Inspiration Vs Evolution: Pros & Cons of Each Please?

[BJ]

Originally Posted by jptaylor9

Taking to the folks at APD I got the impression that the intergrated deco is based on (or ported code from) DDPlan. They told me they'd done lots of test dives on 10/90 GF.

Big Mike Etheredge dives regularly down to 100m using pre-production versions. He is in fact the main test diver. He is not a young person. He has a grey beard. You may see him at Dive Shows on the APV stand. He is from the school of JFDI, and his experiences are studied by the boffins (mainly Nigel) back at base.
I went to Cocos with him before Christmas. (It was a company treat for him and just another day at the office for me!) In this way the unit you buy should not have any bugs in the software. The company wants the product to be right before it releases it to the public. Some other companies (no names...) let their customers do the Beta testing!

[Janos]

I'm debating Evolution or Inspiration at the moment (but I'm sure my opinion will change seveal times between now and next year when I finally get one!)

The big question for me is can I do a days diving on a single scrubber fill? On an inspiration three hours is going to be more than enough. However I'm not sure if the Evo scurbber is a bit small. I wouldn't like to be getting out of the water after exactly two hours on the scrubber as I'm a bit of a coward and would like to have a saftey margin, and once you've added in a couple pre-dive breaths I'm not sure that two hours is enough for two dives.

However, if the monitoring electronics are good, then you can run the scrubber for longer. So here's a question - do you trust a scrubber monitor enough to run a scrubber beyond it's rated time?

Laters,
Janos

[BJ]

Originally Posted by Janos

The big question for me is can I do a days diving on a single scrubber fill? On an inspiration three hours is going to be more than enough. However I'm not sure if the Evo scurbber is a bit small. I wouldn't like to be getting out of the water after exactly two hours on the scrubber as I'm a bit of a coward and would like to have a saftey margin, and once you've added in a couple pre-dive breaths I'm not sure that two hours is enough for two dives.

However, if the monitoring electronics are good, then you can run the scrubber for longer. So here's a question - do you trust a scrubber monitor enough to run a scrubber beyond it's rated time?

Laters,
Janos

I am not an expert - only a witness. However I can tell you that the scrubber monitor indicates which part of the stack is generating heat and therefore which part is being used. I would now feel insecure diving without one.
The scrubber's efficiency depends on how much gas gets pumped through it and at what starting temperature, therefore depth, work-rate, ambient temperature all effect it.
I found in Cocos I could easily get three hours from the Evolution without the scrubber monitor getting past half way. But what's the problem? If you have any doubts, get an Inspiration II with the same electronics for the same price! It will not use more scrubber material. You will only have to repack it less often.

[Decodiver]

Originally Posted by Janos

I'm debating Evolution or Inspiration at the moment (but I'm sure my opinion will change seveal times between now and next year when I finally get one!)

The big question for me is can I do a days diving on a single scrubber fill? On an inspiration three hours is going to be more than enough. However I'm not sure if the Evo scurbber is a bit small. I wouldn't like to be getting out of the water after exactly two hours on the scrubber as I'm a bit of a coward and would like to have a saftey margin, and once you've added in a couple pre-dive breaths I'm not sure that two hours is enough for two dives.

However, if the monitoring electronics are good, then you can run the scrubber for longer. So here's a question - do you trust a scrubber monitor enough to run a scrubber beyond it's rated time?

Laters,
Janos

Hi Janos,

JB's comments make sense. However packing a scrubber really is a 10 minute affair when you are used to it and no great shakes.

I am currently waiting for my Evolution, as I have said, I will be using it down to 100m and deeper than that I will use my Megalodon.

I love the Inspiration and think AP make a first class civilian RB.

It is for that that I will put my trust in the Evolution.

I just can't wait for it to arrive.

Cheers

Dave Cooper

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by Janos

The big question for me is can I do a days diving on a single scrubber fill? On an inspiration three hours is going to be more than enough. However I'm not sure if the Evo scurbber is a bit small. I wouldn't like to be getting out of the water after exactly two hours on the scrubber as I'm a bit of a coward and would like to have a saftey margin, and once you've added in a couple pre-dive breaths I'm not sure that two hours is enough for two dives.

Laters,
Janos

I have to say I throw away more lime time than I use. Genraly I do one big dive or one dive and a drift or short second dive. With this in mind the smaller scrubber of the Evo is more eficient. To me the limitations of the scrubber (ignoring the extension possable with the temp stick) is a small price to pay for the compact light weight unit.

ATB

Mark Chase

[rooster]

Following on from Janos' Post. Has anyone else used the scrubber monitor - this is relatively new technology isn't it? How does it work and how reliable is it?

I see where you would get the benefit Mark, but I am similar to Janos in that I would be looking to get two dives (prob about 2-2.5 hrs) from a scrubber fill, and like Janos, I wouldnt want to push the scrubber to its limits.

Interesting point JB makes about Evo vs Inspiration though, which I think is where I came in!

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by rooster

Has anyone else used the scrubber monitor - this is relatively new technology isn't it? How does it work and how reliable is it?

I believe it is like the unit Pete Steegle on UKRS made. A bunch of temperature sensors on the central stick so you know how far the hot reaction front has got. That's all I know. I quite fancy doing something myself but my time is being wasted doing things that just make lots of money.
I wanted to finish my HUD (all parts sitting in a box) over Christmas but it didn't happen.

nigelH

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by rooster

Following on from Janos' Post. Has anyone else used the scrubber monitor - this is relatively new technology isn't it? How does it work and how reliable is it?

I see where you would get the benefit Mark, but I am similar to Janos in that I would be looking to get two dives (prob about 2-2.5 hrs) from a scrubber fill, and like Janos, I wouldnt want to push the scrubber to its limits.

Interesting point JB makes about Evo vs Inspiration though, which I think is where I came in!

I think a lot depends on how much travelling & what sort of diving you do. My unit ready to jump in the water weighs in at 48Kg. That’s one heavy mother of a lump on your back. The drag on the unit makes fining long distance hard work and forget fining fast its not going to happen. When I am jumping off a boat and virtually drifting along around a deep wreck and getting out on a lift I don't care about the weight and the drag it’s not an issue. However when your shore diving or doing a lot of fining in the water its a PITA. Also it’s a big old lump to transport. 31.4kg in the box wrapped but without the control head and hand sets. Someone has to carry that through the airport.

I have just paid £60.00 to Britannia for the privilege of taking it on my next dive trip.

A smaller lighter unit would be much more of a pleasure to use and work with. Last year I did three overseas dive trips and this your it’s looking like four if the Zenobia gig comes off. I probably do 40-50dives a year not in the UK. and 40-50 dives in the UK. So for me it’s a bit more of an issue.

Remember the scrubber duration is tested on an SAC of 40 in a temperature of 10c. People have been pushing the inspiration scrubber for 5-6 hours for ages but the new temp stick in the EVO finally gives some sensible guide to just how far you really can push it. The Evo has 2.0kg scrubber and the Inspiration a 2.2kg scrubber. If you’re doing two dives a day with 60 to 90mins per dive your probably not going that deep. (depth affects scrubber duration) as a result its unlikely you would need to stick to two hours on the scrubber.

Best advice is go for a try dive on both units and make your mind up then.

Thats what I am doing

ATB

Mark Chase

[beanie]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

The Evo has 2.0kg scrubber and the Inspiration a 2.2kg scrubber.

FYI

2.5 on the inspo

and scrubber weight and scrubbing lifetime are not linear

ie 1 kg does not last 1/2 as long as 2kg

[Janos]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

The Evo has 2.0kg scrubber and the Inspiration a 2.2kg scrubber.

That's interesting. Nigel was showing me his until on Saturday (cheers Nigel ) and it didn't seem that heavy (well not compared to the twin 12s and stage I'd been diving earlier!) so was leaning more to the Inspiration. But if the scrubbers are almost the same size then the only difference is in the size of the tanks. But that wouldn't explain the difference in weight. Or would it?

And if the scrubbers are almost the same size, why the difference in duration?

Laters,
Confused of London

EDIT: My post crossed with Beanie's. Difference in weight explains a bit. Presumably scrubber duration is non-linear because you stop when the reaction front reaches the end of the scrubber (and not when all of the scrubber is used)?