It started with a KISS...

[Digger]

OK, I got my KISS on Wednesday, unit #21, and so far I've only managed to break it a bit. Which is a good start for me.

So I get it home, and start thinking.

Differences with this unit - Dil and O2 the other way round to most units, O2 on the left, which I don't like. I run everything rich on the right, and this not only goes against that, it also is different to all the KISSes made after about unit 30 I understand. So that needs to change, but not right now. I'm too busy diving the thing for all that. At the moment I'm just running my tanks valves out to make life easier, and because they were full when the unit came along! Difference 2: Sherwood OC/CC DSV - this is much bigger than the current DSV on the units, but I'll make that sacrifice out of the water (that's the only place you notice it) so I don't have the Paragon reg, which the more I read about the more I don't like. Sherwood I know and can easily service myself, and get service kits for cheap.

So impressions diving the thing. I have my chest back, as promised. Getting kitted up I mounted 2 AL80s and both my reels on hip D-rings and life was easy, took me a couple of seconds. Chest D-rings clipped on even faster. My main criticism of the inspo lungs was getting to D-rings, not being able to reach the other side of my chest, and the clutter and mess on my front. All fixed. I know, WOB, but actually having dived both the only difference seemed to be when the counterlungs were nearly full, when the WOB went up a bit. Maybe I was crushing a fitting or something, because the physics doesn't make sense to me.

The IP was just right for me, and the unit held a setpoint when I was very gently swimming along. Rest of the time it wasn't bad at all, I've mounted the KISS valve just above my right chest D-ring, so I just reach up and it's there. Works well for now. It was leaking on the dive, but having got it home and tightened it everything's fine.

Problems - The ADV. It was leaking. We checked the IP which was a bit high on the Dil so wound it down a little. This didn't stop the problem. We cleaned it, played with it, and in the end used the AP gas connection system to disconnect it unless I needed it. The OC/CC DSV means with a turn of a very smooth, very nice knob on the front I just turn to get a mouthful of Dil, then close it again to put that into the loop. Worked very well on the dive, and I wouldn't have a problem doing it again if I ever needed to. I wouldn't want to have to do it for a whole dive again, as it does make you a bit busy on descent, but as it's one handed it's ok to do. I didn't even worry about using the ADV and carried on with this method. It worked, so I did it this way. ADV now fixed, so no more problems hopefully! The diaphragm was a bit old (probably the original one on the unit by the state of it) and will be replaced soon.

This unit is a dream. It's as close to a twinset and wing as things could be, I'd equate diving it to the complexity of diving a twinset and stage. You trade gas switches for setpoint control, and the clutter is about the same if you're careful about how you rig things, only downside is lack of vision downwards, but I usually feel for everything anyway, if I look down like that all my old suits used to leak so I got out of the habit! Oh, and you can build units as good as this, but you will need your own machine shop and a lot of delrin...

So, roll on the dives.

Digs.

PS - Who's the youngest KISS diver you guys know about? Jetsam said they didn't keep a record, I've not encountered anyone my age diving one, but there's bound to be a couple close. I think I could be the youngest KISS diver in the UK, maybe the world. Might try and work my way through the numbers, get an idea of the divers out there on these units.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by Digger

Oh, and you can build units as good as this, but you will need your own machine shop and a lot of delrin...

Mooohahahahahahahaha

Keep your eyes peeled for the "Jaz"- a UK manufactured RB worryingly similar to a KISS but without all that import hassle and silly imperial fittings.

BTW Digs- how was the first dive? What sort of depth did you get to with it? A nice, safe, shallow bimble, I hope.

[dlegros]

Originally Posted by Woz

Keep your eyes peeled for the "Jaz"

Or should that be The "Jiz"

Dom

[Woz]

Originally Posted by dlegros

Or should that be The "Jiz"

Dom

Not when it's a cross between "Janos" and "Woz".

Boy are you lot in trouble. Two 1/2 polish people making a RB. It will probably involve some sort of boiled pork and cabbage somewhere in it.

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Woz

Mooohahahahahahahaha

Keep your eyes peeled for the "Jaz"- a UK manufactured RB worryingly similar to a KISS but without all that import hassle and silly imperial fittings.

BTW Digs- how was the first dive? What sort of depth did you get to with it? A nice, safe, shallow bimble, I hope.

The magazine should be a pretty good read

[wreckweasel]

The O2 swapped sides from unit 69, actually.

As for the leaking ADV, check the diaphragms not "flappy" and clean the valve stem. Diving it with a non working ADV isnt the smartest trick going. Its the ADV that cleans the sensor faces up.

[turbanator]

Originally Posted by wreckweasel

The O2 swapped sides from unit 69, actually.

As for the leaking ADV, check the diaphragms not "flappy" and clean the valve stem. Diving it with a non working ADV isnt the smartest trick going. Its the ADV that cleans the sensor faces up.

It could be the o-ring lifting.
Rememebr as we said Wednesday, have a couple of o-rings available because it's easy to mess it up when you try to glue it into the 'top hat'.

r
Paul

[NotDeadYet]

Ahhhh... That could explain my, er, erratic cell readings yesterday prior to a dil flush.

Yep, I've got number 59 and my O2 is on the left. It's not the end of the world but it is a bit busy.

[The Purist]

Originally Posted by turbanator

It could be the o-ring lifting.
Rememebr as we said Wednesday, have a couple of o-rings available because it's easy to mess it up when you try to glue it into the 'top hat'.

r
Paul

Nope, not on that one - the original ADV was a simple O-ring free wobble-valve - fine until you damage either the seat or the block...

The diaphragms can be stretched if you leave it on a long (like overnight) -ve test, especially if it's somewhere cold - but my experience with the Sherwood was that -ves & +ves were less robust than the newer DSV as you're relying on the fit between the barrel & body of the DSV rather than an O ring seal.

[finbar.taylor]

Originally Posted by turbanator

It could be the o-ring lifting.
Rememebr as we said Wednesday, have a couple of o-rings available because it's easy to mess it up when you try to glue it into the 'top hat'.

r
Paul

It's not got the oring it's the ptfe cone type affair!

I suggested to him it might be a bent spindle or deformed difram that could be reversed to help fix it. Any other sugestions?

Fin