Regulators

What to Look for in a Regulator

What to Look for in a Regulator

Scuba regulators are designed to reduce the high-pressure air from the scuba cylinder to a level where the diver can breathe comfortably and safely. Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan developed the original regulator, the aqua lung. It was a twin-hose system that reduced the pressure in a single stage connected to a cylinder. These days, regulators are a single-hose design and the pressure is reduced in two stages. The first stage reduces pressure from the cylinder down to near 10 bar, then the second stage delivers air on demand. (That’s why the second stage is sometimes called the demand valve.) Your regulator is the most important component of your diving equipment. It delivers the air you need to breathe. It is your life-support system. By reading through the selection criteria here and matching the features you require in the following pages you will be able to make an informed decision.

Service and Parts

The single most important factor when choosing a regulator is the ability to obtain regular, professional maintenance and spares. Ultimately, this will have more effect on your regulator’s overall performance than any other factor.

As your diving experience grows you’ll want to discover new and exciting places to dive all over the world.

Your regulator must be able to be serviced wherever you will be diving, whether that’s the Barrier Reef, Papua New Guinea or Belize.

With so many regulators on the market it is impossible for the average dive store to carry parts for every regulator. Understandably, they will restrict their parts inventory to the more popular brands. Also, it’s unlikely that the average regulator technician will be qualified to service every regulator on the market. The first brand almost every technician learns to service is Aqualung.

Aqualung was the first regulator ever made and it is still the most popular brand in the world today. No matter where you go in the world you will find parts and service are available.

That’s one of the reasons why more military forces around the world choose Aqualung than any other brand. How

Performance

Many people believe performance is the major criteria in the choice of a regulator. Certainly, you should choose a regulator that is appropriate for the types of diving you intend to undertake. Most modern regulators will perform adequately under normal demand at moderate depths. The deeper you dive and the harder you breathe (for example, swimming against a current at depth) will result in a higher demand on your regulator. So if you were planning on diving in demanding conditions, it would pay to invest in a high-performance regulator. Generally though, when it comes to judging performance, it pays to remember that the greatest testament to a regulator is its performance under harsh environments. Australia’s Far North Queensland (FNQ) has the highest concentration of dive equipment usage in the world. Gear may be used three to four times a day, seven days a week. These professional operators recognise the need for the best equipment. They also understand that the materials used and the design are critical for their customer’s ultimate safety and comfort. Aqualung regulators have proved to be the most popular choice in FNQ and resorts around the world.

Adjustability

There are two primary adjustments available on modern regulators. One type of adjustment will alter the positive flow of air. This is often called the venturi. A regulator with an effective venturi will generally breathe well, but may free-flow when not in the diver’s mouth. A venturi adjustment is very important as this allows for maximum air delivery when required with a minimum switch to prevent free-flow.

Other adjustments available on some models adjust the spring tension which controls the opening effort required. This is called the cracking resistance control. This allows the regulator to be adjusted to minimise breathing effort under all conditions.

Venturi Adjustment

Aqualung considers the adjustable venturi so important that, while most manufacturers reserve this feature for high-end products, every Aqualung regulator has this control.

Environmental Seal

In order to keep a consistent flow of air at depth your regulator needs to sense changes in depth. This is achieved in most regulators by allowing the regulator spring chamber to flood with water. Diaphragm style regulators achieve this through limited ingress of water, typical piston designs flood completely. Unfortunately when water completely floods through your regulator it carries with it damaging contaminants that will reduce the regulator’s performance and life-span. Many attempts have been made to seal regulators; one system packed the regulator with oil, while another involved a continuous release of bubbles to keep the water out.

The most effective system is the patented Dry Sealed System, which is available as an option on Aqua Lung regulators and standard on most models of Apeks regulators and high end Aqua Lung models.

Other Considerations

There are two other factors to consider when choosing a regulator. The first is to ensure that your regulator has sufficient ports to accommodate all attachments. You need at least one high-pressure port for your gauge and you may want a second high pressure port for a second back-up gauge.

In addition to your primary 2nd stage port you will need three more low pressure ports for an octopus, BCD hose and possibly a drysuit inflator hose.

The quantity and positioning of ports allow you to configure your regulator for maximum comfort.

Finally, comfort of the mouthpiece is very important, as is the ability to change a mouthpiece should it become worn or damaged. The world’s best mouthpiece is the Comfo-bite.