 |
 Scuba Diving Compact Black Stainless Steel Point Tip BCD Knife $16.98 Time Remaining: 19d 2h 41m Buy It Now for only: $16.98 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 100cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 3h 24m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Pressed Steel lp 80 Scuba Diving Tank with K valve $249.95 Time Remaining: 21d 8h 34m Buy It Now for only: $249.95 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 130cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $218.49 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 3h 37m |
 Stainless Steel Sharp Tip Scuba Diving Snorkeling Knife $32.50 Time Remaining: 22d 6h 52m Buy It Now for only: $32.50 |
 Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Dive Tool 12 in 1 $16.48 Time Remaining: 29d 6h 30m Buy It Now for only: $16.48 |
 Scuba Tanks steel LP85cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 4m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Stainless Steel Blunt Tip Scuba Diving Snorkeling Knife $34.95 Time Remaining: 10d 47m Buy It Now for only: $34.95 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Weight Belt Keeper with D Ring $6.48 Time Remaining: 24d 15h 24m Buy It Now for only: $6.48 |
 DACOR Vintage Steel Tank from 50s SEA HUNT SCUBA $11.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 3h 24m |
 Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Weight Belt Buckle $6.48 Time Remaining: 12d 14h 38m Buy It Now for only: $6.48 |
 Scuba DIN to YOKE Tank Regulator Adapter Stainless Steel $13.99 Time Remaining: 10d 54m Buy It Now for only: $13.99 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 100cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 3h 25m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Blunt Tip Stainless Steel Scuba Diving Divers Knife with Rubber Straps Handle $29.95 Time Remaining: 7h 35m Buy It Now for only: $29.95 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 100cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 3h 27m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Faber Blue Steel HP 100 CF Scuba Tank $339.95 Time Remaining: 29d 21h 9m Buy It Now for only: $339.95 |
 Sharp Tip Stainless Steel Scuba Dive Snorkeling Diver Knife w Rubber Straps $29.95 Time Remaining: 29d 6h 54m Buy It Now for only: $29.95 |
 Steel Scuba Tank USD New Hydro and Visual $119.95 Time Remaining: 10h 19m Buy It Now for only: $139.95 |
 Promate Shark Stainless Steel Scuba Dive Snorkeling Backup BC Knife Hose Mount $17.95 Time Remaining: 28d 6h 59m Buy It Now for only: $17.95 |
 New Stainless Steel Scuba Divers Knife With Sheath $24.95 Time Remaining: 19d 4h 27m Buy It Now for only: $24.95 |
 Sherwood Genesis HP Steel 120 CF Scuba Tank DIN valve Pony tank Argon tank $550.00 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 47m Buy It Now for only: $800.00 |
 Scuba Diving Deluxe Retractor with Steel Line Extends up to 36 inch Lock Clip $13.95 Time Remaining: 22d 9h 17m Buy It Now for only: $13.95 |
 Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Weight Belt Buckle with 3 Slots $6.48 Time Remaining: 12h 41m Buy It Now for only: $6.48 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 80cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 3h 46m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 Scuba Diving Chrome Vanadium Steel Dive Tool 9 in 1 $9.98 Time Remaining: 13d 14h 58m Buy It Now for only: $9.98 |
 Worthington Steel Scuba Diving Doubles Tanks Tec Diving Thermo DIN Valves $995.00 Time Remaining: 2d 11h 21m Buy It Now for only: $995.00 |
 Scuba Tanks steel 80cf NEW CURRENT HYDRO NEW VIS Ready to dive $195.00 Time Remaining: 2d 3h 49m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 NEW Blue Dive Scuba 440 Stainless Steel Knife Diving w Sheath Snorkel Line Hook $10.95 Time Remaining: 5h 21m Buy It Now for only: $10.95 |
 Stainless Steel SCUBA Tank Manifold $60.00 Time Remaining: 2d 22h 9m Buy It Now for only: $100.00 |
 X8 130 3442 psi Steel Scuba Tank $419.98 Time Remaining: 15d 11h 59m Buy It Now for only: $419.98 |
 Steel LP 80 Scuba Tank and Valve Dolphin $173.89 Time Remaining: 10d 16h 7m Buy It Now for only: $173.89 |
 Stainless Steel SCUBA Tank Bands $30.00 Time Remaining: 5d 21h 58m Buy It Now for only: $65.00 |
 Storm Stainless Steel Swivel Bolt Snap for Technical Scuba divers $5.98 Time Remaining: 15d 12h 59m Buy It Now for only: $5.98 |
 Faber Blue Steel HP 80 CF Scuba Tank $253.95 Time Remaining: 11d 21h 34m Buy It Now for only: $253.95 |
 80 CF SCUBA DIVE TANK FABER BLUE STEEL HP 3442psi PRO VALVE NITROX READY NEW $219.99 Time Remaining: 6d 12h 31m Buy It Now for only: $249.99 |
 Barracuda Stainless Steel Sharp Scuba Diving Dive KNIFE Black $29.98 Time Remaining: 29d 1h 14m Buy It Now for only: $29.98 |
 Scuba Diving 75 Stainless Steel Point Tip Dive Knife $19.98 Time Remaining: 11h Buy It Now for only: $19.98 |
 HP STEEL scuba Pony Stage Deco Dive Tank 30cf HYDRO+VISUAL 5 2012 w SS Bracket $245.00 Time Remaining: 6d 6h 1m Buy It Now for only: $295.00 |
 Pair of Pressed Steel lp 80 Scuba Diving Tank with K valve $474.95 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 28m Buy It Now for only: $474.95 |
 PST Pressed Steel HP 3500psi 80CF Scuba Tank Cylinder w US Diver DIN Valve $139.95 Time Remaining: 6h 8m Buy It Now for only: $169.95 |
 SCUBA TANK PONY BOTTLE HOLDERS ALUMINUM STAINLESS STEEL GOOD DEAL FREE SHIP $19.99 Time Remaining: 9d 1h 17m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 TIP PARALYZER BARBED STAINLESS STEEL 6mm DS 846 Scuba Diving Fishing Hunting $14.95 Time Remaining: 19d 15h 26m Buy It Now for only: $14.95 |
 OMS stainless steel 2 1 2 bands for scuba diving technical with bolt kit 7 $86.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 12h 42m |
 Faber Steel Scuba Tanks doubles with Stanless steel Tank Bands $780.00 Time Remaining: 19d 9h 16m Buy It Now for only: $780.00 |
 X7 100 3442psi Steel Scuba Tank $369.98 Time Remaining: 15d 11h 59m Buy It Now for only: $369.98 |
 Halcyon Stainless Steel backplate and harness New scuba diving technical $150.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 6h 14m |
 Cressi AC10 Ellipse Steel Scuba Dive Regulator $264.95 Time Remaining: 5d 31m Buy It Now for only: $264.95 |
 Storm 60in Scuba Weight Belt with Stainless Steel Buckle $12.97 Time Remaining: 15d 13h 26m Buy It Now for only: $12.97 |
 New stainless steel dive knife scuba dive gear $23.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2h 1m |
 Multi Function Knife Stainless Steel Scuba Dive Cutter Scissors Hunting Camping $49.95 Time Remaining: 23d 3h 31m Buy It Now for only: $49.95 |
 VINTAGE 1969 STEEL SCUBA TANK 80 CU WITH J VALVE $300.00 Time Remaining: 2h 36m Buy It Now for only: $300.00 |
 Trident Stainless Steel Scuba Master Divers Multi Tool NEW $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 4h 1m |
 Storm Tank Band with Stainless Steel Cam Buckle for Scuba Divers BCDs $19.98 Time Remaining: 15d 11h 40m Buy It Now for only: $19.98 |
 NICE SCUBAPRO Diving Tank Faber Steel Italian Valve 2400 plus capacity SCUBA $7.50 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 4d 9h 42m |
 Scuba Tank Ceramic Tumble Media 5 32 x 5 16 Steel or Aluminum Cylindical 35lbs $185.00 Time Remaining: 4d 49m Buy It Now for only: $185.00 |
 Scuba Tank Boot For Steel Tank 69 $12.98 Time Remaining: 15d 13h 25m Buy It Now for only: $12.98 |
 1959 USD Agua Lung Steel Scuba Tank w Base Valve 72 CF $39.95 Time Remaining: 5h 47m Buy It Now for only: $59.95 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Weight Belt Webbing Keeper Retainer $4.48 Time Remaining: 20d 8h 40m Buy It Now for only: $4.48 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Underwater Scissors with Sheath $16.99 Time Remaining: 5h 55m Buy It Now for only: $16.99 |
 Scuba Diving Spool with Stainless Steel double ender clip $29.95 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 5m |
 Reef Scuba 3 Stainless Steel Carabiner 1028 S $7.95 Time Remaining: 8d 9h 3m Buy It Now for only: $7.95 |
 Scuba Dive 4 Stainless Steel Double Ended Snap Bolt $7.48 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 40m Buy It Now for only: $7.48 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Underwater Scissors with Sheath Scuba Diving Fishing NEW $12.95 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 55m |
 Stainless Steel Sharp Scuba Diving Dive KNIFE Snorkel $24.98 Time Remaining: 4d 43m Buy It Now for only: $24.98 |
 Wenoka Scuba Diving Knife 8540 304 SS with Case Orange Handle Stainless Steel $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 50m |
 McNett Watersports Outdoor Stiletto Scuba Knife 420 Stainless Steel Blade $17.95 Time Remaining: 16d 12h 21m Buy It Now for only: $17.95 |
 Scuba Knife Locking Scabbard 8 polished steel knife $11.99 Time Remaining: 21d 18h 43m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
 OMS SCUBA WEIGHT BELT BUCKLE HEAVY DUTY COMMERCIAL DIVING DIVER STAINLESS STEEL $11.00 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 28m |
 Scuba Dive 4 Stainless Steel Double Ended Snap Bolt $8.88 Time Remaining: 13d 14h 51m Buy It Now for only: $8.88 |
 Alligator Blunt Tip Stainless Steel Scuba Dive Knife $29.95 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 58m Buy It Now for only: $29.95 |
 SCUBA WEIGHT BELT BUCKLE HEAVY DUTY COMMERCIAL DIVING DIVER STAINLESS STEEL $11.00 Time Remaining: 1d 8h 57m |
 Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Dive Tool 8 in 1 Valve Tool $21.98 Time Remaining: 2d 9h 14m Buy It Now for only: $21.98 |
 Cressi Ellipse Steel MC5 Scuba Dive Regulator $249.95 Time Remaining: 7d 1h 24m Buy It Now for only: $249.95 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Full Size Dive Snorkeling Knife $39.95 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 34m |
 Scuba Divers stainless steel weight belt keeper dredging scuba diving equipment $3.99 Time Remaining: 23d 5h 51m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 Baarracuda Stainless Steel Sharp Tip Knife Freedive Snorkeling Scuba Dive NIB $32.99 Time Remaining: 7d 4h 10m Buy It Now for only: $32.99 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Full Size Dive Snorkeling Knife $39.95 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 19m |
 NEW 9 Blue Scuba 420 J2 Stainless Steel Knife Diving Sheath Snorkel Line Hook $9.95 Time Remaining: 23d 5h 43m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 |
 New stainless steel dive knife drop point scuba gear $29.95 Time Remaining: 4d 11h 10m Buy It Now for only: $33.95 |
 Ocean Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Dive Master Stick with Ruler Black Color $19.99 Time Remaining: 11d 19h 31m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 Scuba 10 Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Point Tip Dive Knife w 2 Knife Straps $33.98 Time Remaining: 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $33.98 |
 VINTAGE DACOR DIVE WEIGHT BELT STAINLESS STEEL SCUBA $12.99 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 41m |
 Beaver Scuba Diving Dive Stainless Steel Signal Scuba Rattle With Wrist Lanyard $25.84 Time Remaining: 10h 9m Buy It Now for only: $25.84 |
 NEW Yellow Dive Scuba 440 Stainless Steel Knife Diving Sheath Snorkel Line Hook $10.95 Time Remaining: 5h 35m Buy It Now for only: $10.95 |
 scuba dive mouthpiece covers and steel fastener $5.00 Time Remaining: 4d 17m |
 Storm 2 Stainless Steel Weight Belt Keeper for Scuba Divers and Snorkelers $1.29 Time Remaining: 15d 13h 27m Buy It Now for only: $1.29 |
 Faber FX Blue Steel 100 CF Scuba Diving High Pressure 3442 Tank $344.95 Time Remaining: 5d 2h 23m Buy It Now for only: $344.95 |
 New stainless steel scuba diving dive knife blunt tip $21.99 Time Remaining: 4d 11h 4m Buy It Now for only: $24.50 |
 Diving Scuba Marine Dive Steel Knife Snorkel ShellFish Blunt Tip Serrated GutHoo $14.50 Time Remaining: 7d 17h 58m Buy It Now for only: $14.50 |
 McNett Watersports Outdoor Knife Stainless Steel Scuba Dive Knife $9.99 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 20m Buy It Now for only: $15.99 |
 Scuba Stainless Steel Full Size Dive Snorkeling Knife $39.95 Time Remaining: 5h 55m Buy It Now for only: $39.95 |
 Storm Stainless Steel Assembly Screw for Scuba BCs $9.98 Time Remaining: 15d 12h 59m Buy It Now for only: $9.98 |
 Dive Flag Dolphin metal sign Scuba diver wall decor steel sculpture $12.00 Time Remaining: 4d 8h 28m |
 SCUBA Tank Rack 10 Position Stainless Steel $650.00 Time Remaining: 6d 6h 32m Buy It Now for only: $650.00 |
 Faber FX Blue Steel 120 CF High Pressure 3442 Scuba Diving Tank $439.95 Time Remaining: 27d 1h 16m Buy It Now for only: $439.95 |
 Ocean Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Dive Master Stick with Ruler Black Color $19.99 Time Remaining: 4d 11h 19m |
 DACOR Diving Knife Stainless Steel with Rubber Sheath SCUBA 7 Blade GREAT Shape $124.95 Time Remaining: 2d 10h 50m Buy It Now for only: $124.95 |
 Vintage Coral 18 Tempered Glass Stainless Steel Plastic Red Black Scuba Mask NR $12.95 Time Remaining: 5d 6h 58m Buy It Now for only: $12.95 |
 Ocean Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Dive Master Stick with Ruler Black Color $19.99 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 22m |
 Scuba Diving Stainless Steel Spring FIN Straps LARGE $29.98 Time Remaining: 19d 7h 50m Buy It Now for only: $29.98 |
Steel Scuba
Scuba diving equipment – what is a regulator?
Scuba diving equipment – what is a regulator?
One of the key pieces of dive equipment for a scuba diver is a regulator but, just what is a regulator?
It all begins with the air in the tank and that you will be breathing underwater. To allow you to have sufficient air to stay down for an hour or more (precise depth times depend on depth and your personal air consumption) the air in the tank is pressurised to squeeze lots in. The working pressure in steel tanks is @2400psi and aluminium tanks @3000psi.
The first function of a regulator is to reduce this pressure down to the ambient pressure that you are underwater plus a predetermined amount so that you can breathe. This is done via a chunky, often chromed brass and termed a ‘first stage'. This is also the piece of equipment that you attach your other air related equipment to e.g. BCD air inflator and gauges.
The piece of equipment that you put into your mouth is referred to as the ‘second stage' and this completes the process of reducing the pressure to the ambient pressure. As long as you keep the regulator in your mouth and inhale it feeds you air. The second stage works via what is termed as a ‘demand regulator' and simply by inhaling a lever moves inside the mouthpiece and allows air down the hose from the first stage attached to the tank and into your mouth. Stopping breathing (never to be done under water) or exhaling causes the lever to close and stop the feed of air.
When you exhale the lever closes, air is prevented from entering the mouthpiece and the exhaled air is vented out of either the side of the regulator.
Modern scuba diving recommends and most training agencies e.g. PADI insist that for safety reasons you also attach a second regulator to your tank so that a dive buddy can breathe from your tank should they run out of air or their equipment malfunction. The arrangements can be different for technical or commercial diving.
Since this equipment enables the diver to breathe safely underwater it is often the first piece of equipment that divers will be recommended to buy as your life quite literally depends on the safe working of this piece of equipment. Your dive centre will be able to recommend good quality manufacturers and set up the equipment for you.
About the Author
Bruce Sawyer
This article is written by Bruce Sawyer a diver and underwater photographer for 15+ years and the author of the site http://addictedtoscubadiving.com/
SCUBA bouyancy, tips and tricks?
I am 15 years old, 1.62 and 49 kg.
I currently dive with a wetsuit and chickenvest, and in saltwater use 4kg (steel 10l cylinder)
Is this a suitable weight for my size?
I am currently interested in doing my PADI PPB course, but does anybody have any good tips for improving my bouyancy and air consumption?
Hard to say if 4kg is appropriate with that gear configuration because you didn't specify what thickness of wetsuit you are using, and even then it also depends on your personal buoyancy characteristics. The pre-dive buoyancy check should tell you if you are in the right ballpark, and an end-of-dive buoyancy check is the acid test: you should be able to stay at a 5m safety stop with a moderate lung volume, an empty BC, and 34 bar (500 psi) remaining in your tank. If you have to add air to stay at 5m you are overweighted, if you float up to the surface you are underweighted. Don't make big adjustments, only add or remove about 1kg at a time until you find the sweet spot.
Some tips to improve buoyancy control & air consumption in addition to what was already mentioned:
* adjust your trim - the more horizontal you are the better for both air consumption and buoyancy control. Many divers have a false sense of neutral buoyancy because they kick their fins and/or scull with their hands to maintain depth instead of using their BC and lungs. A horizontal trim also improves your efficiency while swimming by reducing the amount of water you have to push out of the way to swim forward.
* add/vent air in short bursts - it is far easier to attain neutral buoyancy with frequent, small adjustments than with big adjustments. Adding or venting a lot of air at once usually results in an overcorrection, and this leads to the phenomenon of yo-yo diving where the diver adds too much air and floats up then vents to much air and sinks then adds too much air and floats up then...
* use your lungs - you can make adjustments to your buoyancy just by using the amount of air in your lungs. If more buoyancy is desired, inhale a little deeper. If less buoyancy is desired, exhale a little more fully. As you get better at buoyancy control you will find that you can go for long periods without adding or venting air in the BC just by using lung volume.
* slow down - drag resists our movement through the water and increases proportionally to the square of the velocity. This means to swim at twice the speed you will have to overcome about four times the drag and so use four times the energy. It isn't usually a race down there, so slow your movements to conserve energy and reduce air consumption.
* streamline - drag also increases proportional to the square of the surface area in the direction of movement. In addition to having good trim and to being properly weighted to minimize the amount of air in your BC, you can help reduce drag by eliminating dangling equipment and gauges. The smaller the "hole" you make when swimming through the water the more efficient you will be.
* stay warm - your breathing rate tends to increase as you get cold, so staying comfortable during and between dives will help lower your air consumption. If you tend to get cold while diving, you might want to consider upping your thermal protection.
Steel SCUBA Tanks: How It's Made