Anti freeze

[Richie]

I heard, I think , a while back of a company that made anti freeze caps for Poseidon first stages - ones that work.

I am fed up with the £12 offerings from Poseidon, they leak, are fragile and 2 of the last 5 bought have developed or had pin holes.

Any one any info on this.

Many thanks all.

[John Gulliver]

You're right. Poseidon's antifreeze cup is crap. In fact, the whole idea is crap. I had the Cyklon 300 and had exactly the same problems as you describe.

[Mr T.]

Anti-freeze??

What you drink on your own time is your own affair!!  

[Mr T.]

Seriously though,

I've got Poseidons as my primary and back-up reg, and had them in reasonably cold water (3-4 degrees C) in the sea and fresh-water, and had no problems with them.

Can you please relay the precise nature of the problem you've experienced so that I and others can make a call on whether we need to address any inherent problem with them?

Thanks in advance,

[steve-k]

posiden make a condom you fill with antifrezze (alcohlol) this then makes it good to well below frezzing, i used them at first, but they allways puncher,
now i dont bother, used them in 2oc with ni sign of free flow, and i know of lots of people who use posiden without them

[jasondrake]

I've had cyklon 5000's freeze at 5 degrees before, more than once. Not much fun. Portland oceaneering (on web somewher) make stainless steel antifreeze caps and fit them. About £40 fitted and they make them in batches a few times a year I think. They work and don't fall off/puncture.  Or just bin the poseidons and get some decent regs that are already sealed, eg apeks. Cheaper and less grief.

[Richie]

I’ve used “unprotected” Cyclones (the old 300)  in cold water without any problems and also with the cap fitted (no filling) . Now I use a clutch of 5000’s with their higher flow rate,  and since Poseidon state that an anti freeze cap filled with glycol/water mix or alcohol should be used in water below 6C , thought  I should be a good boy and fit them.
First off they are a pain to fill and fit. The first stage needs to be partially immersed in the antifreeze so first remove all hoses (unless you have a vat of the stuff) , find the blanking nuts? lurking at the bottom of the bag, stick the whole thing in the anti freeze and force the cap over the rim on the reg making sure all air is out and locating it in the groove on the side. Fit the cable tie and wash it off.  
You are then left with a piece of kit that is part nice solid chromed brass and part black jelly. However well you do all this there always seems to be a slight seeping of  a/f , they are fragile and easily ripped off or cut in a boat or boot environment and quality is suspect – 2 out of 5 had pin holes. Maybe in manufacture maybe caused later, I don’t know.
There must be a better option.

I can understand those used to a more benign breath finding Poseidons a bit vicious and the tendency to freeflow on entry is a drag. but I do like the Cyclone. Just wish they’d sort this antifreeze bit out.

[Richie]

Thanks Jason, I knew I'd seen them somewhere.

For the moment I'll stay with the Poseidons, I like the left/right option. I currently use one over each shoulder it makes for neater hose routing I think.

[jasondrake]

Hope they work out Ritchie. I do like the cyklons because they're great at depth but I find mine needs tuning an awful lot. Someone said they suffer from interstage pressure creep so I thought about buyin an IP guage and adjusting it myself to avoid costly servicing. Anyone know anymore about it?

[Richie]

I adjust mine by turning the little venturi thing in the second stage. Stick a finger in and give it a prod. Gloveless you can do it underwater. Not perhaps a service book recommendation!