Necessary Items

mmcauliffe

OK, I'm looking at getting into a CCR and would like a complete list of "necessary" items that I would need to have on hand when I show up for my first day of class...aside from a qualified instructor, exposure suit, mask fins & snorkel.

Some of you know me others do not so for the ones I just freaked out with the snorkel comment a very brief diving history, certified trimix 2001 in Michigan/Tobermory & full cave 2001 in N FL +1200 dives of which +500 are cave. I have been certified on a SCR but that was years ago and I only remember enough to kill myself.

I need to know (roughly) what I'm getting into money wise to get into a CCR and I'm leaning toward the Megladon. My goal here is to try to eliminate as many "surprises" as possible ie: "OH! they didn't tell you before you bought the unit? you need this titanium widget, they are only $600.00 and you should probably have a spare".

I need, to the best of your ability, a list (not prices necessarily) of everything from the unit itself down to spare parts and the goop you clean the hoses with at the end of the dive.

I do have ss & al backplates, 55# halcyon wing, all the first stages and second stages I would need (I think).

Thanks everybody.

netmage

ISC Spares Kit & Calibration Kit is handy
Christolube
Keg of Sorb
A few spare batteries (I'll make you a few just let me know...)
A few spare cells
55lb doubles wing might be on the floppy side, I use a ~36lb singles wing. Eventually will move to a shorter Rebreather specific wing.
ANDI Meg book, or borrow someones, but it is a great reference to have for maintainance, so I recommend get your own.
Sidemount rigging/bungies (I know you already have this stuff)
Possibly a way to mount trim weights


If your getting a used unit
- some hoses to customize for how you want the rig to fit...
- depending how old; ADV & Shutoff

-Tim

P.S. The page on DiveRite Express's website is fairly comprehensive.
P.S.S. Oh, and a pO2 capable computer, set of tables, or cut your own a la v-planner.

mmcauliffe

Would my Armadillo work? I guess all I have to do is see if it has the mounting holes? 11" apart?

netmage

Yup... any standard backplate/wing setup will do fine.... heck, even a non-standard one... The meg is just an AL tube hoseclamped to a STA.

wedivebc

Not even nessasary. The STA that comes with the meg can be removed and allow any mounting you could use for a single tank. You might want to mount yours to a poodle jacket that matches that snorkel

__________________
Cheers,

Dave....

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

mmcauliffe

Also, talking with another CCR'r, I could skip buying small O2 & Diluent tanks and "tiger clamps?" and go straight into my sidemount rig?, with LP85's which is like an extension of my body, it's all I dive.

David Pye

Potentially, but remember you're going to want to consider bailout cylinders, conventionally sidemounted as well.

So unless you want to look like a christmas tree festooned with sidemount bottles, the small O2+dil cylinders may still be worth considering..

David

mmcauliffe

Got it, agreed...thanks

Gadget

As you live in the us then you could order a Meg complete from the factory or through your instructor. it is pretty much ready to go from the box all you would have to add is a wing. the only other choice may be whether or not to add a shearwater pusuit for on board decompresion and po2 monitoring. If you look to do long run times in caves once you have got some experience on the rig look at the big scrubbers nice but unless you do over 3 hours in water in one go not nesseceryGoing back to your initial question if you turned up with a meg completet and the items netmage surgested to one of my courses then you wouldnt go wrong. The only thing i would add would be some thing to clean the loop with at the end of each day.

__________________
Si Lawrence


www.divehdi.com

mmcauliffe

Thank you everybody, you've been very helpful.

Mike