The VR3: Extensive Questions & Answers.

[bang-on]

adam,
sorry to piss on your strawberries m8 but a large part of the 4th cell cost is the pin number to open the vr3 to read external cell readings.
so even with a diy job on the hardware you are still looking at a lump to open the software and if you find a second hand connecter/lead/cell you would still need the pin to open the software in your own vr3.

cheers
barrie

[awalker]

Good thing I dont like strawberries then

So I pay £50+ to unlock the software to go from c1 > c2
That just gives me a fixed ppo for the breather with deco

And then I have to pay more to unlock so I can read with an external cell?
To check the existing O2 cells / electronics are doing what they should be.

I dont like VR3 anymore

Looks like I have to build a DIY meter and leave the VR3 to do its own thing.
Oh well thought it might be worth a try

Thanks for all your help

Regards

Adam

[NotDeadYet]

Or buy a 2nd hand Draeger Oxygauge, these come up from time to time on e-bay.

The meter housing is probably the most difficult part of building a RB as most of the other stuff can be bought off the shelf.

Jetsam sell KISS meters but they aren't cheap.

If you have access to a lathe all you need is to machine some delrin plugs for in each end of a lexan pipe with a cable gland. That's all mine is, cost me £30 to have three machined in the USA. OTOH you'll get charged an arm & a leg for someone in the UK to do it, don't know why but it is far cheaper to find someone abroad.

[divetheworld]

Originally Posted by awalker

Good thing I dont like strawberries then

So I pay £50+ to unlock the software to go from c1 > c2
That just gives me a fixed ppo for the breather with deco

And then I have to pay more to unlock so I can read with an external cell?
To check the existing O2 cells / electronics are doing what they should be.

I dont like VR3 anymore

Looks like I have to build a DIY meter and leave the VR3 to do its own thing.
Oh well thought it might be worth a try

Thanks for all your help

Regards

Adam

Your not wrong. I had an old two pin version of the dongle, sent it back to DP to change to the new 7pin, cost £43.
Cost me £131.25 to enable the I/O connector. Already had a C2.
If you dont want to buy the adaptor and get adaptive deco (not a lot of benifit) then make your own PPO2 monitor. If you dont know how, mail me and I will tell you.

Edited-
Scratch all that, what am I thinking!!!
The connector for the VR3 is a Fischer 103 7pin plug. I will get the meter out and find the pin configuration. Then all you need is a cell holder for an R22D, if you have access to a lathe I have CAD drawings somewhere for the Drager P-Port type. All you need then is an IP68 gland (search www.rswww.com there is one there good for 10bar) and some belkin cable.
Delta P charge £180 for this bit.

[Mark Chase]

I have the 7 pin cable and Y piece for sale at £180.00 if you dont want the hassel

[awalker]

Thanks for the offer Mark, but at the moment I am set on the DIY route, until I get a huge pay rise

Thankyou Divetheworld luckily I do have access through work to a lathe and people who know how to use them, unlike me.

Like I said its more of an educational experience, would be nice to get an all singing and dancing rebreather at the end of the project. I know I can save up lots of money and get a YB, but where is all the fun in that and I do have all winter.

Just have to look into material to make a scrubber now.

Thanks for all the info

Adam

[divetheworld]

Originally Posted by awalker

Thanks for the offer Mark, but at the moment I am set on the DIY route, until I get a huge pay rise

Thankyou Divetheworld luckily I do have access through work to a lathe and people who know how to use them, unlike me.

Like I said its more of an educational experience, would be nice to get an all singing and dancing rebreather at the end of the project. I know I can save up lots of money and get a YB, but where is all the fun in that and I do have all winter.

Just have to look into material to make a scrubber now.

Thanks for all the info

Adam

No bother mate, but I would suggest you talk to Mark about the Y peice, its off a Desperation but it would be a great "in loop" cell holder. Have a look at the Delta P site so you know what he it talking about.

[David]

Originally Posted by divetheworld

Edited-
Scratch all that, what am I thinking!!!
The connector for the VR3 is a Fischer 103 7pin plug. I will get the meter out and find the pin configuration. Then all you need is a cell holder for an R22D, if you have access to a lathe I have CAD drawings somewhere for the Drager P-Port type. All you need then is an IP68 gland (search www.rswww.com there is one there good for 10bar) and some belkin cable.
Delta P charge £180 for this bit.

What do you mean by belkin cable ??
is this special for pressure.

David

[divetheworld]

Originally Posted by David

What do you mean by belkin cable ??
is this special for pressure.

David

The cable is made by a company called Belkin. When the cable passes through the gland into the device or the plug, it should be incompressable. If the insulation or the cable packing is compressable then you would lose your seal and it would flood. This is difficult to achieve and maintain your flexibility.
It does not NEED to be Belkin cable, it is just one that works.

[David]

Originally Posted by divetheworld

The cable is made by a company called Belkin. When the cable passes through the gland into the device or the plug, it should be incompressable. If the insulation or the cable packing is compressable then you would lose your seal and it would flood. This is difficult to achieve and maintain your flexibility.
It does not NEED to be Belkin cable, it is just one that works.

Does anyone have a link or sugestions as to which cables work and where to get them in the uk ?

On a side note it has been sugested that Halcyon canister lights flood at both ends if the seal fails on one end only so water must pass down the cable
can any one else confirm this ??

David