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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.
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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

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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.
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