Posts Tagged ‘equipment’
Diving Regulator
Sunday, August 21st, 2011
Scuba diving equipment – what is a regulator?
Scuba diving equipment – what is a regulator?
One of the key pieces of dive equipment for a scuba diver is a regulator but, just what is a regulator?
It all begins with the air in the tank and that you will be breathing underwater. To allow you to have sufficient air to stay down for an hour or more (precise depth times depend on depth and your personal air consumption) the air in the tank is pressurised to squeeze lots in. The working pressure in steel tanks is @2400psi and aluminium tanks @3000psi.
The first function of a regulator is to reduce this pressure down to the ambient pressure that you are underwater plus a predetermined amount so that you can breathe. This is done via a chunky, often chromed brass and termed a ‘first stage’. This is also the piece of equipment that you attach your other air related equipment to e.g. BCD air inflator and gauges.
The piece of equipment that you put into your mouth is referred to as the ‘second stage’ and this completes the process of reducing the pressure to the ambient pressure. As long as you keep the regulator in your mouth and inhale it feeds you air. The second stage works via what is termed as a ‘demand regulator’ and simply by inhaling a lever moves inside the mouthpiece and allows air down the hose from the first stage attached to the tank and into your mouth. Stopping breathing (never to be done under water) or exhaling causes the lever to close and stop the feed of air.
When you exhale the lever closes, air is prevented from entering the mouthpiece and the exhaled air is vented out of either the side of the regulator.
Modern scuba diving recommends and most training agencies e.g. PADI insist that for safety reasons you also attach a second regulator to your tank so that a dive buddy can breathe from your tank should they run out of air or their equipment malfunction. The arrangements can be different for technical or commercial diving.
Since this equipment enables the diver to breathe safely underwater it is often the first piece of equipment that divers will be recommended to buy as your life quite literally depends on the safe working of this piece of equipment. Your dive centre will be able to recommend Good Quality manufacturers and set up the equipment for you.
About the Author
Bruce Sawyer
This article is written by Bruce Sawyer a diver and underwater photographer for 15+ years and the author of the site http://addictedtoscubadiving.com/
How to Assemble a Scuba Diving Regulator
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Unified Team Diving (5thD-X) Essentials Of Technical Diving $34.95 “The Essentials of Technical Diving” Video Program takes a closer look at the foundational skills for all Technical divers. (For recreational diving, see our UTD Essentials of Recreational Diving DVD). This Essentials of Tech DVD offers an in-depth approach by demonstrating the core technical skills needed by all divers – instructors/students/technical/cave/wreck – interested in become safer, more… |
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Headphones, Diving Regulators, Reflector Light Bulbs $1.99 … |
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Unified Team Diving Essentials of Overhead Diving DVD $34.95 “The Essentials of Overhead Diving” Video Program takes a closer look at the foundational skills for all Cave and Wreck divers. (for recreational diving, see our UTD Essentials of Recreational Diving DVD). This Essentials of Overhead DVD offers an in-depth approach by demonstrating the core technical skills needed by all divers – instructors/students/technical/cave/wreck – interested in become saf… |
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Silicone Spray-Pump $4.95 500 PSI Silicone Spray Pump Style – Silicone Pump Spray in an 2oz or 8oz bottle. This is perfect for when you need to add a touch of lubricant to a neck seal for easier entry or on your regulator hoses to make them shine. Non-corrosive, made for scuba…. |
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Scuba Diving vinyl decal large $22.45 Cut from high quality vinyl that has an outdoor life expectancy of 5-8 years. The decal will be white, the background will be whatever you are putting the decal on. This is a single color decal. Each decal will come on clean transparent transfer tape (not paper)for very easy application. Can be applied on outside of any smooth, flat, clean and dry surface. Great on laptops, glass, car windows, use… |
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Air Buddy Alternate Air Source, fits on BCD Inflator $39.95 Air Buddy is the modern alternate air source. It is the smallest, safest and most convenient alternate air source on the market today. First introduced in 1996, it has become widely used by government agencies, sport divers around the world and commercial diving entities. The Air Buddy gives you 20% more breathingtime on a bottle of air than any other alternate air source. The Air Buddy is a miniature regulator second stage from which all the complicated and delicate parts have been removed, leaving only one moving part, the tilt valve. In a normal second stage, inhaling causes the diaphragm to move inward, pressing a lever which opens the needle valve allowing air from the low pressure hose to flow into your mouth. Sea Turtle replaced the needle valve witha heavy duty tilt valve in the Air Buddy. To open the tilt valve in the Air Buddy, you simply squeeze the mouthpiece with a biting movement of your mouth. That releases the air from the low pressure hose, giving you PPAS. Positive Pressure Air Source means that your mouth will be flooded with air at a higher pressure than that of the water around you, no matter what your depth may be, forcing the water out of your mouth and allowing you to breathe. You stop the air by relaxing your pressure on the mouthpiece. The BCD-Air Buddy will mount on any standard size quick connect hose on your buoyancy compensator. It is out of your way until you need it. The BCD-Air Buddy swivels in any direction, so it is just as easy for you as your dive buddy to use. It functions equally well upside down as right side up. To get your supply of breathing air, just bite it gently with your teeth and feel the air flood your mouth. The Air Buddy may be disconnected from the power inflator during use and kept inthe mouth to breathe while the power inflator is held over the head to bleed |
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Apeks ATX40 Regulator $394.98 The ATX40 2nd stage is smaller and 25% lighter than its TX predecessor. This results in less jaw fatigue and less drag. The ATX40 retains the well proven diver adjustable venturi together with a ‘technician-adjustable’ balanced second stage and balanced first stage. The combination of this second stage and the DRY SEALED first stage offers an excellent regulator for diving anywhere in the world at a very competitive price. The design of our second stage offers a smooth breathe which enhances your dive enjoyment. |
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Blue Steel Faber Low Pressure Steel Tank – 95 cu, 15L $329.95 If you are not using steel cylinders, try to use one and you will soon realize what you have been missing. Faber can offer you the most comprehensive range of cylinders for Scuba Diving. Every year we produce and sell around the world 100.000 cylinders for scuba diving (out of 600.000 in totals). No other manufacturer in the world can match our capabilities and the breadth of our range. Faber Tanks and valves are nitroxready. Cylinders come equipped with a DIN/K type valve that easily converts back and forth depending on the type of First-Stage Regulator to be used in conjunction with the cylinder increasing the versatility of the tank. Steel cylinders are heavier then the same capacity aluminum cylinder. This characteristic has many advantages. The heavier construction allows the diver toremove lead weight from their weight belt or integrated weight system of the BCD, allowing the diver to better distribute weight by moving it to the rear of the BCD a great advantage when wearing a back inflation style (Wing) BCD. Aluminum cylinders as we breathe the weight of air from them create positive buoyancy at or near the end of a dive. The steel cylinder with its negative buoyancy throughout the dive allows you to shed the excess lead that is requiredto keep you properly trimmed while you dive an aluminum cylinder. Faber LP cylinders have a round bottom and come equipped with a cylinder boot. |
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Cressi Sub Ellipse Black MC5 Regulator $269.99 New regulator made up of the lightweight second stage Ellipse with an ultra durable, high impact thermo polymer cover (Black version) combined with the brand new, never before seen MC5 balanced diaphragm first stage. Extremely lightweight, excellent performance, very easy maintenance and moderate purchase price are its strengths. The new MC5 first stage was designed completely in the Cressi Engineering and Development Centre. It is a balanced diaphragm first stage of an extremely moderate size and weight, which encompasses a high concentration of technology. A brand new sliding cylinder of the poppet, made from a special self-lubricating technopolymer minimises internal attrition and completely eliminates any possible oxidization that could alter the performance of the regulator over time. The excellent performance has been improved even further by a special assistance chamber that triggers off a strong Venturi effect between the central diffuser and the intermediate pressure outlets. The hyper-balanced diaphragm mechanism not only maintains regulator performance when the pressure in the tanks changes and when diving deeper, but even improves performance in the notoriously most critical final phase of the dive. A sintered filter with a larger surface area withholds impurities present in the incoming air. The low and high pressure outlets are pre-oriented for optimum placement of the hoses. The very small cylindrical body is completely covered by an elastomer protective shell. It is quick and easy to pull apart the regulator for maintenance with the new INT yoke connection system. |
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Dive Rite 3100 Balanced Regulator – COLD $475 Five low pressure ports on the 3100 Regulator gives divers ultimate flexibility in hose routing. This is especially beneficial to the backmount technical diver where the need for a streamlined reg configuration can cause undue stress on the hoses. Our 5th LP port is located on the top of the turret and we designed it with safety and convenience in mind. The port is slightly convex and slotted on each side to accommodate an 11/16 wrench for securing the turret while loosening the LP hose. This makes it easy to change the hose without concern of loosening the turret. Please click on TIPS to the left for suggestions on hose lengths when using the 5th port. The 3100 Series Regulator is the same high-performance, workhorse reg as the former 3000. Designed for the challenging world of technical diving, this reg is certified to CE EN 250 and approved for cold water 300 bar service, having passed the most rigorous of tests. A pneumatically balanced design delivers gas at a constant pressure so work of breathing remains effortless independent of depth or tank pressure. A diaphragm first stage means regulator parts are not exposed to the environment, protecting it from contaminates and debris. An ergonomic venturi lever is easy to adjust even with thick gloves. An optional environmental kit protects the reg in cold weather and harsh environments. It comes standard with a 300-bar DIN connector and an additional yoke adapter. Using oxygen compatible materials and assembly processes that are today industry standard, the 3001 is suitable for oxygen use at gas pressures up to 3000 psi. |
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HOG Custom BC Package. $499.99 Build your own H.O.G. BC!Get the HOG HarnessThe HOG Standard Harness is a simple harness designed to be used with hard metal backplates.Then choose if you want an Aluminum Backplate (included in price) or a Steel Backplate ($100 upgrade).Originally designed for cave diving, the backplate style BC allowed the diver to have natural balance in the water.Backplate features include:. 11” on-center holes for mounting doubles. 1” and 2” slots on the bottom for crotch straps. 3/8” slots for lift bag sleeves or other accessories. Beveled edges to prevent abrasion Next choose what wing you want.HOG 32lb WingSpecifically designed for the single cylinder diver utilizing a wing and backplate buoyancy system. The wing can be used with a single tank adapter (STA) or without due to its special ”rolled cylinder channel”Hog 38lb WingThe HOG 38lb Wing is specifically designed for diving with dual cylinders. The 38lb lift is ideal for divers who use light to mid weight steel and aluminum 80 cylinders. The HOG 38lb Wing is the classic horseshoe shape desired by the majority of dual cylinder divers today. The HOG 38lb Wing features a super low profile, thanks to expanding side panels that minimize drag while still maintaining full lift capacity. The center of the wing features 3 sets of bolt holes for attaching to typical band and bolt style doubles, as well as cam strap slots for divers who use extra length cam bands for attaching their cylinders. The inflator hose elbow on the HOG 38lb Wing is center mounted to tuck neatly between the cylinders and to avoid interference with regulator first stages. Like the other HOG Wings, the HOG 38lb Wing features a heavy duty urethane bladder covered by a 1680 denier cordura shell for maximum durability.Hog 58lb WingThe HOG 58lb Wing is specifically designed for diving with dual cylinders. The 58lb lift is ideal for divers who use mid to heavyweight steel doubles and for divers using multiple large stages. The HOG 58lb Wing is the cla |
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HOG Second Stage Regulator $139.99 THE Second Stage for Technical Divers! An important ergonomic feature of this second stage gives you one-handed access to both the inhalation effort knob and the dive/predive venturi adjustment lever, making perfect regulator tuning easy. The rigid second stage face cover and the positive-action purge button reduce the possibility for current-induced free flows and completely eliminate the possibility of diaphragm pinching seen with many flimsy rubber purge covers. The most important feature of the HOG technical second stage is the amazing breathing performance! The metal air tube and precision components of this second stage allow for precision tuning for extremely easy breathing. The dual diver-adjustable features then allow for condition-specific tuning during the dive. When paired with the HOG D1 or D1COLD first stage, you can build a technical diving regulator that simply cannot be beat! |
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Hollis DC4 221 Regulator – Din $204.95 We always recommend diving with a regulator designed for cold water applications. This allows more flexibility when traveling around the globe. But if your interest in diving is primarily warm water only, then the DC4 is the regulator of choice. Engineered and built with the same performance as the high performance DC3 without the environmental seal which is used in cold water environments. The DC4 is paired with the 221 2nd stage which is pneumatically balanced with virtually no breathing effort. Put this all together and you have a design that is lightweight, high performance, and an exceptional value that would be right at home in any warm water travel dive bag. DC4 1st Stage High performance over-balanced first stage provides progressively greater intermediate pressure as depth and gas density increases for superior gas delivery under the most extreme conditions 221 Second Stage Pneumatically balanced second stage Ergonomic A.V.S. (Adjustable Venturi System) Dive/Pre-Dive Switch Patented Orthodontic Mouthpiece with High Density Bite Tabs |
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Hollis DC4 221 Regulator – Yoke $299.95 We always recommend diving with a regulator designed for cold water applications. This allows more flexibility when traveling around the globe. But if your interest in diving is primarily warm water only, then the DC4 is the regulator of choice. Engineered and built with the same performance as the high performance DC3 without the environmental seal which is used in cold water environments. The DC4 is paired with the 221 2nd stage which is pneumatically balanced with virtually no breathing effort. Put this all together and you have a design that is lightweight, high performance, and an exceptional value that would be right at home in any warm water travel dive bag. DC4 1st Stage High performance over-balanced first stage provides progressively greater intermediate pressure as depth and gas density increases for superior gas delivery under the most extreme conditions 221 Second Stage Pneumatically balanced second stage Ergonomic A.V.S. (Adjustable Venturi System) Dive/Pre-Dive Switch Patented Orthodontic Mouthpiece with High Density Bite Tabs |
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Mares Abyss 42 Metal Regulator $424.95 Abyss has long been a staple name in high performance, and now it is available with the elite first stage MR42: the best for a unique high caliber set up. The design of Abyss second stage has evolved, now with more metal on the front cover and a special perforated hose protector, to achieve even further dependability in the most difficult diving conditions. |
