APD cells

[Stephen McMullan]

At the moment I'm diving with two cells that are 12 months old A0. The third cell from the set died and I've swapped in a cell thats close to celebrating its 2nd birthday. I'm happy enough doing that this weather with the short shallow work up dives and testing the cells with Narked@90 cell checker up to 2.0 bar. Paul Ray Maekkers (Mr rEvo) wrote this interesting article: http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/articles/sensors/sensors.html so I might push out the 12-18month lifetime of the cells with the Narked tester for shallow easy stuff.

However I'd like to get three new cells and introduce them into the set one by one in the lead up to the deeper stuff starting in May/June.

What sort of experience are folk having out there at the moment getting new cells. They're not listed on the AP Diving Direct shop. I haven't called the factory mind. Martin Parker at the CCR forum in Eurotek essentially said there was no problem with supply but I see evidence to  the contrary. I've heard rumours you can get cells if you send back your head for service etc. Whats the real story?

[Stephen McMullan]

Oh meant to say I've heard the stories about Teledyne getting out of the rebreather market, APD setting up a new supplier. That's kinda one of the reasons I'm hanging on to what I've got for the minute. The last cells I got from APD were 6 months old by the time I got them and I'd say even if I could get new Teledyne cells from APD at the moment they wouldn't be "new" - just from dwindling reserves. Likewise if a new supplier is found I'd prefer not to be the tester and let them iron out the problems

[tonyf]

Oh meant to say I've heard the stories about Teledyne getting out of the rebreather market, APD setting up a new supplier. That's kinda one of the reasons I'm hanging on to what I've got for the minute. The last cells I got from APD were 6 months old by the time I got them and I'd say even if I could get new Teledyne cells from APD at the moment they wouldn't be "new" - just from dwindling reserves. Likewise if a new supplier is found I'd prefer not to be the tester and let them iron out the problems

My head has been with AP since early Dec, needs one cell and as yet they can not supply. Bit pissed as when I asked before I sent the head for service was told they had cells.  Tecme has a1 cells and from what I hear the quality is now good.

I believe the new cells are still Teledyne but branded and tested by the supplier. I could be wrong.

Tony

[mick]

I ordered new one from AP 13th December I think  was told 2 weeks backorder still waiting.

Mick

[scuba steve]

so does that mean that by the summer all us OC guys might have the deep wrecks to ourselfs 

 

[slimtiger]

 

[Andy]

I rang AP at the beginning of last week to see about sending my head off for service and getting some new cells at the same time.  The cells I have are December 09 so just over the year old and I didn't start using them until April last year. 

The word that I got from Zoe is that they expect to have cells within the next three weeks.  However, they could not be 100% sure of this and I've decided to wait before sending the head off for service.  What is annoying is that I was also going to get the solenoid changed and I'll have to wait for that also.

[Stewart Andrews]

I can see a lot of cell 'piracy' on the boats next year. Turn your back and your cells get a year or two older.

I'm off to fit a padlock on my unit.... must check how old my ones are 

One way I have found to extend the life is to do a few seconds flush afer the dive with DIL (incl. trimix) - so that you don't travel all the way home and till the next day (before it is washed), all the while the cells are at an elevated ppO2.

The system I use is:
With the unit on the bench and the mouthpiece closed (Inspo), I pinch the exhale hose 'closed' (by folding it between two fingers) and use that hand to also pull the exhale lung dump - then press the ADV with the other hand. This forces the gas down through the top of the scrubber, rather than short-circuit via the closed mouthpiece.

[Stephen McMullan]

I ordered a single AI PSR-11-39-APD cell from Martin @ TecMe.de for €80 plus €6 postage. Its an experiment - I'm going to cluster this cell with two "old" APD A0 dated cells that are behaving well and dive the early season shallow/short dives with them and see how I get on. If and when APD release a new line of cells I'll take one of theirs into the cluster so I'll have an old reliable APD cell from Teledyne, a new AI and a new APD with several old APD/Teledyne 2008-2010 cells in reserve if required. Keeping the options open.

All cells will be regularly tested up to 2.0bar in the Narked@90 cell tester

Just for info you can also order the AI cells from factory www.aii1.com for USD$85 each + $40 delivery or from their UK distributors amcs.co.uk who sell the cells for Stg£70 + £30 delivery

Just to finally note that I'm not endorsing AI cells as a suitable replacement cell. There's a lot of chat on the Inspo owners list and no doubt on other forums. Its very hard to distinguish between bullshit and the truth of it at the moment so I've decided to take a "spread betting" approach to the problem as described above and keep my options open, not put all my eggs in one basket etc.

I'd be happy to hear any advice on this mind

[Stephen McMullan]

One way I have found to extend the life is to do a few seconds flush afer the dive with DIL (incl. trimix) - so that you don't travel all the way home and till the next day (before it is washed), all the while the cells are at an elevated ppO2.

The system I use is:
With the unit on the bench and the mouthpiece closed (Inspo), I pinch the exhale hose 'closed' (by folding it between two fingers) and use that hand to also pull the exhale lung dump - then press the ADV with the other hand. This forces the gas down through the top of the scrubber, rather than short-circuit via the closed mouthpiece.

I just breathe the gas out of the loop through my nose and when the loop&lungs have collapsed breathe back in through my nose and into the loop. I'm not wasting my diluent 

[pat coughlan]

Hi Stephen,

AI cells have by all accounts improved their quality they purchased a Narked @ 90 cell checker and identified and addressed the failure modes and now don't have anything like the failure rate they had when the ill fated RBW Store was operating and selling them.

I looked at getting their distributor here based in Cork to bring in cells but they were looking for stupid money at the time and didn't take it any further, they didn't seem interested in the diving market if I recall they were about €100 plus vat plus shipping.

Pat

[Stephen Byrne]

hi all,

I have been on about the cells today... I am told that AP are seeking CE approval for their cells! and this is what the delay is! I am waiting aswell, and am told that just gotta keep waiting... Really Really hope sorted soon, as I am now without any working cells!

I will keep all posted if and when I hear anything!

[Simon TW]

I've been lucky enough to be able to get cells for a couple of AP units that I've sold. April 2010 is the youngest.

I have a cell that I had dated Jan 2006, sealed in the bag and I recently put this in my rEvo and it's been fine. However I have 5 cells in the rEvo so I'm happy to take the chance that one falls out. I also have a mix of Teledyne and AI cells and the AI cells have been sub 200 metres. There is no difference between the AI and the Teledyne cells in performance.

There is a really good article on cells done by rEvo

http://www.revo-rebreathers.com/uploads/downloadsitems/Understanding_oxygen_sensors.pdf

Before rEvo let any cell out to the public they open the sealed bag and then test dive the cell for five dives and the if it passes the test then it's hermetically sealed and sent out.

 http://www.tekdeep.com/revo-manufacturing-process/

I spoke with AP and hopefully they will have the cell issue sorted soon.

Honeywell also do cells and guarantee them but they are too big for AP units but will be fine in a Meg.

It'd really worth checking your cells are not current limited, I'm lucky enough to have access to a cell checker but I still do a O2 flush at 6 metres and if I want to make sure then I bail onto OC and drop to 10 to ensure that they all read 2.00

Don't risk it with bad cells, no dive is worth it.

[Stephen Byrne]

Hi all,

I know that been talked about a few times...

I am now waiting on cells for a good while now!! and really would like to get back in water!
I have a little trip planned, and was wondering what if anything are people doing about new cells at the moment!

ANY advice/guidance would be welcomed

[tonyf]

My cells are 1.6 years old and test fine in a cell checker. 

Two choices wait for AP cells could be another couple months, or buy non manufacturer recommended cells such as A1 from Tecme.