Gear Check Air Systems
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Optima gets a makeover May 2007
Dive Rite has tweaked its O2ptima FX closed-circuit rebreather with features that add flexibility and comfort. The new design allows for
using 4-liter steel, 2-liter steel or 2-liter aluminum tanks. A new cover eases access to the scrubber canister and tanks, and quick-release
clips ease access to the top or bottom of the unit without taking off the cover. Weight pockets in the top hold up to five pounds apiece. The
scrubber uses Micropore’s ExtendAir cartridges, which provide up to three hours of diving. Over-the-shoulder counterlungs can be
positioned by the diver for maximum comfort and ease of breathing. Juergensen Marine’s Hammerhead electronics monitor PO2, set points
and onboard decompression information. The unit has two completely redundant handset displays, and offers a fourth cell for use with off-
board computers. The rebreather can be fitted to any harness and wing combination that fits the diver and the dive plan. www.diverite.com.
Dive Rite has tweaked its O2ptima FX closed-circuit rebreather with features that add flexibility and comfort. The new design allows for
using 4-liter steel, 2-liter steel or 2-liter aluminum tanks. A new cover eases access to the scrubber canister and tanks, and quick-release
clips ease access to the top or bottom of the unit without taking off the cover. Weight pockets in the top hold up to five pounds apiece. The
scrubber uses Micropore’s ExtendAir cartridges, which provide up to three hours of diving. Over-the-shoulder counterlungs can be
positioned by the diver for maximum comfort and ease of breathing. Juergensen Marine’s Hammerhead electronics monitor PO2, set points
and onboard decompression information. The unit has two completely redundant handset displays, and offers a fourth cell for use with off-
board computers. The rebreather can be fitted to any harness and wing combination that fits the diver and the dive plan. www.diverite.com.
Nitrox to go April 2007
Filling nitrox mixes with precision is no longer a tedious task of juggling tables of pressures and partial pressures with the Voyager system
created by Aerotecnica Coltri and Nuvair. The membrane system is compact enough to install in a dive boat yet delivers gas mixes in
quantities that could meet a dive shop’s needs. Two Nuvair oxygen analyzers ensure accuracy in mixes from 24 to 40 percent oxygen, and
the 7.5-horsepower compressors deliver up to 3,600 pounds-per-square-inch high-pressure output. The accumulator tank holds up to 15
gallons of condensate. Automatic controls and shutoff make add push-button ease to operating the turnkey system. www.nuvair.com.
Filling nitrox mixes with precision is no longer a tedious task of juggling tables of pressures and partial pressures with the Voyager system
created by Aerotecnica Coltri and Nuvair. The membrane system is compact enough to install in a dive boat yet delivers gas mixes in
quantities that could meet a dive shop’s needs. Two Nuvair oxygen analyzers ensure accuracy in mixes from 24 to 40 percent oxygen, and
the 7.5-horsepower compressors deliver up to 3,600 pounds-per-square-inch high-pressure output. The accumulator tank holds up to 15
gallons of condensate. Automatic controls and shutoff make add push-button ease to operating the turnkey system. www.nuvair.com.
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Nitrox check is a breeze August 2007
Nitrox is great stuff for keeping a head clear and avoiding the physical blahs that can develop during a day of repetitive diving. But it’s
important to make sure that the oxygen content is correct, and who wants to trust the mix using the same analyzer that the shop used in
testing the mix. Analox as a handy gadget to test it in the O2EII. The unit grips comfortably in the hand. Just turn it on, calibrate it to the
ambient air, crack open the tank valve a bit and push the sensor against the cylinder outlet. Once the percentage on the display stabilizes at
anywhere between 0.1 to 100 percent O2, press the “on” button again to hold the reading. Pressing it a second time clears the display so
another tank can be tested. The small 8-ounce water-resistant unit slips easily into a dive bag and is powered with an easily replaceable 9-
volt battery. Sensors last about four years and are user replaceable as well, allowing a dive to get years of service out of the sensor.
www.analox.net.
Nitrox is great stuff for keeping a head clear and avoiding the physical blahs that can develop during a day of repetitive diving. But it’s
important to make sure that the oxygen content is correct, and who wants to trust the mix using the same analyzer that the shop used in
testing the mix. Analox as a handy gadget to test it in the O2EII. The unit grips comfortably in the hand. Just turn it on, calibrate it to the
ambient air, crack open the tank valve a bit and push the sensor against the cylinder outlet. Once the percentage on the display stabilizes at
anywhere between 0.1 to 100 percent O2, press the “on” button again to hold the reading. Pressing it a second time clears the display so
another tank can be tested. The small 8-ounce water-resistant unit slips easily into a dive bag and is powered with an easily replaceable 9-
volt battery. Sensors last about four years and are user replaceable as well, allowing a dive to get years of service out of the sensor.
www.analox.net.
Rethinking rebreathers December 2007
Poseidon has automated many rebreather functions in the new MkVI Discovery model. Its fifth generation rebreather is fully automatic,
allowing divers to focus more on the dive and less on the computer display. Electronics are encased in polymers that are impervious to
saltwater. Sensors measure mixes, with computer controls, the unit replenishes oxygen and diluent gas as needed. Alarms warn of any
malfunction, allowing for a switch to a bailout bottle if needed. E-mail: jens.sjoblom@poseidon.se.
Poseidon has automated many rebreather functions in the new MkVI Discovery model. Its fifth generation rebreather is fully automatic,
allowing divers to focus more on the dive and less on the computer display. Electronics are encased in polymers that are impervious to
saltwater. Sensors measure mixes, with computer controls, the unit replenishes oxygen and diluent gas as needed. Alarms warn of any
malfunction, allowing for a switch to a bailout bottle if needed. E-mail: jens.sjoblom@poseidon.se.
