halcyon rebreather

[jasondbaker]

What are the advantages/disadvantages with this rebreather? Since I have learned so much about the buddy now, how does this unit compare? Maybe DIR and rebreathers do co-exist?

[tbrown]

I know it's an SCR instead of CCR like the buddy. Oh yeah, it ain't cheap.

[LKunze]

There's quite a bit of info on it here.

[DRE]

Rebreathers and DIR do coexist, but only for the most extreme types of diving. For example, in Wakulla any setup dive 15,000ft or less is mostly done on OC - anything farther than that and the Halcyon rebreather comes into play. Reason being that they use it as a gas management tool. In case of an emergency, or if they think anyhting might be wrong the entire dive can be completed on OC. Also, for the Britannic expedition (dives in the 400ft range on a 850ft wreck) all dives were done on OC.
Do you really think that if a rebreather had any advantages in terms of decompression these guys wouldn't be using it?
In reality, 99% of divers owning a rebreather do not NEED one to do their dives. Their decisions are based on other factors, such as perceived benefits or being attracted to technology - all at a much higher risk though (Yeah I know Divermole...)

[DiverMole]

You dont need a Aston Martin to drive to the shops either, but I bet you wished you had one!!!!

I going to depths and staying for times now, that I choose not to do on OC due to cold and long hangs etc. Now I have warm gas and less deco

Also the advantage of no bubbles cannot be stressed enough, for 2800 dives I never considered them a problem, but once you ve dived without them, there is no going back. All this only use a Rb when you cant do the dive on OC is old rubbish based on rb;s of 15 years ago, The current crop are viable alternatives to OC on ALL dives (if you have the right mind set and do the training), Hell I even use mine for shoe dives at 10m, I see far more fish this way

[elphe]

You're assuming that just because it's a more complicated and expensive piece of equipment, it's better.

[DiverMole]

No, in this case its more fun. Its definately not the best for a trip to J.C. Penny

[Freedive WI]

Mole,

What about the Inspiration sensors getting clogged with a thin film of spit that makes all three sensors read wrong. I heard that there was an aftermarket product, like an air-gun built into the sensor side of the breathing loop, that was to be used throughout the dive to clean that layer off. Has this become standard on the new units? These are the kind of little details that scare me about it.

I am only certified to use the Dolphin, and I went through the training before 02 sensors were availible for them , so that my explain my caution in regards to all units.


Jon

[DiverMole]

That was a myth put about by folks who dont like the Insp. The cells on the Inspiration have Hydrophobic membranes on the front that actively repel water. Also the 3 cells are at 90 degrees of each other so only one can be downhill at any time

You also have 6-8 litres a breath of gas blowing over the cells, thats as much as that squirter mod would do. Also blowing high pressure air onto the cell face will damage them so that blower mod shows a complete lack of understanding of the unit and how it works

A non issue, a myth

[Elph]

ok, so the cells repel water, but what about the condensation problems I've heard about? at any given time, your breath is obviously going to be a lot warmer and wetter than the air in the system. I know there are filters to keep that from collecting, but couldn't that create the film on the cells? spit is not the same as water