Inspiration 4th Cell options

[Padowan]

Thinking about a 4th cell in the YBOD for the VR3. I've seen the (official) cell holder and was rather unimpressed as it was very bulky. Has anyone else seen any other options, or alternatives?

The Hammerhead is the ideal configuration IMO as it's all neat and tidy in the head and a great piece of kit by the looks of the manual, but a bit overkill at this stage.

[NotDeadYet]

www.oxycheq.com sell a cell holder. Don't know if its an official one or not, but it looks pricey ($465US).

Why not fit a p-port to one of the counterlungs (£20) and get one of the Oxycheq P-port cell holders ($30US)?

Still, it seems a bit odd that the VR3 makers trust 1 cell to be reliable enough to be calculating deco when the RB makers think they are so unreliable they need 3 to run O2. Oh well...

[Drmike]

I am yet to hear anyone who is happy with the 4th cell on the original YBOD. There seams to be problems due to non tracking of the cell with the main three probably due to differences in calibration due to cell positioning differences as much as condensation build up on 4th cell face.

In the HH the 4 cells are all in the same place so no calibration or condensation differences so the cells all track fine.

Check out the Hammerhead yahoo group, there was some interesting discussion on if the HH cell positions in general is better than the original from a condensation and po2 tracking to mouthpiece po2 perspective - the concensus IIRC amongst some of the HH users was no.

[Doug Parker]

This was stolen from another website.

Here is my method of connecting 4th cell. I have obtained an undrilled cell holder from APD and drilled four cell positions staggering alternate cells vertically to fit them in. The lid has been drilled and a Fischer connecter fitted . The VR3 is connected by using a cable with a Fischer connector on each end. I did this to primarily eliminate the cell holder tee piece which has proved troublesome ( leaky !). An added bonus is that the VR3 now seems to track more consistently with the handsets

Regards

Dave Pelly

[Padowan]

Originally Posted by DougParker

This was stolen from another website.

Here is my method of connecting 4th cell. I have obtained an undrilled cell holder from APD and drilled four cell positions staggering alternate cells vertically to fit them in. The lid has been drilled and a Fischer connecter fitted . The VR3 is connected by using a cable with a Fischer connector on each end. I did this to primarily eliminate the cell holder tee piece which has proved troublesome ( leaky !). An added bonus is that the VR3 now seems to track more consistently with the handsets

Regards

Dave Pelly

That looks much neater on the outside, and a nightmare reminiscent of the jokes about elephants and mini's on the inside it's quite a squeeze in there already! If an undrilled sensor tube was recieved from AP directly (obviously they knew what the user planned), does this mean that such a modification (including drilling a hole in the lid) is in any way "approved" by AP?

I can't remember if the new electronics which I saw up at the last Dive SHow have a cell holder plate that's like the HH or a configuration more like this? However with integrated decoware, it kind of makes the VR3 redundant anyway, and gets around the "Why use 3 sensors for PO2 and only 1 for Deco?" question....

[Drmike]

If you just want run a VR3 (or want a HUD as well) from stock head check out

http://www.therebreathersite.nl/uri_baran_hud.htm

[Padowan]

Originally Posted by Drmike

If you just want run a VR3 (or want a HUD as well) from stock head check out

http://www.therebreathersite.nl/uri_baran_hud.htm

Yep seen that - I'd like to see some updates on this guys product as I think it's come along a bit now from the chunky aluminuim item shown. It's a nice idea, using the same 3 cells, depends I suppose if you mainly want it for convenience and deco calculation, or if the extra redundancy of another independantly powered PO2 reading is of value. Personally it's a bit of both, and I'd contemplated the posibility of using a totally different sensor for the VR3, (maybe a slower more accurate, or faster less accurate) to cross check the R22-BUDs.

A HUD is definitely something of value I think - it's the main thing that I'd thought was worth any additional money on the new electronics - however it wasn't worth that much extra money, hence getting the original unit now rather than waiting.

[Doug Parker]

Don't ask me because i know nothing.

http://www.sandfordanddown.co.uk

[Pierre Farrugia]

Hello all,

What happens if you are using your Vr3 for deco calc. (I know that one should use tabels but...) and at a sudden you realise that the Vr3 4th cell isn't reading correctly so all the deco the Vr3 is showing is not good any more! Here you are relying about something so sensitive such as deco and relying on one single cell!! Also would thi cause more task loading?

All the above is just my tought as I do not even have the Insp yet !So please don't remind me

Regards

Pierre

[Rob Evans]

The Uri Baran HUD is now at its MKII stage - the big ally box is now a plastic (potted) one about 1/3 to 1/2 the size. No great big rotary switches, just an 'On/off' and 'Calibrate' button.
Because of its thresholds (programmable by Uri) it'll alert you to aggro before the handsets do - the LEDs kick over to red at 1.45 and start flashing green at 1.1. Bit of a bore when decoing at 6m after a loop O2 flush, but also pretty handy for reminding you to change setpoint on descent. It works like a dream.
You're right, more info is needed and matey is frantically working away at his website even as we speak.
PS ignore crummy LED mounting on mouthpiece on the JWBech site - the MKII mounting is much neater.