The Scuba Regulator is the life support of any scuba diver. The Dive Tank may hold the compressed air, which makes it possible for us to breath underwater, but it is the scuba regulator that reduces the almost 2000 pounds per square inch (psi) of compressed air to safe, breathable pressure of about 135 to 150 psi. Made of two main components, the first stage and second stage, the first stage converts air in the dive tank to ambient pressure and then to a preset intermediate pressure. Meanwhile, the second stage supplies breathable air at ambient pressure to the diver on demand.
Although it sounds very simple, find the the right scuba regulator is not as simple as it looks. In fact, many new scuba divers are often confounded with the different types of first and second stages when buying their first regulator. Because, regulators are not a generic piece of scuba diving equipment, one type of regulator will not work for all divers. Regulator manufacturers need to consider performance, cost, comfort and compatibility when designing a new regulator. Therefore, different regulators have been designed to meet different diver preferences as well as to match a certain dive profiles. Below are some tip to consider when making your choice.
Performance Features.
Balanced or unbalanced? Sealed or unsealed? These are terms you will need to know, especially in First and Second Stage Components. Seasoned divers would always recommend the use of a balanced first stage and reject the notion of using an unbalanced first stage, even for shallow dives. These days that would not be too much of an issue, because most regulator with balanced first stages right out of the box. Meanwhile second stages are either balanced or unbalanced. An unbalanced second stage will suffice as long as the balanced first stage is able to sustain uniform intermediate pressure. Nonetheless, getting a balanced second stage to match a balanced first stage promotes easier breathing and entails lesser inhalation effort on the part of the diver.
Cost Considerations.
Should you go for a mid-Range or a top of the line regulator ? If you got deeper pockets , why settle for low range when high performance scuba regulators could create a big difference in breathing comfort as you pursue multi-level dives, particularly below recreational depths. Nonetheless, the perception of comfort and performance varies from one diver to the next and only the diver can determine which type of scuba regulator set design conforms to his needs. For recreational diving, a budget to mid-range regulator set would be appropriate while the top of the line regulators fit specialized and professional diving activities.
Acquiring a Scuba Regulator
Should I Rent or should I Buy? It would probably take a few open water dives before a diver will be able to determine the scuba regulator that he will be most comfortable with. When renting scuba equipment, make sure to take note of the maker, model number and specifications of the scuba regulator set used. This would save you time and energy the next time you decide to purchase a regulator set to complete your scuba gear [http://www.scubasuppliers.com] and accompany you on your upcoming scuba diving adventures.
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ReplyDeleteYour information is very helpful to choose the right scuba regulator, thanks for this valuable sharing....!!
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