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Chuck, where did you read about this vampire unit? I cannot find any info on the web about it.

Is she still at the shop? I may be there this weekend to pick up a card.

Chuck, can you expand on the statement "It has no electronics controlling O2 addition"?  Doesn't a computer control the O2 addition?

Unlike most CCR's the KISS does not operate with a selenoid.  Some people class units like the Meg, Inspiration, etc. as ECCR's meaning Electronically controlled closed circuit rebreather.  It could be argued that the KISS is not technically a CCR but rather a quasi constant PO2 or constant ratio SCR

KISS as you probably know stands for Keep It Simple Stupid.  Gordon Smith (the designer) is a machinist/fabricator by trade and has a distaste for complication.  The only thing electronic in the unit is the handset which displays your PO2 (no way of getting around that)

The PO2 of the breathing loop is designed to decay.  That is to say when you set your PO2 if you do nothing over the course of the next few minutes it should begin to decrease.  One of the methods of O2 addition is through an orifice set to deliver gas just below your resting metabolism.  Since hypoxia would take longer to manifest than hyperoxia (especially at depth) it would keep a negligent diver alive longer 

Of course this requires the diver to monitor the handset and add O2  to make up the difference between "projected" metabolism and "actual" metabolism.  This method would be very similar to an ECCR diver flying the unit manually 

In short ECCR's add short bursts of O2 in order to make up the O2 metabolised by the diver to maintain PO2.  The KISS uses a continuous flow of O2 to approximate the same thing.  With practice a KISS diver should become just as efficient as a computer 

Hope this helps

PS No Jim "she" is safe with me...

Can you run trimix through it?  From an earlier comment you made (the HE saturation levels) it sound like you can, but from some sites I've visited, they make no mention of it.

Absoulutely!

PS shamre, I know it is a little late for April Fools jokes, I was just kidding about the Vampire 

Absoulutely!

PS shamre, I know it is a little late for April Fools jokes, I was just kidding about the Vampire 
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Funny very funny. It did seem a little far fetched. I guess i am just to gullible.  It would be cool if you could monitor your saturation levels though with actual real biological data.

OK, OK.  Is it designed to use He? Or do you need to modify it.  According to manufacture's recommendations, what is it dive depth 'limit'?

I think all RB's were really designed to use with He.  The only real depth limit for a standard unit is the IP of the reg (fixed) running the "KISS valve"  for most people this is 10-11 ATA.   

I had the KISS underwater for the first time today (10ft max in the pool) but I already am gaining an appreciation for its simplicity.  8)

The most striking example is the OC/DSV which is so insanely easy to operate it almost invalidates most problems.

Don't smart @$$ me, Chuck    When assembled out of the box, is it, by manufacture's OK, He divable?  Or do you have to modify is some?

I looked over the KISS in the shop and the OC/DSV does look very practical and easy to use.  We might have to swap rigs for one dive  ;D

Look forward to hearing how your training progresses.