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For safety reasons when using Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA), it should always
be recommended to use an appropriate alternative breathing air (gas) source/secondary life support
system.
This recommendation can vary depending on location and training agencies you have received your
training from and you must follow how you have been trained. However, it is common practice within
recreational diving and during some commercial diving to use an Auxiliary Emergency Breathing System
also known as an Octopus or Alternative Air Source second stage, to fulfill or support this requirement.
An Octopus is a secondary demand valve, designed to work in conjunction with the primary demand
valve and they are both connected to the first stage pressure reducer.
The Octopus provides a backup demand valve in cases of primary demand valve failure and may also act
as an Alternative Air Source (AAS) for the diving Buddy. An AAS does not require the Donor diver to
remove their own primary demand valve when supplying gas to a Buddy diver who has experienced
regulator failure or an out of gas situation.
By its very nature (other than during training exercises) this type of apparatus is only expected to be used
during emergency situations and is therefore likely to experience very high ventilatory demand, as it is
required to support two divers breathing at the same time.
As stated in the minimum safety requirements for such products, using an Octopus, in water
temperatures lower than 10°C (50°F) and at depths of 30 meters (98ft) carries significant risks and is not
recommended.
Although these minimum requirements only require an Octopus to be tested and restricted to 30 meters,
(98ft) and 10°C (50°F), CREST recognizes that emergencies can happen beyond these limits.
The CREST primary regulator and the Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems are designed to comply
with the requirements of EN250:2014 Annex B at a depth of 30m and a water temperature of 4°C.
To ensure CREST products perform as well as possible in all conditions, CREST has designed our products
to exceed at least the minimum safety requirements. This does not mean that the performance of the
primary regulator and the Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems will match where the water
temperature is below 4°C (39.2°F) and the depth exceeds 50m.
⚠WARNING: if SCUBA is configured for and used by more than one diver at the same time, then it shall
not be used at depths greater than 30 m and in water temperatures less than 4 °C.
⚠WARNING: As a user you can be confident that in an emergency or an out of gas situation, your
regulator can cope with the extra demand of your buddy breathing from your Auxiliary Emergency
Breathing System (Octopus)and safely supply enough gas for you both in
all conditions you may be faced with.
⚠WARNING: If Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems (Octopus) are to be used you must ensure that:
The equipment selected is designed and tested for use with Auxiliary Emergency Breathing Systems with
the intended use of water temperature and depth. The equipment is intended and can be used as an
escape device by more than one diver at the same time.
Your equipment is maintained in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. Usually annually
inspected and serviced.
USER CARE AND MAINTENANCE
⚠NOTE It is important to provide the proper preventative maintenance to ensure the best possible
performance and maximum life of your CREST Regulators.
The following maintenance procedures should be performed routinely aft0er each use to ensure that the
regulator is cleaned, inspected, and prepared for the next use.
1. Whenever the regulator is removed from the cylinder valve, it is important that the dust cap is
installed over the regulator inlet fitting. This is critical to prevent the entrance of moisture into the
regulator first stage.
2. This cap is normally attached to the regulator first stage yoke and may therefore be wet.
3. Wipe or blow the dust cap completely dry before securing it over the inlet fitting.
4. As soon as possible after diving, thoroughly rinse the regulator with clean fresh water while it is
attached to a cylinder and pressurized with air.
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