Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges?

Toren · 31st January 2006, 20:34

Anyone know?
It would be laid-back warm water diving.
I just have an opportunity to pick up a few cases cheap, along with a converter, so I was thinking of giving them a try...but not at the "official" 2 hour duration, not when I can get 4 hours out of a fill of sorb.
So what's the word on the street...?

***caveseeker7*** · 1st February 2006, 00:41

Hit the Dive Rite Express banner, it'll take you to the O2ptima pages.
They're afaik the only ones who have posted any info on testing and duration.

Which I find odd, as manufacturer Micropore still doesn't give you anything
above 2 hrs in writing. They've been bragging about duration and testing at
dive shows for years, you'd think they would stand for it.

DRE sells cartridges and RBs that use it ...

Toren · 1st February 2006, 01:12

Excellent, that is exactly the info I needed. Muchos gracias! Don't know why it didn't come up when I googled.

Agreed that Micropore needs to step up to the plate on their products, even in this litigious country.

P.S. I might add I'm a BIG fan of Dive Rite Express...they are the BEST online shop I've dealt with. The new O2ptima CCR looks pretty neat, too...I'll be trying one out in Feb.

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 1st February 2006, 04:04

Two hours was the rating for the 2 hour cartridges. The EP cartridges are not the same thing.

***caveseeker7*** · 1st February 2006, 04:22

And we're supposed to know that how?

The info on their website sucks, it's way out of date.
I've talked with them at the 2004 and 2005 DEMAs,
and they praised their cartridge (whichever one they
had at the time) and said they're easily good for 3 or
more hours (Dolphin & Azi, a year later the YBOD too).
But they never had any such info in writing, they never
replied to e-mails after the shows, never send any info
as promised on testing.

Farallon made like promises at the 2005 show and never
send me the promised info. First mail got a reply to wait,
the rest went unanswered. The Micropore chaps weren't
around when I was at their booth. Waited for a while,
kicking back in their chair putting my feet up, but ran
out of time.

The feedback I got from a YBOD diver that has used the
cartridge is that it works as well as in the SCRs on rec
dives but has problems on long trimix profiles.

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 1st February 2006, 04:53

I agree that they really need to update and overhaul the web site. They don't even reference the Optima on it yet.

The reason why I mention about the duration is because I was recently in a dive shop where the owner had one leftover from a time when his shop was trying to train divers on the Draegers. He offered it to me for free. It was not expired.

I glanced at the cartridge box. It had a statement on it that read something like: "Rated to 2 Hours" with the 2 in large, bold font inside of a blue circle. The cartridge for the Optima has a big "EP" in the same place where the "2" was on the other box, and it also says "Extended Performance" just below that. I can only tell you this much as fact.

It is possible that the cartridge has been re-rated, and that Micropore has changed the label on the box, reflecting the updated data. It is also possible that there are two different cartridges, each rated for a different duration.

I did not have any cartridges from my Optima with me when I was at this scuba shop. So, I didn't hold one box up against the other to see if there was any difference in size. The box in the shop seemed to be the same size by eye. However, there could be a difference in size between one and the other. I did not measure the one in the shop.

Not wanting to take a chance on becoming another statistic, I thanked the shop owner for his kind offer but left the cartridge at the scuba shop to assure that I would not accidentally use it in my Optima. I would gladly have accepted an EP cartridge so long as not expired.

Toren · 5th February 2006, 03:15

Well, I decided to go for the carts and the canister kit. It'll up my sorb costs about 25% per hour but hell, it's a vacation!

I'll report back next month on how I liked them...although, what's not to like? Pop it, drop it, go dive...no dust, no packing, no channeling, no caustic cocktail risk (well, much less, anyway)....
If I could get the carts at this bargain price all the time I'd probably be tempted to use them regularly.

***diverklondike*** · 5th February 2006, 03:31

I was the origional crash test dummy for Micropore on the cartridges for the Inspiration and have been very happy with the results. I have well over 150 dives on them... Trust me that I do not miss the extra time and effort of filling a scrubber with Kitty Litter...

Here is a link to DiveRite and the details that they are sharing for the Optima

http://www.diverite.com/Products/pro...7&CategoryID=4

Dive safe....

Mark

***caveseeker7*** · 5th February 2006, 09:28

Quote: (Originally Posted by Toren)

It'll up my sorb costs about 25% per hour but hell, it's a vacation!

Almost twice as expensive per fill and more than that per hour compared to the PRISM in your profile.

***ScubaDadMiami*** · 5th February 2006, 21:31

The prices will come down as more of them are manufactured.

31st January 2006, 20:34	#1 (permalink)
Toren In Rebreather holding pattern... Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SF, CA Posts: 114	Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Anyone know? It would be laid-back warm water diving. I just have an opportunity to pick up a few cases cheap, along with a converter, so I was thinking of giving them a try...but not at the "official" 2 hour duration, not when I can get 4 hours out of a fill of sorb. So what's the word on the street...?
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1st February 2006, 00:41	#2 (permalink)
*caveseeker7* Who loves ya, baby Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Too far from Neverland Posts: 5,417	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Hit the Dive Rite Express banner, it'll take you to the O2ptima pages. They're afaik the only ones who have posted any info on testing and duration. Which I find odd, as manufacturer Micropore still doesn't give you anything above 2 hrs in writing. They've been bragging about duration and testing at dive shows for years, you'd think they would stand for it. DRE sells cartridges and RBs that use it ... __________________ Cheers Stefan "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.'!"
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1st February 2006, 01:12	#3 (permalink)
Toren In Rebreather holding pattern... Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SF, CA Posts: 114	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Excellent, that is exactly the info I needed. Muchos gracias! Don't know why it didn't come up when I googled. Agreed that Micropore needs to step up to the plate on their products, even in this litigious country. P.S. I might add I'm a BIG fan of Dive Rite Express...they are the BEST online shop I've dealt with. The new O2ptima CCR looks pretty neat, too...I'll be trying one out in Feb. Last edited by Toren : 1st February 2006 at 01:23. Reason: add info
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1st February 2006, 04:04	#4 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,044	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Two hours was the rating for the 2 hour cartridges. The EP cartridges are not the same thing. __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
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1st February 2006, 04:22	#5 (permalink)
*caveseeker7* Who loves ya, baby Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Too far from Neverland Posts: 5,417	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? And we're supposed to know that how? The info on their website sucks, it's way out of date. I've talked with them at the 2004 and 2005 DEMAs, and they praised their cartridge (whichever one they had at the time) and said they're easily good for 3 or more hours (Dolphin & Azi, a year later the YBOD too). But they never had any such info in writing, they never replied to e-mails after the shows, never send any info as promised on testing. Farallon made like promises at the 2005 show and never send me the promised info. First mail got a reply to wait, the rest went unanswered. The Micropore chaps weren't around when I was at their booth. Waited for a while, kicking back in their chair putting my feet up, but ran out of time. The feedback I got from a YBOD diver that has used the cartridge is that it works as well as in the SCRs on rec dives but has problems on long trimix profiles. __________________ Cheers Stefan "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.'!"
(Offline)

1st February 2006, 04:53	#6 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,044	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? I agree that they really need to update and overhaul the web site. They don't even reference the Optima on it yet. The reason why I mention about the duration is because I was recently in a dive shop where the owner had one leftover from a time when his shop was trying to train divers on the Draegers. He offered it to me for free. It was not expired. I glanced at the cartridge box. It had a statement on it that read something like: "Rated to 2 Hours" with the 2 in large, bold font inside of a blue circle. The cartridge for the Optima has a big "EP" in the same place where the "2" was on the other box, and it also says "Extended Performance" just below that. I can only tell you this much as fact. It is possible that the cartridge has been re-rated, and that Micropore has changed the label on the box, reflecting the updated data. It is also possible that there are two different cartridges, each rated for a different duration. I did not have any cartridges from my Optima with me when I was at this scuba shop. So, I didn't hold one box up against the other to see if there was any difference in size. The box in the shop seemed to be the same size by eye. However, there could be a difference in size between one and the other. I did not measure the one in the shop. Not wanting to take a chance on becoming another statistic, I thanked the shop owner for his kind offer but left the cartridge at the scuba shop to assure that I would not accidentally use it in my Optima. I would gladly have accepted an EP cartridge so long as not expired. __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 03:15	#7 (permalink)
Toren In Rebreather holding pattern... Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SF, CA Posts: 114	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Well, I decided to go for the carts and the canister kit. It'll up my sorb costs about 25% per hour but hell, it's a vacation! I'll report back next month on how I liked them...although, what's not to like? Pop it, drop it, go dive...no dust, no packing, no channeling, no caustic cocktail risk (well, much less, anyway).... If I could get the carts at this bargain price all the time I'd probably be tempted to use them regularly.
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 03:31	#8 (permalink)
*diverklondike* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 1,552	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? I was the origional crash test dummy for Micropore on the cartridges for the Inspiration and have been very happy with the results. I have well over 150 dives on them... Trust me that I do not miss the extra time and effort of filling a scrubber with Kitty Litter... Here is a link to DiveRite and the details that they are sharing for the Optima http://www.diverite.com/Products/pro...7&CategoryID=4 Dive safe.... Mark
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 09:28	#9 (permalink)
*caveseeker7* Who loves ya, baby Current Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Prism Topaz Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Too far from Neverland Posts: 5,417	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? Quote: (Originally Posted by Toren) It'll up my sorb costs about 25% per hour but hell, it's a vacation! Almost twice as expensive per fill and more than that per hour compared to the PRISM in your profile. __________________ Cheers Stefan "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.'!"
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 21:31	#10 (permalink)
*ScubaDadMiami* Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,044	Re: Duration on the new EP Extendair cartridges? The prices will come down as more of them are manufactured. __________________ Howard Packer IANTD CCR Instructor Miami Beach, Florida CCRDiveTraining.com
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