stage regs - any preference

[daveb0000]

Originally Posted by liamm

how do you find the button gauges?

They are fine for me cause the tins are just for bailout so don't get used (hopefully) i just need to know that they are full before i dive, and they will give a rough idea of when its going to be empty if i have to use them.

It work's for me and its a bit more streamline than having a couple of gauges on the first stage as well.

[jonny4846]

Love my xtx40 and DS4, have it with left hand reg so its on my 50% stage at the moment. But lovely breath, comfortable and cheap, to buy and service, poseidons while good are IMHO over priced. I know you say never comprise on safety, but I have a cyclon and well the apeks is better... But no one really listen to me anyway...

Jonny

[Paddy Diver]

Originally Posted by liamm

how do you find the button gauges?

I wouldnt anyway, there hard to see and in a bad viz situation might prove a bad mistake, stick with something big and easy to read, have a look at

Dublin Bay Diving

check out there deco gauges, perfect for what you want.


Ian

[wreckferret]

Liamm,

Check out Go Dive they have an offer on for pony set ups, you can keep the reg and flog the 3L.

I use an omega (oceanic) in green for my rich mix and a scubapro for my lean mix.

I find the button gauges are perfect (no hoses to bend) , I have enough movement in my stages to be able to move them so I can see the gauge.

[IanDennis]

I would suggest the Scubapro MK2 or M25.

MK2 is reliable, easy to service, simple to 02 clean.

Personally I prefer MK25's - all my stage regs and backgas are then the same. They give very good hose routing and the turret works so that the lp hose can route upwards more naturally when deployed and to be stowed neatly downwards when not.

Whatever you pick make sure you put a good second stage on it. Regulators should be at least as good as those on backgas. The last thing you what is a poor reg on your deco bottle - especially when your going to spend as much time on it as your backgas. I use G250's for stages - superb breathe and same as my backgas regs

ian

[Timbo]

Just treated myself to one,,,,,

Apeks XTX40 DS4 Regulator --- Kent Diving

Well chuffed !!

[Rod Abbotson]

I have been using servicing and oxygen cleaning Apeks DS4's as deco regs for the past five years, they are still giving excellent service despite occasional drownings, swopped around underwater a few times - advantage is that they are easy to strip down and clean.

Now I also bought button gauges at the time ! Now I suppose these are Ok for the younger chappies out there but basically I can't read them accurately enough! So then you end up with the standard guages on short hoses. Now when the deco reg floods as in having been changed underwater in an emergency(or training if your French!) and its been pressurised again water get pushed up into the gauge - so you go through a lot of gauges!.... with button gauges totally shagged I put them in the ultrasonic cleaner for a few hours nothing to lose! And low and behold all working fine again. I couldnt do that with the standard gauges - straight in the bin!

Now I have a point. As a tec instructor I have to have gauges on my deco tanks to meet with course standards.

Now my question is WHY do we need them on deco tanks?? Bottom gas YES - but on your deco tanks, which should have been planned with a reserve and then contents checked, analysed etc.

So you lose some gas, what do you do?? Does it make a difference whether you have a gauge on the thing or not - if you been hoofing up the gas, with an Apeks it will get stiffer for the last few breaths when less than the 9.5 bar interstage pressure - OK then time to shut it down and switch to something else! Should be plenty of time. You can always switch to vback gas (we do have a third of that left dont we!) until you can sort out another deco tank if you have one, if not take a team mates, share or stay on back gas.... so where does the gauge come into all of this.

Im not advocating that we all chuck our gauges away immediately but think about it. Coz' I cant read my button gauges doesnt make much of a difference!

[PBrown]

Originally Posted by Rod Abbotson

so where does the gauge come into all of this.

Because I use the same regulator's for stage cylinders as I do for deco cylinders.

Another vote for Apeks regs.

cheers,
Paul

[Rod Abbotson]

Because I use the same regulator's for stage cylinders as I do for deco cylinders.

Yep good answer for stage cylinders it would be dumb to not have a gauge also applies to travel gases etc. So still keeping all my gauges but if I do have one that doesnt work that goes on my shallow deco gas!

I just got some button gauges from Trident in the states much easier to read than my old Apeks ones bigger face! Also half price dollars for pounds!

[PBrown]

Originally Posted by Rod Abbotson

if I do have one that doesnt work that goes on my shallow deco gas!

If I have one that doesn't work it goes in the bin & I put one on that does work.

cheers,
Paul