on the unit was needed somewhere else and I had a spare classic.

As others have said though you will need bail out regs for all depths & penetrations so if you don't have other regs to cover that you may as well buy new ones. One thing I like about the DR's is that I don't have to rely on connections to get the rebuild kits, I can buy them online with no hassle. The regs are solid and have been proven over the years to be good performers.

Bobby

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PacketSniffer

Dive Rite RG1208 for O2 & Dil. No problems so far. Nice hose routing.

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barney

Ditto. I originally used Apeks but eventually switched over the Dive Rite regs and have been using them on the Meg for over a year.

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Abbo

Regulators: OC regulators have to be able to handle serious flow; CC ones don't have such demands. I doubt you need top-of-the-line regs, so you should be able to save a little money there, using old regs. At risk of stating the obvious, your old regs need to be oxygen clean to use on the oxygen side: I saw the results of a little explosion there recently, which is what brings it to mind. I used one of my old second stage regs on the diluent side, as a stop gap until I buy a bail-out valve. I put an isolator in it and a manifold to simplify the routing. I wear it on a necklace. Doubtless, I could do the same on the oxygen side.

Harness: I have a DR harness I've used for years. With all the turmoil of switching to CC, its nice to be still using your old harness: your fingers know where everything is, and nothing could fit you better.

Wings: I use an old DR travel wing. It leaks a little, and with just 30lbs of lift it will do the job, but only just. Still, it took a while to explore the possibilities of trim: I tried moving the tanks up and down and plenty of people put weights on the top of the tanks - too high and I can't reach the valves; too low and I have the trim profile of a seahorse. It would be a pain to buy a fancy new wing, then find you didn't like its trim characteristics. There's a good case to be made for staying with an old wing till you know exactly what you want. What you want's generally something with a bit of butt lift, but the perfect wing has yet to be born. I'll buy a new wing at some time, back to back with the travel wing, which I'll use as a safety secondary. The wife spent the dive gear budget for this year, though.

wedivebc

I used apex DSTs on my meg since I had a few around. They are essentially the same as the diverites and they work fine. The swivel allows the hoses to tuck in real close to the can.

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Cheers,

Dave....

Man is the only animal burdened with the knowledge he will eventually die