Replacing AutoAir for cave streamlining

PCDiver

Rob, where did you purchase that manifold? Any other manifolds available?

CaveStainz

Hi All,

I've just come back from my CCR cave course with Martin Robson of Eau2 Technical Diving. We spent 2 weeks in Florida upgrading my Tech Cave open circuit qualification to CCR and doing some MOD3 trimix diving and wanted to close down this thread with what i chose to do in the end with my Inspiration rig.

I removed my AutoAir from my Classic Inspiration and chose a shorter direct feed inflator hose which i ran from the manifold bar, and retained the AutoAir's corrogated rubber hose. I purchased a Zeagle BC inflator for around £40 and cable tied this securely to the rubber hose and cut to length of the LP inflator hose.

In terms of bailout options (having removed the AutoAir), i think in all cases, especially cave diving it is essential to bailout off board, but make sure that there is an inflator hose that can be connected to the manual diluent addition button to run semi closed or provide extra gas in the rare event that you lose your inboard diluent.

Actually, it's all there in the training materials from IANTD, but the original question about how to remove the AutoAir turns out to be very straightforward!

Thanks all,

Steve

ROB DAVIE

M & J ENGINEERING

mjengin@hotmail.com

858.748.9442 Poway, California, USA

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[SIZE=2]"CC Rebreathers will become a viable part of tech diving [U]WHEN PIGS FLY[/U]!!"--GI3[/SIZE]

ROB DAVIE

Folks,

In my note about my set-up, I should have made more of a point about the need for independent back-up. My Expedition Inspiration has 7-litre tins built in, but even so, I have added an M&J 10-port manifold, and provision for off-board quick disconnects to feed the BOV.

The main tins on all of the known Rebreather's are way too small to use for anything other than a quick breath or three if you are deep, or under an overhead environment.

Running side slung, or side-mount tins of a reasonable size is the only way to go, whether you plug them in, or use completely separate units.

The picture above of JDZ with his side-slung set-up is a really nice shot of how that type of rigging looks and works.

Rob

__________________
[SIZE=2]"CC Rebreathers will become a viable part of tech diving [U]WHEN PIGS FLY[/U]!!"--GI3[/SIZE]

MikeH

Here's their website.

http://www.mj-engineering.com/shop/

If you create an account(it's free) you can see the prices for everything.

Mike

CCR-Wrecker

That's how I do it. Extreme reg on a bungie for sanity breaths Al 80 for bailout. The penetration is limited to the 80
Andy

lizardland

I'd agree. I had to bail at 60m in a cave during the summer, switching to the onboard gas via the KISS OC DSV. I only had a few breaths to get settled before switching to my stage. I went back on the loop once I was shallower and there was more gas around, even with just a few breaths out of it I was well short of dil for the exit (as well as a flooded loop, running out of O2 and my HID failing) even though I was trying to take as even a line as possible (yes, Zak, I know that was along the floor of the cave whilst flapping every limb). I'm still in two minds whether or not to add a connection for offboard dil.

__________________
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www.westons-cider.co.uk

Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler

mikedive

In Mexico we have really large cave systems; that is way I chose to carry 2 S80 aluminum tanks both clipped on the left side (scooter issues) and one of those tanks reg fitted with 7 ft hose (at least 5 ft). We at Protec never use in board bail out by the volume of the tanks plus if is close circuit I think is better keep like that the most is possible.
I didn't change my O2ptima to much, I just placed a shorter power inflator hose on my original Venture wings and add a clip at the secondary display to clip at my right hip D'ring. The pressure gages I stick inside my waist belt or under the counterlungs (my pre-production unit have a splited counterlungs for over than 5 months, modified in Mexico) to avoid snag on the line in small passages.
On the Inspiration the wing will be replace for a Dive Rite Rec wing and the original box for a custom made frame to give me the capability to mount the tanks with the valves up right.

Mike - www.protecdiving.com