Cute, useful and cheap - like my wife and I'm NOT letting go of her!! BTW, to all you super-sensitive types out there, she says exactly the same about me! Well, maybe not cheap. We have an equal opportunity relationship - we each take every opportunity to love each other. Thanks for watching. Alec
Alec, I spend far too much time watching your videos. I've dived all over but I'm never too old to learn from the master. Please know the fantastic job you do. Thanks for all your work!! Happy bubbles🙂
This was such an informative fun video to watch. Lots of cool gadgets I'll be buying. Always enjoy your videos, they are full of diving information and useful tips. Thanks so much from Ireland.
Alec, appreciate the time you take to put these together. They are becoming one of my first points of reference when I begin to look in to a new (you fill in the blank). I appreciate the gift ideas. I am always trying to figure out what I am going to buy for myself next :) Keep up the good work!
Poor Kevin takes a beating eh? I'd like to propose that Kevin hosts the first episode of the next season. I've only ever seen him in the mirror during the mask episode- he doesn't look anything like I imagined him- but I think he officially needs a face and a voice for all the poking and ribbing that he gets. C'mon just one episode on something he likes. Please? Just one!?
Kevin???? Maybe we can do a Tech Tip called 'Making Tech Tips'. A lot of viewers, not only divers, would be happy to see what's involved in making a good U-Tube video.
Hi Eno M. Many of our ideas for Tech Tips come from viewers like you. I'm very happy producing Alec's videos as I'm retired and my face is only for radio. I need Alec in front of the camera, we spent millions on "hair and makeup" experts to get him this pretty. Alec and I go back decades, traveled the world diving modern and vintage gear, so like his dear wife, I'm immune and deaf to his pathetic verbal shots. If he get too annoying, I make him laugh on camera or turn him purple in post-production. IF Alec's channel passes 50,000 subscribers, then I would show up on camera (far background?). Until then, enjoy his "unique and entertaining" style like and laugh like I do.
Alec Peirce Scuba Without a doubt I have gotten many great tips. I've been diving since 1990 and it's my passion. Yes, that's me it's a picture that was taken for a news article. I live in Arizona. Thanks again for all the tech tips!
Arizona! There's no diving in Arizona! All you have is sand. The American Sahara! I suppose you just drive to CA. Anyway, looking at your picture, I think I'll have to visit Arizona. I've been to more than 1/2 of the states and always enjoyed my travels into the USA. I have many, many friends from the Keys to Pismo Beach. Americans are just Canadians with an attitude. Lots of fun. Take care. Alec
That would be pretty neat Tom. You and I could sit around and talk old stuff! Get ready to be impressed - BIG retail area, in-store pool, classrooms, lounges, super professional air/EAN station, etc. Take care. Alec
The timing of this video couldn't have been more perfect. Have a birthday coming up in a few days - will make sure I leave links to this video in strategic places.
I understand 100%. I usually but my own Christmas and birthday gifts. I know what I want so why not? Sometimes I'll give them to Diana to wrap and present to me (after I've played with them for a while!). Take care. Alec
topic idea - nitrox diving. useful for repetitive boat diving, multi day - but does it really make you less tired/groggy on single dive days ? why does paddi not include in the advanced book (ought to be one of the chapter rather than separate book with 10 pages! $$$
Fantastic video ! As a new diver there is some much to consider. I'm not sure what I need and what's an optional extra. Could you please do a "Beginners essential kit" video ? I'm sure it'll be amazingly popular and will help so many like me. Thanks again Theo
i am so glad i found youre channle it is verry entertaining and you learn a lot from it i am a beginner diven i am going to my centificate right now but i love diving and i wanna dive my enrire live like you
Hi Alec, thank you for the list. However, You said that the mouthpieces fitsto all regs. Unfortunately it is not so simple. E.g. Scubapro amd Apex have different size of interface for a mouthpiece. Scubapro one does not fit to Apex, I tried. The rebreathers' are then totally another story...
Quite right I talked about that in an earlier video. This video was simply to show stuff to buy for gifts. Poseidon is another odd one. Scubapro is standard. Tha is, any regular mouthpiece will fit a Scubapro reg. Not sure about Apeks. Thanks for watching. Alec
Great video my friend. Just became a NAUI dive master. Very cool. And I'm starting my instructor course. Wish me luck. Do you think 53 is a little late to start?
Well .... you may have a little too much maturity but maybe you can overcome that!!!!! When to become an instructor is a good question. The answer is yesterday. If that's not possible, tomorrow. If that can't be done, the day after. Good luck. I know you'll be fine. You have the experience, the right attitude and of course, you watch Alec Peirce Scuba. How can you go wrong?! Have fun my friend. Alec
The Air II is not hard to adjust but it's different that a normal second stage. I can do a vid on that but quite frankly, you're best to go to your LDS. If everything else is fine but your Air II is leaking it may be more than a simple adjustment. You may need a new soft seat. Plus they can do it in 10 minutes. It a 45 minute job at home. Good luck on your trip. Alec
Sure. I don't see any difference between phone and dive computer covers. Make sure the computer cover does not have any air bubbles or overhangs the screen. Don't want to catch the protector edge on your BC and scrape it off. Let me know know how it works Pierre.
I'm enjoying myself and love the feeling that maybe, just maybe, I'm helping. Even if it's just giving somebody a smile early in the day, I like to think I'm helping. So I'll keep on doing what I do but I can't make promises about never quitting. I'm old you know!! Take care. Alec
Hey Alec, thanks for your great Tech Tips, i have a little question: what do you personally think about 300bar (4350psi) diving? Do you think its the future of diving or at least a usefull technology?
from a tech point of view, the higher the PSI the more efficient it is (smaller tanks displace less water and sink better). Many people don't realize but steel 80cf HP (3500/3442psi) tanks are LIGHTER than you standard alu 80cf on land AND better buoyancy due to their smaller size (they also don't float empty - an added bonus) - as much as 11lbs difference when you add the two! (100cf worthingtons HP I have vs 100cf ALU). When cold diving and drysuit, that 11lbs makes a big difference when you might already have 30lbs+ on your belt! Tropics no wetsuit might not require much weight, but I like having 0 weight on my 100cf steel tank when playing in my pool and still sink. I would love to use firefighter 4500psi+ carbon tanks or similar tech for diving. Image a tiny lightweight tank on land that would still be negative buoyant underwater. Sign me up! nobody likes carrying 40lbs tanks around... I'm jealous when I lift my daughter 50cf alu tank, but see it ride up when empty
That's not exactly the whole picture. The swing in buoyancy in a scuba tank is exactly proportional to the air it contains, that's just basic physics, as that's the only variable changing. With an 80 cubic foot tank (2.27m^3), it will swing 2.73kg in buoyancy from full to empty. In other words, if the tank isn't negatively buoyant by at least 2.73kg to begin with, it will become positive when empty. So you can't make your tanks arbitrarily light, and high pressure is not exactly the silver bullet when it comes to scuba. You could make the rated pressure 1000 bar, and it would still need to be at least 2.73kg. Currently, the best you can do is the Worthington Carbondive 300 10L tanks, which start at 21 lbs, but end up positive by 7 lbs, so you need to add that to your belt (or to your tank).
right, swing in buoyancy is exactly the same between both tanks - not arguing with that as it's based on air volume lost - what I'm saying is that today's commonly available tanks an 80cf HP Steel is much more efficient that your standard Alu 80cf - it's lighter and sinks better! (but bit more expensive). And to boot stay negative empty so they don't lift your BCD... yeah you could add dead weight to your ALU like some 'neutral' ones... just makes it that much heavier on land too. Run the numbers (my worthingtons are even better) Faber HP 80: 28.6lbs, -8.05 Luxer 80: 31.5lbs, -1.7 (so +2.9 land and +6.35 lead weight = 9.25lbs difference part of it is ALU vs steel. part of it is 3500psi vs 3000psi - higher PSI enables smaller tanks (for same air) which is better for buyancy - denser is better (like lead :) People think alu tanks are lighter (because ALU is so much lighter than steel) but they require much thicker walls and taller tanks (my 100cf HP looks like an 80cf alu). www.leisurepro.com/p-fbrhp/faber-high-pressure-steel-tank www.leisurepro.com/p-luxta8/luxfer-80-cubic-foot-aluminum-tank-with-pro-valve
"You could make the rated pressure 1000 bar, and it would still need to be at least 2.73kg" that's wrong. The weight to sink is the volume of water displaced - not the air it lost (which is the swing in weight between full and empty). from www.carbondive.com/en/faq A CARBONDIVE cylinder is much lighter than a normal steel tank. Then do I need the same weight as extra weight to balance the difference? No. If you compare a common 10 l steel tank with a 6.8 l CARBONDIVE, (because of the ability to fill our cylinders with 300 bar service pressure, they almost have the same air volume). The volume of a 6.8 cylinder is smaller thus the buoyancy is also smaller. higher pressure = more efficient underwater (if walls thickness are similar) less overall water displacement - rest is just dead weight. You write: "Worthington Carbondive 300 10L tanks, which start at 21 lbs, but end up positive by 7 lbs, so you need to add that to your belt" Where did you get those numbers ? cause I don't see a 10l on their site (only 6.8l and 12l), nor do I see bouyancy numbers (only land weight) which is misleading - and you can't compare their efficiency vs HP steel without it. Only that it's half the land weight... which as you say might require most of it back as belt weight to sink...their quote above says less, but how much less and at what cost $$$$ ? :) interesting reading on 300bar - www.nigelhewitt.co.uk/diving/300bar.html www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/35czsj/300_bar_cylinder_considerations/#bottom-comments looks like 300bar is diminishing returns - Van der Waal's gas law - so maybe I'm wrong and higher PSI might not be better after all...
I had the buoyancy numbers for the Carbondive 10L on hand since I researched it a few years ago, and almost bought two. It would appear that they have since discontinue it, although I'm sure you could find some kicking around ScubaBoard. The thing that actually discouraged me from getting them in the end was that it's quite hard to get a 300 bar fill in North America, and that anything over 232 bar puts you in a different DOT category.
That O ring tank is genius
Cute, useful and cheap - like my wife and I'm NOT letting go of her!!
BTW, to all you super-sensitive types out there, she says exactly the same about me! Well, maybe not cheap.
We have an equal opportunity relationship - we each take every opportunity to love each other.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Alec, I spend far too much time watching your videos. I've dived all over but I'm never too old to learn from the master. Please know the fantastic job you do. Thanks for all your work!! Happy bubbles🙂
Thanks Richard.
Alec
This was such an informative fun video to watch. Lots of cool gadgets I'll be buying. Always enjoy your videos, they are full of diving information and useful tips. Thanks so much from Ireland.
Hi Phil from Ireland. Must be nice all that warm water diving you have!! Glad you like these sir.
Alec is by far the most enthusiastic and genuine SCUBA enthusiast I have seen online. Incredible tips with a positive attitude. My kinda guy.
"Nothing says I love you than two pounds of lead" hahahhha
Alec, appreciate the time you take to put these together. They are becoming one of my first points of reference when I begin to look in to a new (you fill in the blank). I appreciate the gift ideas. I am always trying to figure out what I am going to buy for myself next :) Keep up the good work!
Being a diver is great for family and friends, and ourselves. There's no lack of neat stuff to buy.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Poor Kevin takes a beating eh? I'd like to propose that Kevin hosts the first episode of the next season. I've only ever seen him in the mirror during the mask episode- he doesn't look anything like I imagined him- but I think he officially needs a face and a voice for all the poking and ribbing that he gets. C'mon just one episode on something he likes. Please? Just one!?
Kevin????
Maybe we can do a Tech Tip called 'Making Tech Tips'.
A lot of viewers, not only divers, would be happy to see what's involved in making a good U-Tube video.
Hi Eno M. Many of our ideas for Tech Tips come from viewers like you. I'm very happy producing Alec's videos as I'm retired and my face is only for radio. I need Alec in front of the camera, we spent millions on "hair and makeup" experts to get him this pretty.
Alec and I go back decades, traveled the world diving modern and vintage gear, so like his dear wife, I'm immune and deaf to his pathetic verbal shots. If he get too annoying, I make him laugh on camera or turn him purple in post-production.
IF Alec's channel passes 50,000 subscribers, then I would show up on camera (far background?). Until then, enjoy his "unique and entertaining" style like and laugh like I do.
I love Tech Tips, so I'm happy to hear that it's going to go on forever. Thanks!
Wow! Thanks for watching Barbara.
I hope there's something of value in there for you.
Is that picture really you? Where are you from?
Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba Without a doubt I have gotten many great tips. I've been diving since 1990 and it's my passion. Yes, that's me it's a picture that was taken for a news article. I live in Arizona. Thanks again for all the tech tips!
Thanks Alec, seems I need to visit scuba2000 and buy some neat stuff.
Arizona! There's no diving in Arizona! All you have is sand. The American Sahara!
I suppose you just drive to CA.
Anyway, looking at your picture, I think I'll have to visit Arizona.
I've been to more than 1/2 of the states and always enjoyed my travels into the USA. I have many, many friends from the Keys to Pismo Beach. Americans are just Canadians with an attitude. Lots of fun.
Take care. Alec
That would be pretty neat Tom.
You and I could sit around and talk old stuff!
Get ready to be impressed - BIG retail area, in-store pool, classrooms, lounges, super professional air/EAN station, etc.
Take care.
Alec
You just cost me more $$$ with this issue! Thanks, Alec! 😠
Ask for them for birthday, holiday and other times. You know like its Monday so get me something shiny.
A
The timing of this video couldn't have been more perfect. Have a birthday coming up in a few days - will make sure I leave links to this video in strategic places.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Great ideas-gifts? Getting most for myself-thanks
I understand 100%. I usually but my own Christmas and birthday gifts.
I know what I want so why not?
Sometimes I'll give them to Diana to wrap and present to me (after I've played with them for a while!).
Take care.
Alec
"Attractive divers on the front... not like Kevin"
topic idea - nitrox diving. useful for repetitive boat diving, multi day - but does it really make you less tired/groggy on single dive days ? why does paddi not include in the advanced book (ought to be one of the chapter rather than separate book with 10 pages! $$$
Nitrox is a boon to divers! Especially multi-day excursions!
Nothing says I love you more than 2 lbs of lead. :-D
Hey, I've had a lot of weird girlfriends!!
Alec
Did Kevin have to put all that stuff back on the shelves?
Some handy bits and bobs, I do like the water activated light / strobe
All that and mop the floor and wash my car!! Not really, the store staff help too.
Fantastic video ! As a new diver there is some much to consider. I'm not sure what I need and what's an optional extra. Could you please do a "Beginners essential kit" video ? I'm sure it'll be amazingly popular and will help so many like me. Thanks again
Theo
Keep the videos coming
i am so glad i found youre channle it is verry entertaining and you learn a lot from it i am a beginner diven i am going to my centificate right now but i love diving and i wanna dive my enrire live like you
Thanks for watching Chris.
I'm sure we'll talk again.
Alec
Great season finale, thank you for all the neat ideas
Thanks for watching Hector.
Alec
The mask strap pad comes in a version with Velcro my girlfriend likes that one a bunch more.
Hi Alec, I'd love to see an updated cool scuba gifts for the 2019 Holiday Season. Keep up the great work, your videos have a great delivery style.
Good idea. I'll start working on that.
Alec
Thanks as always Alec. Now I have to show my wife this video so she can get ideas for this Christmas. Montana Mike
Great episode, as always. Thank you Alec
Thank you for all the info
Thanks for watching Celeste.
I hope you got some good ideas.
Alec
This is a handy list, indeed.
Best content ever!
Love your sence of humor 😁
And your way of explaining things
Thank you so much for your tips 🙏❤️
Thanks so much! 😊
Hi Alec, thank you for the list. However, You said that the mouthpieces fitsto all regs. Unfortunately it is not so simple. E.g. Scubapro amd Apex have different size of interface for a mouthpiece. Scubapro one does not fit to Apex, I tried. The rebreathers' are then totally another story...
Quite right I talked about that in an earlier video. This video was simply to show stuff to buy for gifts.
Poseidon is another odd one. Scubapro is standard. Tha is, any regular mouthpiece will fit a Scubapro reg. Not sure about Apeks.
Thanks for watching.
Alec
Great video my friend. Just became a NAUI dive master. Very cool. And I'm starting my instructor course. Wish me luck. Do you think 53 is a little late to start?
Well .... you may have a little too much maturity but maybe you can overcome that!!!!!
When to become an instructor is a good question. The answer is yesterday. If that's not possible, tomorrow. If that can't be done, the day after.
Good luck. I know you'll be fine. You have the experience, the right attitude and of course, you watch Alec Peirce Scuba.
How can you go wrong?!
Have fun my friend.
Alec
In fact they are really smart little gifts. I like the slate, I can imagine, there is often something you would like to wrote.
Thats a great thing about scuba, we love small shinny things and big shinny things. All are good gifts to any diver. Thanks for watching.
Alec, please do the video on servicing the Scuba Pro Air II. I am gong on a trip 8/5. I want it to stop leaking.
The Air II is not hard to adjust but it's different that a normal second stage.
I can do a vid on that but quite frankly, you're best to go to your LDS.
If everything else is fine but your Air II is leaking it may be more than a simple adjustment. You may need a new soft seat. Plus they can do it in 10 minutes. It a 45 minute job at home.
Good luck on your trip.
Alec
You could just cut up a regular phone screen protector to put on the computer screen, kinda ghetto
Sure. I don't see any difference between phone and dive computer covers. Make sure the computer cover does not have any air bubbles or overhangs the screen. Don't want to catch the protector edge on your BC and scrape it off. Let me know know how it works Pierre.
You are the best, Alec! Please never quit! Thank you
I'm enjoying myself and love the feeling that maybe, just maybe, I'm helping.
Even if it's just giving somebody a smile early in the day, I like to think I'm helping.
So I'll keep on doing what I do but I can't make promises about never quitting. I'm old you know!!
Take care.
Alec
Can you do a q and a
Love love love watching your videos.
Thank you so much!
My friend: happy birthday!! I got you a new mouthpiece!! Me: Awww, but... I use a full face mask :(
But do I get cake??
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter yep absolutely
Shared this with my wife! Great ideas!!!
Good for any occasion including wedding anniversaries (those are dive computer gifts only).
I love all those little gifts, really neat!
Anytime is perfect for shinny new scuba toys, right?
Nice video Alec
Thanks for watching Sammy.
Alec
Hey Alec, thanks for your great Tech Tips, i have a little question: what do you personally think about 300bar (4350psi) diving? Do you think its the future of diving or at least a usefull technology?
from a tech point of view, the higher the PSI the more efficient it is (smaller tanks displace less water and sink better). Many people don't realize but steel 80cf HP (3500/3442psi) tanks are LIGHTER than you standard alu 80cf on land AND better buoyancy due to their smaller size (they also don't float empty - an added bonus) - as much as 11lbs difference when you add the two! (100cf worthingtons HP I have vs 100cf ALU). When cold diving and drysuit, that 11lbs makes a big difference when you might already have 30lbs+ on your belt!
Tropics no wetsuit might not require much weight, but I like having 0 weight on my 100cf steel tank when playing in my pool and still sink.
I would love to use firefighter 4500psi+ carbon tanks or similar tech for diving. Image a tiny lightweight tank on land that would still be negative buoyant underwater. Sign me up! nobody likes carrying 40lbs tanks around... I'm jealous when I lift my daughter 50cf alu tank, but see it ride up when empty
That's not exactly the whole picture. The swing in buoyancy in a scuba tank is exactly proportional to the air it contains, that's just basic physics, as that's the only variable changing. With an 80 cubic foot tank (2.27m^3), it will swing 2.73kg in buoyancy from full to empty. In other words, if the tank isn't negatively buoyant by at least 2.73kg to begin with, it will become positive when empty. So you can't make your tanks arbitrarily light, and high pressure is not exactly the silver bullet when it comes to scuba. You could make the rated pressure 1000 bar, and it would still need to be at least 2.73kg. Currently, the best you can do is the Worthington Carbondive 300 10L tanks, which start at 21 lbs, but end up positive by 7 lbs, so you need to add that to your belt (or to your tank).
right, swing in buoyancy is exactly the same between both tanks - not arguing with that as it's based on air volume lost - what I'm saying is that today's commonly available tanks an 80cf HP Steel is much more efficient that your standard Alu 80cf - it's lighter and sinks better! (but bit more expensive). And to boot stay negative empty so they don't lift your BCD... yeah you could add dead weight to your ALU like some 'neutral' ones... just makes it that much heavier on land too.
Run the numbers (my worthingtons are even better)
Faber HP 80: 28.6lbs, -8.05
Luxer 80: 31.5lbs, -1.7 (so +2.9 land and +6.35 lead weight = 9.25lbs difference
part of it is ALU vs steel. part of it is 3500psi vs 3000psi - higher PSI enables smaller tanks (for same air) which is better for buyancy - denser is better (like lead :)
People think alu tanks are lighter (because ALU is so much lighter than steel) but they require much thicker walls and taller tanks (my 100cf HP looks like an 80cf alu).
www.leisurepro.com/p-fbrhp/faber-high-pressure-steel-tank
www.leisurepro.com/p-luxta8/luxfer-80-cubic-foot-aluminum-tank-with-pro-valve
"You could make the rated pressure 1000 bar, and it would still need to be at least 2.73kg"
that's wrong. The weight to sink is the volume of water displaced - not the air it lost (which is the swing in weight between full and empty).
from www.carbondive.com/en/faq
A CARBONDIVE cylinder is much lighter than a normal steel tank.
Then do I need the same weight as extra weight to balance the difference?
No. If you compare a common 10 l steel tank with a 6.8 l CARBONDIVE, (because of the ability to fill our cylinders with 300 bar service pressure, they almost have the same air volume). The volume of a 6.8 cylinder is smaller thus the buoyancy is also smaller.
higher pressure = more efficient underwater (if walls thickness are similar) less overall water displacement - rest is just dead weight.
You write: "Worthington Carbondive 300 10L tanks, which start at 21 lbs, but end up positive by 7 lbs, so you need to add that to your belt"
Where did you get those numbers ? cause I don't see a 10l on their site (only 6.8l and 12l), nor do I see bouyancy numbers (only land weight) which is misleading - and you can't compare their efficiency vs HP steel without it. Only that it's half the land weight... which as you say might require most of it back as belt weight to sink...their quote above says less, but how much less and at what cost $$$$ ? :)
interesting reading on 300bar - www.nigelhewitt.co.uk/diving/300bar.html
www.reddit.com/r/scuba/comments/35czsj/300_bar_cylinder_considerations/#bottom-comments
looks like 300bar is diminishing returns - Van der Waal's gas law - so maybe I'm wrong and higher PSI might not be better after all...
I had the buoyancy numbers for the Carbondive 10L on hand since I researched it a few years ago, and almost bought two. It would appear that they have since discontinue it, although I'm sure you could find some kicking around ScubaBoard. The thing that actually discouraged me from getting them in the end was that it's quite hard to get a 300 bar fill in North America, and that anything over 232 bar puts you in a different DOT category.