US Regulator Owner’s Manual DOC/0258/US ISSUE 9 1
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Copyright Notice This owner’s manual is copyrighted, all rights reserved. It may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form without prior consent in writing from Apeks. ©2012 Apeks Regulator Owner’s Manual Please read the instructions in this manual carefully before using your regulator.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Contents: General Precautions & Warnings............................................................................................4 Introduction...............................................................................................................................5 Enriched Air Nitrox Use (EAN)....................................................................................
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ General Precautions & Warnings • • • • • • • • • • efore using this regulator, you must receive instruction and B certification in SCUBA diving from a recognised training agency. Use of SCUBA equipment by uncertified or untrained persons is dangerous and can result in injury or death. This regulator is not configured for commercial use with surface supplied air.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ INTRODUCTION Congratulations—and thank you—for choosing Apeks. All Apeks regulators have been designed and manufactured with pride in the U.K. as part of the Aqualung group of companies, according to standards which meet or surpass all requirements for the BS EN ISO 9001:2000 quality control system.
US NOTE: EN250:2000 Respiratory equipment – Open Circuit Self Contained Compressed Air Diving Apparatus – Requirements, Testing and Marking is a European normative standard that was published in the year 2000, and Regulators must be independently tested to ensure it meets these minimum requirements. The purpose of this European Standard is to ensure a minimum level of safe operation for apparatus down to a maximum depth of 50 metres (164ft).
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ ENRICHED AIR NITROX USE (EAN) WARNING : This chapter contains important information concerning use with oxygen-enriched air (Nitrox/EAN). Do not attempt to use this product with enriched air without having entirely read and understood this chapter. If you do not do this, you risk serious injury or death. WARNING : Obtain Nitrox Diving Certification.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Standard compressed breathing air meeting the EN 12021 standard, often referred to as Grade E in the United States, does not necessarily meet this criterion. Grade E or EN 12021 breathing air may contain a certain level of hydrocarbons, including traces of compressor oils that while not considered harmful to breathe, can pose a risk in the presence of elevated oxygen content.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ WARNING : These regulators fitted with special connections should be used only with complementary equipment (tank valves, tanks, pressure gauges, etc.) designed and prepared for use with an oxygen-enriched mixture. These items are marked Nitrox/O2.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ OVERVIEW OF FEATURES The Apeks family of regulators consists of different models which satisfy a wide range of diving interests; from entry level sport diving, to advanced diving in more demanding and extreme conditions.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Diver Changeable Exhaust system (DCE) The Diver Changeable Exhaust (DCE) offers the choice of either a compact lightweight system or a longer exhaust diffuser. DCE can be configured to prevent virtually any bubble interference from obscuring the diver’s view. The exhaust diffusers can be easily and very quickly changed by sliding and locking the preferred set into place.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ CAUTION! Ensure location grooves are free from dirt and debris. 3. Refitting the exhaust diffusers is carried out by sliding ONE diffuser at a time onto the case, once both diffusers are located on the case, squeeze the two diffusers together until you hear an audible “click”.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ External Second Stage Adjustments External adjustment features offer many advantages, including the ability to adjust your second stage regulator’s sensitivity as your diving conditions change. This allows you to maintain peak performance throughout every dive, or to desensitise your regulator’s opening effort at times when you are not breathing from it.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Inhalation Resistance Control Knob Some second stage models are equipped with an additional adjustment, which controls inhalation resistance. This control knob, located beside the IVS/RVS switch, adjusts the amount of effort required to start the air flow at the beginning of the inhalation cycle. As it is turned “in” (clockwise), the opening effort will increase.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Egress Second Stage The Egress is a low profile second stage suitable for use in all diving conditions, and can be used either way up due to its side exhaust and hose layout. Therefore the diver can use the second stage with the hose routed from either the left or right depending on personal preference and setup requirements.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ STATUS STATUS..... REASSURANCE THAT YOUR REGULATOR IS AT ITS OPTIMUM Safety first Safety is of paramount importance to Apeks. The Status electronic first stage gives divers the option, for the first time ever, to visually check the condition of the first stage of the regulator using an integrated LCD display before actually commencing a dive.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Servicing Another unique safety feature of the Status regulator is that it monitors the usage, in hours and calendar months, from when the regulator is first used or last serviced. The diver is informed that the first stage requires servicing by a flashing “SVC” indicator on the LCD screen. This will occur when the regulator is initially pressurised.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Status Condition Display Guide KEY HI - Medium pressure too high “DO NOT DIVE!” LO - Medium pressure too Low “DO NOT DIVE!” SVC - Regulator requires servicing Complete dive, & ensure the status regulator is inspected / serviced by an Authorised Apeks service technician.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Cold Water Diving Note: During low temperatures & cold water diving the Status LCD display will slowly appear faint, then become much brighter. It is advised that you check your Status first stage regulator in more ambient temperatures.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ WARNING: Obtain service for your regulator at least once a year, from an authorised dealer. Your personal safety and the mechanical integrity of your regulator may depend on it. CAUTION: if the Status displays sequence “SVC” C,D or E as above DO NOT continue to dive until your regulatorhas been inspected/serviced by an authorised Apeks service technician.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ First Stage Environmental Protection For diving in contaminated or cold water conditions, some Apeks first stages feature a “DRY” environmental sealing system which completely eliminates the need for messy silicone oil or grease filling.
US Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems For safety reasons when using Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA), it should always be recommended to use an appropriate alternative breathing air (gas) source/secondary life support system. This recommendation can vary depending on location and training agencies you have received your training from and you must follow how you have been trained.
US As stated in the minimum safety requirements for such products, using an Octopus, in water temperatures lower than 10°C (50°F) and at depths below 30 metres (98ft) carries significant risks and is not recommended. Although these minimum requirements only require an Octopus to be tested and restricted to 30 metres, (98ft) and 10°C (50°F), Apeks recognises that emergencies can happen beyond these limits.
US WARNING:SCUBA regulators and equipment have operational limits when used with, Emergency Auxiliary Breathing Systems, Alternate Air sharing, Octopus and Buddy Breathing and increases the risk of serious injury or even death. You must ensure you understand these limitations and you have received the correct level of training and preparation of your equipment before you use Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ PREPARATION AND SETUP Hose Attachment Apeks recommends that you take your regulator to your authorised dealer for the installation of any accessory items, including instrumentation, medium pressure (MP) quick disconnect hoses, and alternative air source second stages. Your dealer can also answer any questions you may have pertaining to the information in this manual.
(3) The nut will ratchet on the locking slide ring as the nut is screwed in, producing an audible clicking sound. This system prevents the hose from unscrewing and coming free. Approximately 3 turns are all that are needed to tighten, which will produce aproximately 16-18 clicks of the ratchet. US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Warning:Ensure that the hose nut screws up until it stops.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ 1. Check the second stage IVS/RVS control switch to ensure that it is set to the “MIN” (–) position prior to connecting your regulator to the cylinder. 2. If present, gently turn the inhalation control knob “in” (clockwise), only until it stops. Do not apply excessive pressure. 3.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ To attach a yoke-style first stage to the cylinder valve, follow these steps: 1. Partially unscrew the yoke screw of the first stage regulator so that the dust cap can be removed from the air inlet. 2. With the cylinder valve facing away from you, release a small amount of air from the cylinder by turning the hand-wheel anticlockwise to open the valve slightly.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Attaching the First Stage to a Cylinder Valve (DIN) WARNING: OPEN VALVES SLOWLY TO AVOID OVERPRESSURISATION. When pressurising your SCUBA system, be sure to open the cylinder valve slowly to minimise the generation of heat. Failure to do so, with Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN) present, increases the risk of combustion that can lead to serious injury or death.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ valve and tighten the handwheel by hand until it is lightly snug. DO NOT use tools to tighten. 3. If a submersible pressure gauge is attached to the first stage, ensure that the gauge is facing away from you. Pressurise the regulator by slowly opening the cylinder valve handwheel. Continue to turn the cylinder valve handwheel until fully open, and then back 1/2 turn. 4.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ DIVING WITH YOUR REGULATOR Before each use, it is important to perform a complete pre-dive inspection of your regulator. NEVER dive with a regulator that shows signs of damage or unsatisfactory performance until it has received complete inspection and service from an authorised dealer. Pre-Dive Inspection Checklist: 1.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ 6. With the IVS/RVS lever set to (–) depress the purge button momentarily to blow out any dust or debris which may have entered the second stage. Release the purge button and listen to ensure that the second stage does not continue to flow any air after the purge button is released. 7. Inhale slowly and deeply from the regulator several times.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ The second stage incorporates a deflector to minimise the effects of strong currents on the diaphragm, however, if you swim underwater in an upside down or sideways position, or facing a strong current, you can turn the inhalation control knob back “in” (clockwise), to desensitise the opening effort to prevent any freeflow.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ It is possible for icing or freeze-up to occur, even with a regulator that has been specially designed for cold water use. It is therefore imperative to practice the correct cold water diving procedures, and take special precautions to prevent second stage icing.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ AFTER THE DIVE NOTE: Rinse your regulator completely in fresh water before depressurising it, and thoroughly dry the first stage and cylinder valve. This will help to prevent any contaminants from entering the regulator when it is removed from the cylinder. Removing the Regulator from the Cylinder Valve (Yoke Connector) 1.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ CAUTION: Be careful when removing the first stage from the cylinder valve to ensure that moisture does not enter either the inlet opening of the first stage or the opening of the DIN valve. 5. With the cylinder valve facing away from you, open the valve slightly to release a short burst of air, and then immediately close the valve.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ b. If it is not feasible to soak the regulator while it is attached to a cylinder, it may be soaked unpressurised – provided that the dust cap is securely sealed over the inlet, and the second stage purge buttons are not depressed while the regulator is submerged or wet.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ 7. Adjustable models should be stored with the inhalation control knob turned all the way out (anti-clockwise), away from the regulator body. This will help to extend the life of the low pressure seat. 8. When the regulator is completely dry, store it in a clean box or sealed inside a plastic bag.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ CLEANING THE SWIVEL JOINT (1) Slide back the hose protector as shown left (2) Rinse the assembly with fresh water. CAUTION: Do not use detergents or solvents as this could damage the swivel components and o-rings. (3)Push the hose protector back so that the cup sits tightly on the ball joint cap.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ REMOVAL AND FITTING OF THE SWIVEL JOINT (1) Remove the swivel assembly from the second stage body using an11/16” open ended spanner. (2) The swivel connector can be removed from the ball joint while cleaning. WARNING: It is important to ensure that the connector is re-fitted on reconnecting the hose to the second stage.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ WARRANTY INFORMATION All warranty transactions must be accompanied by proof of original purchase from an authorised dealer. Be sure to save your sales receipt, and present it whenever returning your regulator for warranty service.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ APEKS DISCLAIMS AND EXCLUDES ANY LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. SOME STATES IN THE U.S. AND CERTAIN OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW EXCLUSIONS OR LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THIS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. Restrictions The following restrictions apply to this warranty: 1. This warranty does not cover normal wear.
US Regulator Owner’s Manual ............................................................................................ Markings and Abbreviations Demand regulators which are not designed for cold water use are marked with ‘>10°C’ on both the Second Stage Demand Valve and First Stage Pressure Reducer. Demand valves which are intended to be used with an Octopus, shall be marked with EN250 followed by an ‘A’. EN250A.
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US NOTES 45
US REGULATOR SERVICE RECORD MODEL______________________ DATE PURCHASED:____________________ DATE SERVICED:________________________ SERVICED BY:__________________________ PARTS CHANGED: ER AL DE AMP ST ___________________________________________ _______________________ DATE SERVICED:________________________ SERVICED BY:__________________________ PARTS CHANGED: ER AL DE AMP ST __________________________________________________________________ DATE SERVICED:________________________ SERVICED BY:___________
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