CCR (CLOSED CIRCUIT REBREATHER)
For 20 years, Tom has used a closed circuit rebreather (CCR) for diving. He’s trusted his AP Diving unit, and the superb customer service from the company, through the years.
CCRs are highly technical pieces of kit. They aren’t for everyone. The first page of the CCR manual says “this unit can kill you” if you don’t use it properly and take care of it.
You must be properly trained on this rig. No doubt about it.
You have to be willing to take exceptional care of your gear. Tom is persnickety to a fault and keeps his CCR in impeccable condition, knowing that the unit needs to be properly maintained at all times. A CCR is not like a scuba tank that you can put aside when you’re done with a dive. No matter how tired he is after a dive, Tom always – without fail – spends as much time as necessary to clean & care for his CCR. It’s never failed him.
He trusts APDiving equipment because it has not only the longest track record in the industry but also the safest. Tom uses the Inspiration Evolution CCR, which is compact, light and easy to dive with.
With the CCR, he can stay underwater longer than when on scuba, dive quietly as no bubbles are released, and stay warmer. He really prefers being on his CCR than a noisy scuba tank!
But, as APDiving clearly states on their website, “All rebreathers require specialist training before you use them. That’s why AP Diving will only sell rebreathers to divers who are trained and qualified with an AP recognised instructor and agency. No matter how experienced or confident you are on open circuit, you’re starting again with a rebreather – and you’re always learning.”
Scuba (or “open circuit) divers know that every time you take a breath from your tank, you exhale as a stream of noisy bubbles. The deeper you go, the more gas (air) you suck from the tank. You’re bubbling away a good part of your air!
With fully closed circuit rebreathers like the AP Inspiration, all of your exhaled gas is retained within the system in a closed loop. It is then filtered, refreshed and recycled back to you to breathe again. Bubbles escape only during ascent and mask clearing.
Here’s a great video that explains how a CCR works: