Today’s dive with some new gear.

[Herman]

For the right price, photos could be had but spies don't work cheap....not that I know anything about it's design or development.

[sitkadiver]

[quote="luis"]

For those wondering, there will be more details on the new Phoenix XTC to follow. For now I’ll just mention that it has a newly designed second stage with enhanced venturi flow. The venturi flow also has the potential of being easily adjusted.

The most attractive feature of this second stage (following its performance) is its user friendliness and ease of service. The second stage is extremely easy to adjust and fine tune. It is designed to use the single stage diaphragm (there is no need to line up the tabs of the original RAM diaphragm). Theses are all very important design requirements for a modern double hose that will see a lot of use.

The second stage is designed as a complete replacement of the RAM second stage, but it is ideal with the Phoenix RAM (making it the Phoenix XTC).

The reason for holding back on details and pictures is because at first glace the design looks very simple (and therefore it is easy to make a poor copy of it). The key to the design is in the details. Therefore, I am again giving Bryan full rights to produce my design. In the past he has invested a lot of his money to produce high quality parts and I trust that this will be another great project.

[quote]

Need any cold water test divers???? I know a guy.....

[luis]

Need any cold water test divers???? I know a guy.....

Thanks

I have used it in 42F back in December and next weekend we are planning on ice diving... if the ice is thick enough.



It should be available soon enough... just a bit of patience.

[luis]

Just when you thought you couldn't improve on perfection - along comes the XTC!

The second stage on the RAM has always bothered me, it is functional and can perform well, but it is not very convenient to service and adjust. And I always found it annoying to have to align the diaphragm every time I open the can.

The new second stage will solve all this issues and more.

I recall seeing some photos of the Pegasus version of the 2nd stage in brass. Is it very similar to that?

Yes and no. The pictures that leaked were just of an experimental prototype. The production units use some of the same concepts, but there are several refinements that were not in the prototype.

Will it have off-the-shelf parts to help in inventory and servicing requirements?

The serviceable/ replaceable parts are common off-the-shelf, but there are several new metal parts. The metal parts should never need replacing (if they are not abused).

[swimjim]

I own a first issue Phoenix and I am really looking forward to the XTC. My first issue Phoenix has served me quite well and although there been tweeks, I haven't seen a need to upgrade. Now, me thinks it's time! Looking forward to it!!!

jim

[Drado]

I would imagine that since the fulcrum is now slightly closer to the load, thus extending the lever arm, it would now provide greater mechanical advantage, and improve cracking pressure?

Does having a single arm make changing the IP harder (vis-a-vis getting to the adjustment nut that is)?

I guess the more important question then is: When will it be available?

[luis]

Ed

I promise I will not do eye surgery… now back to my drawing board.

Let me just repeat… what you saw is not what it is going to look like…
now please quit fishing for details.

As I said… I need to get back to my virtual drawing board…

[Drado]

Touché!

Looking forward to it

[Bryan]

I visited with a local metal plating shop that had done anodizing on some custom speargun parts for a my buddy Roy. Next week I'm going to have them do 6 VDH plates in gloss black. Each color change is EXPENSIVE so I'm going to go with black for the 1st option and then work from there.

All about Anodizing

[14020]

Black is not a colour . I remember an ad for NIKE shoes. The customer asked for a pair of BLACK Nike shoes. The assistant left and returned with a pair of BLACK Nike shoes. The customer said "Do you have any BLACKER?"

What about PINK

It's Madi Gras week in Sydney. Is there any chance of a RAINBOWcoloured one

Happy diving, that's SCUBA diving

[Bryan]

Black is not a colour . I remember an ad for NIKE shoes. The customer asked for a pair of BLACK Nike shoes. The assistant left and returned with a pair of BLACK Nike shoes. The customer said "Do you have any BLACKER?"

What about PINK
Sure....He charges $75.00 for each color change so PayPal me $125.00 plus shipping and it's all yours.

It's Madi Gras week in Sydney. Is there any chance of a RAINBOWcoloured one
I will ask but from the looks of the work he had on display it should not be a problem.
Madi Gras must be a bit different in Sydney...Cause where I'm from the colors are Purple, Gold and Green....
Happy diving, that's SCUBA diving

[SurfLung]

In case it helps to gauge the demand, I have three Phoenix RAMs and will most likely order three XTC upgrades to match them... I'm very proud to have the latest technology in double hoses and will jump at the chance to purchase the latest upgrade. The only reservation I have is that I haven't seen it yet. But if it's everything you say it is in this thread... I'M IN!

[Herman]

All kidding aside, I think they are going to be well recieved. A Phoenix/DA/RAM upgraded with the XTC mod is going to put it several notches above what it is now and make your service life easier to boot. Stay tuned.

[Akita]

Major kudos to Luis & Bryan. As Luis mentioned in a previous post, I spent the week in TCI diving the new plate and the only problem I have with it is that it doesn't clean the rest of my gear for me It has officially replaced my DSS plates as my "go-to" rig. The plate is a close to wearing nothing as you're likely to get but still holds the cylinder solidly in place. I felt like everything was part of me on every dive. And to quote Luis, you aren't going to get a DH can any closer to your lungs without surgery.

As an aside, I was diving a new LavaCore full-suit all week and it's everything they say it is: Equivalent to a thin (1.5mm) neoprene suit without the neoprene. It's not completely neutral (either am I now that I'm older and rounder but I only had to add a couple of pounds to offset the suit. It fits nicely between a skin and a 3mm for tropical diving.

Jim

[Drado]

Okay, I may have missed it, but is "XTC" an acronym for something, or is it descriptive of what diving with it will be like: Ecstasy?