The Alpha Standard. The standard by which all other entry-level regulators are judged. For recreational divers looking for professional performance at a reasonable price, the Alpha 8 makes the adventure of diving that much easier to experience.

FEATURES & FUNCTIONS	ALPHA 8 SECOND STAGE
Valve Type	DEMAND
Adjustment
Balancing System
Integrated Purge Button	YES
Mouthpiece	ORTHODONTIC
Nitrox Compatibility	STANDARD TO 40%
Ambidextrous
Integrated Swivel
Weight (without hose)	6 OUNCES
Dimensions (front profile)	2.9 INCHES
First Stage Configurations	PX-2/SP-4
Minimum Cracking Effort	1.1 CIW*
Factory Set Inhalation Effort	1.2 - 1.4 CIW*
Work of Breathing	1.23 JOULES (PX-3) 1.47 JOULES (SP-5)
Warranty	2 YEAR
Limited Lifetime Service Agreement	YES
30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee	YES

FEATURES & FUNCTIONS	PX-3	SP-5
Valve Type	BALANCED PISTON	UNBALANCED PISTON
Primary Material	MARINE BRASS	MARINE BRASS
Low Pressure Ports	5	4
High Pressure Ports	2	1
Integrated Swivel	YES
Nitrox Compatibility	STANDARD TO 40%	STANDARD TO 40%
300 BAR DIN Fitting	OPTIONAL	OPTIONAL
Sealed Valve Design		YES
Environmental Protection		YES
Weight	29 OUNCES	26 OUNCES
Factory Set Intermediate Pressure	140-145 PSI	140-145 PSI
Pressure Drop	19.5 PSI	13 PSI
Warranty	2 YEAR	2 YEAR
Limited Lifetime Service Agreement	YES	YES
30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee	YES	YES

WORK OF BREATHING
Did you know that it costs energy to breathe? The amount of energy your regulator requires to move each liter of air is called work of breathing (WOB). Lower work of breathing equals lower effort required to breathe and increased comfort and safety during a dive.

How to Read Work of Breathing Charts
The computer-generated breathing machine chart presented above represents a regulator's performance per standards established by the U.S. Navy's Experimental Diving Unit. Tests are conducted at 198 feet with approximately 3000-psi supply pressure, 25 breaths per minute of 2.5 liters each.

(1) Inhalation - The chart shows one complete breath cycle, starting with inhalation on the left and continuing along the bottom to the right, staying mostly below 0.0; thus the inhalation work of breathing is reported in negative numbers.

(2) Exhalation - The exhalation effort begins on the right and runs across the top to the left. These are all positive numbers since a diver (or the machine in this case) is blowing out (exhaling) rather than inhaling.

(3) WOB - The total area inside the loop formed by the two lines is what the computer analyzes to calculate the regulator's total work of breathing - the amount of energy the regulator requires to move each liter of air.

*Column Inches of Water

Compare Regulators and have a look at the Alpha 8 Owners Manual
NOTE: The document listed below is for reference only. For specific operational details, consult the original paper documents included with your Regulator.

Regulator Comparison Chart .pdf

 

Click the Adobe logo above to download a free copy of Acrobat Reader

Best Price / Performance ratio in its class
Not only is the Alpha 8 an economical buy for the diver on a budget, it is just as inexpensive to maintain. Standard replacement parts can cost as little as half of those in other regulators in its class.

Patented orthodontic mouthpiece
To further reduce jaw fatigue, the Alpha 8 features a patented Orthodontic Mouthpiece, designed to accommodate the natural overbite of the human jaw.

Nitrox Compatibility
The Alpha 8 is classified as being suitable for use with nitrox breathing gas mixtures containing up to 40% oxygen by volume without the need for special preparation, cleaning or component parts.

PX-3 Balanced Piston First Stage
Like the name implies, the PX-3 Balanced Piston is a balanced design, meaning that air flow volume is unaffected by depth or tank pressure. In other words; performance is consistent from the beginning to the end of your dive, even under difficult or deep diving conditions. The swiveled low pressure ports and the addition of a 5th LP port of the PX-3 make it easy to route your low pressure hoses for your second stage, alternate air source, BC power inflator, or drysuit any way you want.