Disposable CO2 and O2 sensors

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You get a rebreather with a DL P-Port (36mm internal bore), into which you can plug a cell holder or other monitor.

It is not the deliberate intent to damage other good companies with these plans, and we releasing information and samples well ahead of the main release to some other companies so they have the opportunity to do things like provide cell holders or even eCCR controllers that operate with it. For example, a unit is being provided to Narkedat90, along with engineering drawings of the relevant interfaces.

One simple interface is the converting plug to a Draeger P-Port, so existing cell holders work with it.

Answer to Richard Clark's Q:
On the second question of other scrubbers: DL has no plans to release a granular scrubber, we have not been able to get a granular scrubber through the safety case. It is EAC only. Again, this might change with third parties providing granular holders (195mm long, 125mm OD, 22mm ID, outside sealing like a dry suit cuff, if anyone wants the spec), but DL has no plans to do so. I do believe in the benefits of EACs and do not see any safety advantage from granular but do see multiple disadvantages: remember the design decisions put diver safety in prime position, rather than cost of cartridges (which is likely to reduce in any case).

Answer to Paul's Q:
The unit is within EN14143:2003 limits on WOB and breathing resistance to 55msw on air, and 300msw on Heliox. Absolutely full data is being released on these results (I have circulated some already).

However, as it is a CMF mCCR, the maximum depth is 85msw. Beyond that there is a dual scrubber version to get a 5 hour+ scrubber operating life at the EN14143 CO2 rates, (which will be 8.5 times more expensive than the single scrubber unit due to the low volume) and divers would need to wind up the Intermediate Pressure or fit an eCCR head. We did 10 dives out of the dual unit with a single set of scrubbers, and left the scrubbers out overnight once and in the unit once, without getting CO2 breakthrough. Some of those dives were quite short, others were an hour or so. The divers were big fit commercial divers working hard in series, trying to prompt CO2 breakthrough or find other O2 control limits.

The basic unit is intended to cover the entire diving needs from O.W. SCUBA to deep technical, and has features such that it can be operated safely if the diver has a complete loss of vision: silt, lights in a cave, mask etc. Beyond 85msw is so specialised, it is better to use the dual scrubber version.

Alex

RichClark

Thanks for the answers Alex, when will the data sheets be available?

Thanks

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MichaelS.

I think he said july 15 with the release of pics as well but dont quote me on that.

David Pye

Without meaning to question you to death about these things, Alex, I'm assuming that without the electronics package, you don't get the loop shutoff valves etc, as they wouldn't be able to work without monitoring?

David

Soren Thomsen

Hi there,

Well I for one can't wait to the release of the unit.

Just a couple of questions again:

1. Are EAC available in Denmark?
2. Training - are you planning make an instructor network before training any students or are the training going to be done by you and near you?

Cheers
Soren

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UWSojourner

I'm surprised you're so accomodating to third party modifications. I thought a large part of your effort was to attain SIL-{?}. Won't you lose control of your safety case by facilitating these efforts?

PCDiver

The EAC cartridges are perhaps very good safety wise and performance wise, but I don't think they will work for "remote" destinations.

I took me 6 months to get sorb organised in Bali. With a rebreather that only supports EAC cartridges, it would have been impossible. Also remember that some of these nice dive destinations charge 100% import tax on diving equipment including sorb.

So you have a nice cheap unit, but diving it will be very expensive. And this will even become a bigger problem with all the airlines reducing the allowed luggage.

Ah well, there is always Jakub (golemgear) to make a replacement scrubber .

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It is realism.

Our safety case is implemented in our products. It defines the limits of what we can do: for example, no granular scrubber, that for sports divers mCCR being provably safer than eCCR (to a confidence of over 8000:1 at the present level of diver exposure years). Any mod will almost certainly reduce the safety, but where there is market demand then I am sure companies will step in to fill that - I would far prefer that to be through companies that are competent and do a good job rather than a diver doing it as their first project.

Good question, and you are correct. Basic unit has a basic manual mouthpiece, and there is a small discount on the electronics package when returned to enable them to be recycled. Ordering the electronics pack from factory gets the same discount. The electronics package comes with a mouthpiece with the auto-shut off, OLED HUD and voice alarm annunciation hard wired to a sensor module that plugs into the P-Port. Batteries are in the sensor module (Saphion rechargeable via a USB port).

We can ship EACs anywhere, but there is a problem of import taxes: that applies to granules too though.

We still have some stock we are unloading of the standard cartridges if anyone is interested .

On the training questions: this is the only thing stopping the rebreather itself being available today. We are working intensively on manuals, and there is a training structure forming: we have a list of instructors who wish to cross-over, and also two instructor trainers that we need to get up to speed. It will take until the year end to sort this out, hence the ship date.

Cheers

Alex

Soren Thomsen

Hi again,

What's the expected lifespan and cost of a CO2 sensor?

Cheers
Soren

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silent running

Hi Alex, there's a bit more to it than that. If I had to ship sorb ahead and pay import taxes, I simply wouldn't be able to afford travel to the South Pacific, very few would. A diver can bring enough sorb with them in their checked baggage for a 2 week vacation. The equivalent number of EACs will take up much more room and my guess is you would need at least 4 bags to have enough for 12 days diving.

If shipping EACs, there is the issue of what kind of condition they will arrive in at a destination half way around the world. They are light and, I would guess, vulnerable to being crushed. I would not like to arrive at my destination only to find that some of my cartridges have been crushed and then be forced with the risk of trying to unbend the bent elements and creased seals, vs. loosing some dive days after all that expense and trouble.

While I understand the decision to use EACs, sorb is much more space efficient and durable for travel. -Andy