Regulator System; First Stage; Second Stage; Auxiliary Emergency Second Stage (Octopus) With Integrated Bc Inflator: Air2 - Uwatec AIR2 Manual

4. REGULATOR SYSTEM

A regulator system is required to reduce the pressure of the compressed air contained in
the cylinder to an ambient pressure in order to supply breathable air when needed. It is also
possible to connect pressure gauges (analog or digital), IP inflators to supply buoyancy
compensators, dry suits and other devices to this system. The regulator system is composed
of a pressure reduction device and one or more breathing devices. In this manual, the
pressure-reducing device and the breathing device will be indicated, respectively, by the
terms "first stage" and "second stage."
4.1

First stage

A pressure-reducing mechanism that reduces the pressure of the compressed air contained
in the cylinder to an intermediate relative pressure of about 9.5 bars (138 psi). The first stage
uses a standard piston, balanced piston or diaphragm mechanism.
4.2 Second stage
This unit is supplied by the intermediate pressure air coming from the first stage through the
low pressure hose. It further reduces air pressure to balance with the ambient pressure. The
second stage may be balanced or unbalanced and equipped with a Venturi effect control
(V.I.V.A.) and/or with an inhalation resistance control.
4.3 Auxiliary emergency second stage (octopus) with integrated
BC inflator: AIR2
Also this unit is fed by the intermediate pressure air coming from the first stage via a low
pressure hose. The iar pressure is further reduced to reach the breathing pressure.
The auxiliary emergency second stage is used by the diver when the main second stage has
problems or when the buddy diver is experiencing problems during the dive .
This auxiliary emergency second stage can be replaced by AIR2. This unit includes features
of both a traditional BC inflator and an auxiliary emergency breathing device. Therefore it
can be used for inflating/deflating the BC or to operate as an auxiliary emergency breathing
device for themselves so to give the main second stage to the buddy experiencing problems.
The AIR2 is simple to use and safe, even in unusual situations. The diver will not waste time
to find the emergency second stage since the AIR2 will always be there, where the left hand
is used to look for the BC inflator.
The AIR2 it is also a BC inflation and deflation device, therefore it has a specific quick
connection to the low pressure hose which allows fast connection and disconnection even
when the system is already pressurized. The system automatically stops the air flow from the
hose once it's disconnected from the AIR2 using the quick coupling (fig 3-C).
7