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1. 73 9 Refill with Absorbent to the top Tap down as required until you can fit the lid Refit the lid and the spring under the yellow nut 10 Screw down the top nut 11 Wipe any dust from inside the canister 12 Look into the Canister head and run your finger around the sealing face for the quad ring removing any debris 13 Insert the filled Scrubber Pack into the Canister 14 Refit the Right Hand end cap 15 Dispose of old absorbent as normal household waste Do not leave it lying around for animals to ingest CO ABSORBENT STORAGE El DANGER Once a CO Scrubber has been packed it should remain so Do not attempt to remove absorbent from a partly used scrub ber and dry it refurbish or re pack the absorbent in any way The scrubber should always be kept sealed until required for use With scrubber installed and not being used the EXPLORER should have its breathing loop closed This is so that external air does not accelerate the degradation of the scrubber Additionally the scrubber will continue to degrade and change its characteristics post dive if it has been activated used at all I WARNING Once installed the scrubber should always be changed within 24 hours Even if it has not been fully used through breathing 74 PRE DIVE SETUP Having assembled and tested the unit upon receipt it is still critical that all pre dive tests are conducted prior to diving The EXPLORER is equipped with a set
2. Decreases in temperature effect the efficiency of the scrubber and greatly reduce the rated use times Sensors are sensitive to extreme temperatures Storage of Oxygen Sensors below 32 F 0 or above 100 F 37 8 C can damage or greatly shorten the life of the sensor Mushroom valves may freeze open or closed if condensation is allowed to cool Always perform the Pre Dive Sequence and pre breathe the unit before entering the water and before any subsequent dives The diver should warm and visually inspect the mushroom valves between dives Open circuit bailout must be rated and compatible with the environments dived in Check the scrubber MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet for specific warnings about storage tem peratures Scrubber material should not be allowed to freeze inside or outside of the rebreather vi TABLE OF CONTENTS General Safety Statements amp Warnings ii vii PART 1 YOUR NEW EXPLORER SECTION 1 REBREATHER LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM RULES SECTION 2 3 GAS FLOW SECTION 3 4 MECHANICAL FEATURES PART 2 UNPACKING YOUR NEW EXPLORER SECTION 1 7 BATTERIES SECTION 2 8 INITIAL ASSEMBLY SECTION 3 11 COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY amp REASSEMBL PART 3 LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM COMPUTER SECTION 1 19 GENERAL OPS SECTION 2 24 AUTOMATIC TURN ON SECTION 3 25 DISPLAY SYMBOLS SECTION 4 26 SCREEN ICONS SECTION 5 DIVE SCREENS of SECTION 6 STATUS SCREENS 28 SECTION 7 MAIN MENU 29 SECTION
3. NDL too high gt 60 DCP will setto 10 to save gas NDL 46mins Ta 5mins i ee DCP 95 mid TE Sons Dive Time minutes Sonne samine MANUAL MODE In manual mode the diver can set the DCP using the screen shown Fig O 3 19 A long hold of either the or button will jump the DCP value by 10 MANUAL DCP D0 MC IDE Fig 3 19 35 RMS RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The control of PO is the prime function for EXPLORER In addition it monitors a range of dive resources The LSS is able to make advanced decisions based on available resources in order to modify the PO and provide for the longest possible dive The unit constantly monitors all resources such as available gas scrub ber duration etc and keeps the dive within parameters that allows for a safe bailout ascent The unit uses a forward looking algorithm to deter mine the best PO at any given time to avoid or reduce decompression allow for a safe open circuit ascent and stay within safe battery and scrubber durations Resources monitored include e Depth e NDL e PO e PCO e Battery e HP gas 1 e CNS Oxygen toxicity t mir e Filter CO scrubber Resources are generally expressed in minutes and are noted in the cen ter of the dive screen Fig 3 20 min The controlling most critical resource is shown This can change throughout the dive and another resource may take its place Alarms will be activated when resources reach cer
4. EAC LOSss USER MANUAL EXPLORER ORT REBREATHER This is the operations manual for the HOLLIS EXPLORER U S patents have been applied for patents pending This manual specifications and features of the Explorer are proprietary and copyright Hollis Inc 2012 This document cannot be copied or distributed without the prior agreement and authorization from Hollis Inc All information contained is subject to change Contact the manufacturer for the latest information www hollisgear com The EXPLORER is manufactured in the USA by Hollis Inc 2002 Davis Street San Leandro CA 94577 USA Ph 510 729 5100 CE EC Type approved by SGS UK Ltd Weston super Mare BS22 6WA Notified Body No 0120 Testing conducted by ANSTI Test Systems Hants To ensure your user information is up to date Please check www hollisgear com support asp for updates to this manual For warranty information see www hollisgear com support_warranty asp DANGERS WARNINGS CAUTIONS AND NOTES Pay attention to the following symbols when they appear throughout this docu ment They denote important information and tips Fl DANGERS are indicators of important information that if ignored would lead to severe injury or death IH WARNINGS are indicators of important information that if ignored could lead to severe injury or death l CAUTIONS are indicators of information that if ignored may lead to minor to moderate injury F
5. Switch to off board open circuit via the BOV Ascend slowly The biggest buoyancy change is in the last 10 m 33 ft and ideally the student should remain horizontal within this depth range Weighting should be such that automatic venting should control the ascent This skill should be conducted twice 1st along a contoured bottom or shot line the 2nd time with an SMB Dive Control Parameter Adjustment Remove and replace unit on surface Electronics operation SMB deployment Use the Manual and Auto DCP settings on the primary con troller User demonstrates comfort remov ing and replacing equipment User demonstrates competency and understanding of the use of the elec tronics User demonstrates deployment of an SMB followed by a safe ascent stopping at 6 m 20 ft while using the EXPLORER To fully under stand the function adjustment of the DCP and how dif ferent settings effect no stop times and endurance To ensure a diver is comfortable in the equipment can remove it in an emergency and im prove abillity to dive equipment from a small vessel To ensure the diver understands all functions with a fo cus on the STATUS system To ensure the diver can maintain buoy ancy and monitor displays while tasked with SMB deployment Using the wrist display adjust the DCP with both the manual and auto matic settings This skill is to be completed at
6. C 59 F reserve swimming Capacity 40 m 130 ft 40 l min 15 C 59 F ming El DANGER Ventilation rates up to 40 I min are referenced as Nor mal swimming and rates of 40 l min and above are referenced as Hard swimming Under strenuous conditions however consump tion rates may be significantly higher Regardless of conditions or readings on the computer the scrubber should NEVER be used for more than 2 hours IH WARNING These tests were conducted using Hollis approved absorbent and durations can only be duplicated using such DO NOT use any other type of absorbent with the EXPLORER Safety data on absorbent products can be found at their respective brand websites Tests conclude that depth gas density temperature and CO generation all massively affect absorbent duration The EXPLORER employs a highly efficient axial canister design which not only offers greatly extended dura tions when compared to other designs employing a similar absorbent load but it is less affected by the commonly experienced high loss of efficiency associated with increased depth 7a HANDLING ABSORBENT I WARNING CO absorbent may cause burns to eyes and skin First aid treatment is as follows e Inhalation Remove from exposure Seek medical attention e Skin Contact Drench with clean water and seek medical attention if skin becomes inflamed e Eyes Irrigate thoroughly with clean water Seek medical attention e Ingestio
7. d Nit MEAS EG LUO hi Commsor Stale No Commsor Stale Fast 20m min lt Depth Rate lt 10m mir or Very Fast Depth Rate lt 20n min Depth Sensor Ascent Rate No Commsor Stale At Stop Gaua V Low Control No Comms Stale m High Span or o ka Se Cell1 Bad or Cell 2 Bad or Cell3 Bad one only No Comms Stale or Unpaired Resource Low estimated time remaining o prevent reaching the 30bar reserve gas pressur once on the surface expired High or V High Contro Initial Diving After No Resource Checks on RR Resource Low estimated time remaining to prevent a Very High state once on the surface expired Resource Low estimated time remaining to prevent an Empty state once on the surface expired Resource Low estimated time remaining to prevent an Empty state once on the surface expired OK Too Shallow PO Bad Cell States Are As Follows e Cell input timed out e Cell input stale e Calibrated sensor input gt 3 00 bar e Calibrated sensor input lt 0 15 bar e Raw sensor input lt 7 mV e Cell input excluded having failed calibration e Calibrated cell input gt 0 2 bar from the other two cells only a single cell can be in this state PO Ascend Alarm States Are High Span PO cell span gt 0 5 bar if 2 or 3 cells in state OK Bad Cells 1 cell in state OK or n
8. date or sooner depending on the pp02 they are stored in and the hours of use e Oxygen sensor usage temperatures are Operating temperature range 0 40 C 32 104 F Storage temperature 20 to 50 C 4 122 F Recommended storage temperature 5 to 15 C 41 F to 59 F Fl DANGER Always be careful when doing manual calibrations The oxygen sensors must be exposed to air and NO OTHER GAS Oxygen sensor calibrations conducted once a week should be more than sufficient unless the EXPLORER has been transported to different climates locations or significantly different ambient conditions Prior to starting a pre dive sequence it is advisable to check the oxygen and CO sensor if equipped calibration by opening the EXPLORER Module and removing it and the Sensor Module Place the two together and turn the unit on Then go to the STATUS screen and view the PO and CO readings IH WARNING If the PO is not 0 21 and the CO if equipped is not 0 3 0 4 then a calibration must be performed 38 In general Oxygen and CO sensors do not drift excessively Constant calibration every dive is not required Instead frequently check sensors for accuracy with a known gas air as previously described on the preced ing page If possible keep sensors dry between dives especially during storage WARNING Performing calibration before every single dive may mask other potential problems CONDUCTING AN O
9. 3 9 Further details can be found in the Internet Reprogramming PART 3 Section 21 of this manual LOG BOOK The Log Book screen is where you access recorded information on previ ously completed dives Fig 3 10 MENU SETUP NDL PLAN PC LINK LOGBOOK ABOLIT Fig 3 7 NDL PLANNER O390Ft 100Ft 110ft SI 00 hours 29min 23min O1 min DCP 50 l gt Fig 3 8 PC LINK MODE Fig 3 9 LOG BOOK AX DEPTH 120ft SURATION 30min IME Thu Oct 25 15 37 23 2012 IX 36 mite 1P USE 600psi Fig 3 10 29 30 ABOUT This screen shows information about the software installed in the EXPLOR ER the serial number of each connected element and information that may be required by your service center Software updates for the EXPLOR ER are available from http hollis com support asp Please check regu larly for updates Once a new update has been installed this screen will report the new version of software installed Fig 3 11 TURN OFF This selection shuts down the Explorer electronics 4andset Ver 4 0C SIN 01234567894BCDEF0O122 sensor Module Fig 3 11 SETUP MENU SETUP MENU SCREEN FIG 3 12 SETUP UNITS Imperial Ft psifdegF The Setup Menu is accessed via the Main Menu LOGGING INTERVAL 10s TIME DATE DEFAULT GAS HP PAIRING SER VICE MODE Off T c HANG E L MENU NAVIGATION Action Button Press To Make A Change Short push both but
10. CONFIRM cm 888 ox 40 EVACUATE LOOP TO TEST ADY m o M EE NEY CO FILTER FIT TED 104 66 Y ES Te MANUAL CO2 SENSOR OR O2 CELL CALIBRATION Parra N COZ J PHO j 7 7 mm es FILL LOOP THEN EVACUATE LOOP AND CLOSE MOUTHPIECE CHH CONFIR M ma SR j PLEASE WAIT 345 PRESSURISING OOP a Me BLOCK NOSE AND BREATHE ME FOR 49 SECONDS fim 8 ox 36 CHECK BAILOUT AND BCD At the end of a successful Pre dive sequence you will see the check resources screen Fig 4 5 At this point you should cycle through the screens by pressing the left or right button to check that all resources are adequate to com plete the dive After a few seconds the display will time out to the Dive screen Fig 4 6 PRE DIVE PRIMARY ERROR MESSAGES The following are possible error messages that may occur during the Pre Dive Sequence and their meanings Message Meaning batteries at 10 30 power Pre dive and dive not permitted until charged MENU DCP STAT Fig 4 6 batteries at less than 10 power Pre dive and dive not permitted until charged and must be replaced or removed the 5 minute pre breathe system will be activated O sensor s unable to calibrate and must be replaced and or their connectors cleaned o CO sensor is unable to calibrate Message Meaning O sensor s unable to calibrate or failed LSS Sensor Module Recharge unit and
11. NITROX INJECTION METER The CO created by the diver is in direct proportion to the oxygen breathed The oxygen metabolized by the body is replaced by the oxygen component of nitrox injected into the breathing loop By knowing the vol ume and composition of gas injected the amount of metabolized oxygen and therefore the amount of CO created can be estimated From tests the duration of the scrubber types has been determined and the correspond ing volume of CO absorbed before the absorbent begins to reduce its effectiveness 45 Using these principles the system measures the amount of gas injected by the solenoid valve and converts it to a percentage of minutes remaining at CE CO rates Although the displayed minutes are at CE CO generation standards the minutes will tick down more slowly if the diver is breathing at a reduced rate This will be the most common scenario However in the unusual condition of CO generation at an elevated rate compared to 1 6 min then the minutes will tick off more quickly If the diver knows a particu larly strenuous dive is ahead they should allow extra conservatism in the minutes remaining counter for that dive Il WARNING The CO Absorbent Scrubber Alarm consists of a Filter reading of 0 minutes blue green HUD warning and an ascent warn ing It will activate while there is still sufficient duration to allow a controlled ascent to the surface At such time the diver should immediately end th
12. The balanced valve ensures that the underwater release pressure is near constant in any orientation When the unit vents it also removes any water from the exhale counterlung Water removal is best conducted in a heads up position In addition to the LCV there is a master high flow over pressure release valve that is set to 40 mbar to help control ascents BOV BAILOUT VALVE EXPLORER comes with a BOV The BOV is supplied by the onboard nitrox tank The BOV is designed as the primary bail out providing a sufficient planned volume is carried The BOV has two modes Fig 1 1 e OC Open Circuit Position e CC Closed Circuit Position When the BOV is open the BOV is in the closed circuit position and when the BOV is closed it is in the open circuit position INTELLIGENT HUD HEADS UP DISPLAY amp BUD BUDDY UNIVERSAL DISPLAY The Intelligent HUD Heads Up Display is attached to the BOV in the divers line of sight There is also a BUD Buddy Universal Display in the EXPLORER LSS Module for Dive Buddy Instructor use These displays give full alarm status at all times using a visual and a tactile alarm system SENSORS The EXPLORER uses 3 oxygen sensors and a wireless HP sensor It can also be equipped with an optional gaseous CO sensor All sensors are automatically calibrated by the electronic control system UNPACKING YOUR NEW EXPLORER BATTERIES The EXPLORER uses Lithium Polymer batteries These rechargeable
13. tronics with air CAL sequence To ensure no LP HP or breathing loop leaks are present that either were missed by Pre dive checks or occurred after checks Make buoyancy and trim adjustments Follow on screen sequence using the wrist display Explain sensor calibration rules in manual impor tance of sensor po sition date stamp logging system O sensor voting logic system and CO scrubber replace ment Check LP HP and breathing loop fittings hoses while submerged be tween the surface and 6 m 20 ft Look for incorect ly configured or stowed equipment Ensure proper weighting should be neutral with full counterlungs Emphasis should be placed on good trim B87 88 Carry and use of additional bailout gas Carry external bailout gas cylinder on dives deeper than 18 m 60 ft Practice use of the BOV and external bailout Perform static and dynamic open circuit bailout drill Include at least 2 OC ascents from bottom the bottom to approximately 6 m 20 ft To verify bailout systems function To ensure the diver is correctly weighted to maintain depth control under all urgent emergen cy conditions To reinforce how to deal with a hyper Capnia situation and reinforce involved muscle memory The unit should be weighted to offset the buoyant volume of the EXPLORER Additional weight is needed to com pensate for their exposure suits and additional bailout cylinder
14. 14 To pair the HP transmitter first press SEARCH Any transmitters within i range of the LSS will be displayed Once the system finds the transmitter HP PAIRING press PAIR The word PAIRED will appear Fig 3 75 IH WARNINGS The transmitter ID is written on the transmitter at tached to the first stage in your EXPLORER Fig 3 16 Confirm this is the correct transmitter before proceeding El NOTE The HP transmitter MUST have pressure applied to it to activate and be seen by the system If the regulator is not pressur ized the the transmitter will be off and not sending a signal Fig 3 15 SERIAL NUMBER SM SOOO MFG SERIAL NUMBER Fig 3 16 SERVICE MODE service Mode is used by Explorer service technicians performing diag nostics The settings are off on The default setting is off 32 BAILOUT AND GAS CONEFIGURATION DEFAULT GAS SETTING The EXPLORER has the capability to analyze the dive gas attached to the system If this gas differs significantly from what the EXPLORER expects the programmed Default Gas then a warning will be given during the pre dive sequence This is to help protect against absent or faulty gas analysis by the gas supplier and user DEFAULT GAS To change the Default Gas when the unit turns on go to the SETUP menu 4024 FANS lt screen and highlight Default Gas Then a short push of both left and right buttons to select Fig 3 17 The gas can now be set On this screen you
15. 8 SETUP MENU 31 SECTION 9 BAILOUT amp GAS CONFIGURATION SECTION 10 DCP DIVE CONTROL PARAMETER SECTION 11 RMS RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SECTION 12 O SENSOR CALIBRATION SECTION 13 O SENSOR VOTING SECTION 14 CDM CANISTER DURATION METER SECTION 15 DISPLAY amp ALARM SYSTEMS SECTION 16 ALARM FLOW DIAGRAMS SECTION 17 GAS RESERVES SECTION 18 MOD MAXIMUM OPERATING DEPTH SECTION 19 DIVING AT ALTITUDE SECTION 20 DECO CONTINGENCY SECTION 21 INTERNET REPROGRAMMING PART 4 GETTING READY TO DIVE SECTION 1 GEAR PREP SECTION 2 CO ABSORBENT SCRUBBER PACK SECTION 3 PRE DIVE SETUP PART 5 POST DIVE SECTION 1 DAILY MAINTENANCE 33 34 36 37 42 44 49 52 61 62 63 64 65 66 71 75 82 PART 6 MANDATORY DIVING SKILLS SECTION 1 EXPLORER BASICS SECTION 2 IN WATER SKILLS CHART SECTION 3 EXPLORER SKILLS COMPLETED PART 7 LONG TERM MAINTENANCE amp SERVICE SECTION 1 O SENSORS SECTION 2 SERVICE SECTION 3 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE PART 8 APPROVED PRODUCTS amp GLOSSARY SECTION 1 APPROVED PRODUCTS SECTION 2 GLOSSARY 84 87 91 92 94 95 97 98 Vil YOUR NEW EXPLORER REBREATHER LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM RULES El DANGER Read and understand this list prior to using this unit If you do not understand any or all of this section please contact your training agency or Hollis Rules for EXPLORER Divin
16. Solid Green This code means there are no detected prob lems Flashing Green amp Blue HUD BUD Warning It is activat ed when a manage able error situation is amp l in place Yellow wrist display Loss of communica tion between sensors or modules It is usually associated with DO NOT dive or OC bailout but could just be a warning Magenta wrist display only Flashing Red amp Vibrating It is activated when there is an urgent issue OK Procede with dive as planned The correct response will be displayed on the STATUS screen and will often tell the diver to ascend slowly on closed circuit monitoring the wrist display Check the status message on the wrist display an act accord ingly DO NOT start the dive If already diving the diver should switch to the bailout gas and ascend El NOTE Red alarms take priority in the HUD over Green Blue alarms El NOTE Yellow on the wrist display is equivalent to the alternating blue green state of the HUD Il NOTE The HUD vibration alarm will vibrate every second for 5 seconds then repeat the 5 second alarm every 30 seconds or if the source of the alarm changes 51 ALARM FLOW DIAGRAMS The following sections contain flow diagrams to indicate which actions HUD indication will be used separated into diving and surface cases The following flow charts should be used in sequence where an OK from the red HUD al
17. alarms or warnings They could represent a state of the system that is displayed in some way other than via the HUD or STA TUS screens Alarm Display The method by which an alarm state is passed to the user On the LSS module the HUD BUD and tactile alarm are used On the handset this is done via the GUI Graphical User Interface displays and the STATUS screen which also has an ACTION Panel reflecting the HUD and a message containing a single user action Some alarm displays vary depending on other system states such as other alarms or the dive status e g diving not diving 49 SO ALARM CODES With the EXPLORER a key task has been to process the fault levels and error conditions to indicate the status of the rebreather Further the LED states are configured for color blind as well as highly stressed divers The position of the LED s coupled with the flashing or solid states provide conditions that cannot be confused with one another During stressful dive scenarios the position and status is quickly understood to speed up the desired response correction by the diver The status sceens on the wrist display add one more level of security by adding extra information on an alarm states WARNING This information is in English and all users should be adequately trained in interpreting this information appropriately continued There are 3 main warning levels associated with the HUD BUD and on screen displays
18. all pertinent alarms in the STATUS screen It is vital that you correct anything in error immediately before continuing to dive If you enter the water without completing the relevant Pre dive checks and ESS mode is activated you will be given an O C bailout alarm red HUD warning you to return to the surface immediately to complete the Pre dive checks After 1 minute underwater if nothing else is alarming MENU the bailout alarm will stop Fig 4 7 gt E UP MDL PLAN El DANGER The ESS should never be used as a routine diving start PC LINK up system A full Pre dive check MUST always be conducted to Kolei 1010 4 ensure safe operation The ESS is designed ONLY as a safe guard ABOUT If you have not completed pre dive checks abort the dive and per Wt form a proper pre dive on the surface K Fig 4 8 TURNING OFF The EXPLORER cannot inadvertently turn off while submerged Although while at the surface if no button pushes are detected within 15 minutes it will automatically turn off to save power Fig 4 7 To manually turn off EXPLORER then select the Menu option and do a long press of the left button OFF Fig 4 8 E MENU LESS THAN 2 HOUR PRE DIVE SEQUENCE Fig 4 9 If you have completed a sucessful Pre dive Sequence within the last 2 hours then upon reactivating the unit assuming there is nothing wrong with the system it will display the Hollis splash screen followed by two screens Fig 4 9 4 10 It wil
19. and maintenance mitigates this risk W WARNING BATTERY WARNING The Explorer relies on batteries to maintain a safe breathing gas content Never dive the Explorer without a sufficient charge on the rechargeable batteries See Batteries PART 2 Section 1 for further details W WARNING DESIGN AND TESTING The Hollis Explorer has been designed and tested both in materials and function to operate safely and consistently under a wide range of diving environments You must not alter add remove or re shape any functional item of the Hollis Explorer Additionally NEVER substitute any part of the Hollis Explorer with third party items which have not been tested and approved by Hollis for use with the Explorer This includes but is not limited to hoses breathing assemblies electronics breathing gas delivery assemblies and their constituent parts sealing rings valves and their constituent parts and sealing surfaces latches buoyancy devices inflation and deflation mechanisms and onboard alternate breathing devices Altering adding removing re shaping or substituting any part of the Hollis Explorer with non ap proved parts can adversely alter the breathing gas delivery or CO absorption characteristics of the Hollis Explorer and may create a very unpredictable and dangerous breathing device possibly lead ing to serious injury or death Non approved alterations to functional parts of the Explorer will automatically void all factor
20. and success of the Prism 2 eCCR technical rebreather All of that experience has been leveraged to bring you something new the Hollis Explorer eSCR the world s first electronically controlled semi closed rebreather for recreational divers AMERICAN UNDERWATER PRODUCTS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY POLICY American Underwater Products is committed to the preservation of our oceans and supports outreach and awareness programs that develop an understanding of the oceans importance to life on earth the fragility of marine ecosystems the damage done by pollution and the threat of overfishing We produce innovative products of the highest quality manufactured in an environmentally sustainable manner that meets or exceeds our customer s expectations and regulatory requirements JOLLIS HOLLISGEAR COM
21. applicable Student Instructor 15 Reducing compliant lung volume Student__ Instructor 16 Follow dive plan not exceeding depth or dive time Student Instructor 17 Maintain depth while making safety stop Student__ Instructor 18 Omitted decompression procedures Student Instructor LONG TERM MAINTENANCE amp SERVICE OXYGEN SENSORS APPROVED OXYGEN SENSORS The EXPLORER is only approved to use Hollis EXPLORER Oxygen Sen sors Hollis EXPLORER Oxygen Sensors have temperature ranges as detailed below Operating temperature range 0 40 C Storage temperature 20 to 50 C Recommended storage temperature 5 to 15 C OXYGEN SENSOR CARE WARNING In the event of a faulty sensor all three sensors should be replaced together as it cannot be guaranteed that the scenario that made the first sensor fail has not affected all the sensors IH WARNING Number each individual sensor before removal so they can be replaced in the same position Basic care includes e NEVER store sensors in any gas other than air e NEVER subject sensors to high temperatures i e Car trunks e NEVER freeze sensors left in cars overnight e NEVER subject sensors to physical shocks e NEVER subject sensors to vacuum e NEVER submerge sensors in liquids e Never attempt to open a sensor housing e Sensors deteriorate very slowly and near the end of their useful life may show a reading drift soon after calibration e Always change all 3 sensors
22. assem bly and improper packing can all contribute to the canister duration meter reporting false readings Use great care in assembling the Explorer and in completing pre breathe checks on the breathing loop The CDM is a useful feature as an aid to predicting absorbent duration IH WARNING NEVER dive a partially used Scrubber beyond 24 hours of its initial packing or opening irrespective of the CDM meter read ing This includes partially used scrubbers that have been stored in a sealed loop or container TPM TEMPERATURE PROFILE MONITOR This meter relies upon the heat producing reaction of the CO absorbent Utilizing multiple temperature sensors the system detects a complex reac tion heat wave front through the absorbent as it is being used El DANGER The TPM will not detect breakthrough conditions of a poorly packed Scrubber or failing seal Therefore Pre breathe checks must always be carried out to ensure CO is being absorbed correctly by the scrubber The TPM contains 5 temperature sensors arranged longitudinally through the canister absorption path The readings from these 5 temperature sensors are logged and analyzed by the system The following describes 44 some of the limitations of the TPM are as follows The CO absorbent produces heat when CO is absorbed However there is also a temperature rise even when incomplete absorption of the CO in the breathing gas is achieved This is a potentially dangerous situat
23. bailout gas e The HUD vibration alarm will vibrate every second for 5 seconds then repeat the 5 second alarm every 30 seconds or if the source of the alarm changes 19 20 e Flashing Green and Blue lights warning is activated when a manage able error situation is in place Refer to the wrist display and take the indicated action If the issue can not be immediately remedied the correct response is to ascend slowly on the breathing loop while monitoring the wrist display for escalating risk factors e Solid Green means there are no detected problems WARNING If any other light sequence or a no light scenario is experienced then the diver should refer to the wrist display for information and abort the dive M WARNING If no wrist display is seen the diver MUST switch to open circuit and ascend The LED states are configured for color blind as well as highly stressed div ers The positions of the LED s along with the flashing or solid state of the lights provide conditions that cannot be confused with one another PRE DIVE CHECKS With current technology not all aspects of the safety and working nature of the EXPLORER system can be performed or determined automatically Therefore when turning on the EXPLORER there are a series of pre dive checks that must be performed The EXPLORER gives guidance in per forming these checks These checks are displayed in sequence on the EXPLORER wrist display Some of
24. bat teries are very efficient and provide many years of reliable operation Rechargeable Lithium batteries can be recharged at any time and do not have a significant memory affect which would otherwise cause unreliable battery operation The batteries are UL listed flight safe and are double sealed to reduce the chance of leakage to a minimum As extra confidence the LSS Module battery pack includes 3 separate batteries to ensure operation even under multiple battery failure scenarios During diving the battery reserve alarm will indicate when there is still suf ficient battery to allow a return to the surface with a small reserve The LSS MUST then be charged prior to diving again The handset has its own battery which is automatically charged from the EXPLORER LSS module The user should keep the batteries fully charged to ensure there is always maximum battery charge for any dive Additionally the Optocon protective cap should be installed when the Explorer is not being charged A fully charged battery pack will display 900 minutes of battery life on the wrist display See PART 3 Section 6 for directions on how to access the Battery Status Screen El DANGER The battery estimate is based on many variables Chang es in conditions i e cold water may shorten charge times Plan dives accordingly and always monitor the HUD and Wrist Displays for system operation status Fl NOTE The EXPLORER must be fully charged before its
25. can also input the cylinder size VOL 40 CUFT El DANGER It is important that the correct cylinder size is entered for S2 EXPLORER to correctly calculate the remaining resource times Fig 3 17 The Default Gas information is used to drive bailout gas calculation using cylinder size and hence gas time remaining During the Pre Dive Se quence the Explorer performs gas analysis checks If the gas analyzed does not match the programmed default gas but is still usable within 5 you can simply start the dive without having to change the Default Gas setting If the gas analyzed does not match the programmed default gas the user will be brought back to the begining of start up and required to change the Default Gas setting If the Explorer s gas analysis seems incorrect you should re analyze the gas and or check the oxygen sensor calibration BAILOUT GAS It is not necessary to set a bailout gas Whether the bailout is undertaken using the onboard attached gas or an external gas supply all dive table calculations are completed assuming the diver is breathing air 21 oxy gen 79 nitrogen This makes all calculations as conservative as possi ble 33 DCP DIVE CONTROL PARAMETER DYNAMIC PO The EXPLORER is a dynamic PO controller This means it can vary the PO that it maintains based on the value of certain resources A higher DCP Dive Control Parameter value means less tissue loading higher PO but more gas us
26. e Calibrated sensor input gt 3 00 bar e Calibrated sensor input lt 0 15 bar e Raw sensor input lt 7 mV e Cell input excluded having failed calibration e Calibrated cell input gt 0 2 bar from the other two cells only a single cell can be in this state PO Do Not Dive alarm states are No Comms All PO cell alarms are No Comms Stale Any PO cell alarm is Stale High Span PO cell span gt 0 5 bar if 0 2 or 3 cells in state OK Bad Cells None or 1 cell in state OK Very High If O 2 or 3 cells in state OK and average PO 2 0 bar Low If O 2 or 3 cells in state OK and average PO lt 0 17 bar where PO PO setpoint i e the difference between the average PO and the setpoint The average PO is based on the calibrated value from all cells in alarm state OK Zero cells OK with the same high low alarm state in which case all three are used in the average Pg 58 Blue Green Alarms High Smbar lt s CQ2 lt co mse High or V High Control if the predive Sequence is complete Es V Low Control if the predive sequence is complete Low AP lt 50bar No Comms or Stale No Comms or Stal Usage High 10barimin 2 HP Usage gt 2bar min or Usage V High gt 10bar min Surface No Resource Checks Predive Low 10 lt Filter lt 50 Low either LSS module or handset battery 10 lt Charge l
27. first use CAUTION Always ensure the Optocon charge connector is dry before attaching the charging connector Damage may result if this is not done Check that all parts of the charger are kept dry and only used indoors Battery level alarms will activate when the batteries get low and will be displayed on the Status screen I WARNING DO NOT dive with a battery level that is less than twice your expected dive time for the next dive Fl NOTE The battery discharges at a faster rate when the Sensor Module is separated from the LSS 7 INITIAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCTION Your Explorer is assembled and tested at the factory Some components are then removed to package the unit When you receive your Explorer the following components will need to be put together GENERAL NOTES ON ASSEMBLY 1 All O rings should be lightly lubricated 2 Inspect all O rings for cracks and other damage during each assembly 3 All breathing loop parts should be sanitized before diving If assembling for a dive see the following section Complete Disassembly and Reassem bly for further instructions Step 1 Remove all parts from the split top box Fig 2 1 Step 2 Open the Oxygen sensor and CO sensor optional boxes Re move the sensors from their boxes and open up the airtight bags Fl DANGER Only Hollis Explorer Oxygen sensors must be used with this unit No other sensors are tested or approved These are avail able from your Holl
28. hours are remaining the ser vice reminder will start to display Fig 7 1 If the service reminder is ignored the Explorer operation will lock out after 200 hours 94 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE KEY E before every dive A annually C at canister change 30 30 hours Mushroom valves U annually or sooner if damaged Quad seal U C annually or sooner if damaged CO sensor silica beads Hose end O rings U annually or sooner if damaged BOV barrel O rings If pre dive failed annually or sooner if only not 2nd stage leaks damaged regulator BOV 2nd stage regulator U E inspect 4 6 hours or soon er if the beads have turned emerald green Wash at end of dive annually or sooner if Flush with fresh day needed water and sanitize as required End cap O rings U C annually sooner if damaged ADV diaphragm A annually or sooner if damaged Oxygen CO sensor 30 Clean at annual Inspect for damage connections service sooner if Clean with contact needed cleaner Deoxit Gold GN5 Oxygen sensors U 30 Whichever comes Inspect for damage first 12 months or the DO NO USE AFTER DATE Counterlungs and U Before every day of replace annually LCV port O rings diving sooner if damaged LCV port mushroom Before every day of Have serviced by valve diving dealer annually sooner if damaged 95 LCV assembly Wash at end of dive annual or sooner if Fresh water flush day damaged after
29. safety features described in this section should NEVER be used as routine The user should ALWAYS turn on the unit and complete pre dive checks as required in training and the operations manual 24 DISPLAY SYMBOLS Most screen commands soft buttons are actually the written word in English but movement commands are expressed using icons Moves the cursor to the next field to the right to edit or moves the STATUS display one window to the right Moves the cursor to the next field to the left to edit or moves the STATUS display one window to the left F A single bracket indicates a short push of the button to perform the action in this case move left form the action in this case move to left 7 Moves the cursor up to the next option as in a menu list In this case a short push of the left button A down arrow moves the cursor down A short push increments the information by 1 digit A long push increments the information in multiples A minus sign decrements the digit EXITS to the previous page and SAVES the information ENTERS the selected item page Two sets of brackets around a function indicates a long push of both buttons In this case to exit the page 25 SCREEN ICONS During the Pre dive tests icons appear across the top of the screen start ing on the left As each level of Pre dive is completed successfully a green icon appears indicating the test has
30. there may be a leak in the barrel knob O rings They must then be replaced EXPLORER LSS MODULE DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY e Remove the LSS Module by twisting the lock ring counterclockwise 1 2 turn e Inspect amp clean O ring and sealing surfaces re lubricate and refit the LSS Module sealing O rings e Refit the LSS Module by lining up the solenoid post pushing it into the Canister and turning the lock ring clockwise by 180 degrees to 3 O clock Fig 2 16 fl NOTE Ensure the lock ring is in the 9 O clock position for the Fig 2 16 threads to engage then twist it by 180 degrees to 3 O clock to lock The Case Back Cover will not fit correctly if the lock ring is in the wrong position 14 SENSOR MODULE DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY OXYGEN SENSOR MAINTENANCE TESTING e Remove the Sensor Module from the Canister Fig 2 17 e Remove all 3 oxygen sensors Fig 2 18 e Inspect the Thermal Profile Monitor TPM body and O ring for damage and clean the TPM with warm soapy water NEVER expose the sensors to water e Clean the sensor jack connectors with a soft cloth look for damage and corrosion Fig 2 17 El DANGER After sensor replacement you must ensure the unit is calibrated by completing a full pre dive sequence El DANGER It is important that oxygen sensors are maintained and cared for Avoid excessive moisture Some moisture will always form during a dive but if the rebreather has been flooded the
31. to give an optimum breathing performance While the BCD harness must be comfortable it should not be loose The harness will sit differently on land compared to when you are in the water OCTOPUS BAILOUT amp CYLINDER CONFIGURATIONS Exact gas requirements for any type of diving are a matter of personal choice they are predicted by specific level of EXPLORER certification and training agency I DANGER It is vital that a breathable open circuit bailout is carried at all times for all depths of the dive of sufficient volume to allow for a safe ascent to the surface at a stressed breathing rate 66 El DANGER For deep long duration dives the onboard gas supply should only be treated as a short term gas supply used for a limit ed period until the off board bailout gas can be accessed WARNING In depths shallower than 18 m 60 ft you must be able to provide gas to another diver buddy This will require the use of an additional second stage octo attached to your EXPLORER first stage if you are not carrying an external bailout cylinder El NOTE Certain training agencies may required additional gas supplies for diving in mixed teams open circuit closed circuit Please check with your agency for details fil NOTE The BOV is connected to the onboard gas supply Dives shallower than 18 m 60 ft dives can be conducted using only this available gas as a bailout providing that the gas endurance alarms are not exceeded on th
32. training sequence These can include 1 Environment 2 Support logistics 3 The students ability to learn Your instructor will sequence skills according to standards of the agency you will be certified through Though all agencies will complete the same list found in the In Water Skills Chart section of this chapter additional skills may vary by agency DIVING SAFETY GUIDELINES The instructor should confirm all valves are open before making dives All divers must enter the water with enough gas in their BC to allow the diver to safely float on the surface The Pre Dive sequence must not be done sitting on the edge of a boat or pontoon It MUST be done when prompted with the nose blocked seated in a safe location and in a way they can easily read their dis plays Divers should carry a minimum 3 liter of bailout gas for dives deeper than 18 m 60 ft Safety decompression stops should be conducted on all dives Pre dive checks Calibration of Explorer In water leak buoyancy and trim checks IN WATER SKILLS CHART Accurately complete all checks without bypassing any items Complete calibra tion of O amp CO sensors Diver checks them selves and buddy for leaks Diver maintains buoyancy and trim checks To confirm the EX PLORER has been prepared correctly the function of the absorbent and the monitoring system function To confirm calibra tion of all sensors on primary elec
33. valve carriers have not extruded out of their grooves El DANGER Check the flow in the BOV It should be from the diver s left to diver s right with the mouthpiece in the diver s mouth Fig 2 15 e Inspect and clean the rubber mouthpiece Ensure there are no pin holes or tears Refit with a new cable tie and tighten Carefully remove sharp edges from the cable tie BOV PRIMARY TEST In closed circuit mode block the right hand exhale side and blow do not apply excessive force into the mouthpiece The inhale diver s left side mushroom valve should seal and no gas should exit out of the second stage exhaust or the front diaphragm Faults e Mushroom valve inhale side leak Remove the carrier and inspect the mushroom valve and O ring Replace as needed e BOV barrel O ring or activation handle O ring leak Replace O ring EXPLORER Fig 2 15 In closed circuit mode block the inhale diver s left side and suck into the mouthpiece Faults e Mushroom valve right hand side leak Remove the carrier and inspect mushroom valve and O ring Replace as needed e BOV barrel O ring or activation handle O ring leak Have the O rings replaced Remove both hoses from the Canister leave connected at the BOV Put the BOV in open circuit mode Block the exhale hose end and blow into the inhale hose end Listen and observe for any signs of leaks from the mouth piece hose or hoses ends Faults e If a leak is detecte
34. LY CYLINDERS The nitrox cylinder has a maximum fill pressure This is stamped on the cylinder and must be checked before filling Refer to regional limitations for maximum fill pressures Install the nitrox cylinder into the case and tighten the cam band Now install the regulator DIN connection Ensure the LP hose is routed through the molded hose retainers in the case back Other wise the LP hose will obstruct closure of the case fl DANGER Although the EXPLORER will analyze its own gas supply it is still important that you always analyze your gas prior to use WARNING If you suspect that the cylinders have become contami nated with salt water or other contaminants then you must get the cylinder inspected and cleaned as appropriate GAS ENDURANCE Gas endurance is defined by the Dive Control Parameter DCP setting For example a 5 liter cylinder pressurized to 200 bar 2940 psi and assum ing a usable gas pressure of the working pressure minus the regulator interstate pressure of 11 bar 161 psi this equates to 189 bar 2779 psi available Assuming a DCP setting of 50 and a worst case FO of 32 The EX PLORER gas supply will last a maximum of 189 minutes based on normal swimming work rates At extremely high ventilation rates 75 l min which is sustainable by a fit Navy diver for only a matter of minutes the maximum gas endurance could reduce to as low as 57 minutes The EXPLORER will continuously update gas minutes rem
35. Life Support System Remove the LSS from its case Unscrew the Optocon charging download connector protection cap Plug in the the power charger You will need to rotate the cable end con nector until the key way aligns Then push it in and tighten the black lock ring clockwise Fig 2 4 The lock ring will spin freely once the connector Fig 2 5 is fully assembled Once connected and power is applied a red light will appear on the LSS module E A T T R Y When charging a Red light appears on the LSS Module It turns Green when the LSS Module if fully charged A full charge takes approximately 10 hours Fl NOTE The Explorer could take up to 30 minutes for the red indica tor light to illuminate if the battery has been completely drained Fig 2 6 EXPLORER has 3 battery status displays with the charger connected Er 1 Battery Charging Empty Fig 2 5 m AT TER y 2 Battery Charging Fig 2 6 3 Battery Charged Fig 2 7 To remove the optocon charger unscrew the ring which will rotate freely until pulled back to start the thread and pull out the connector Reinstall the Optocon charging download connector protection cap CAUTION To avoid damage the Optocon charging download connector protection cap should be installed when not charging downloading your Explorer Fig 2 7 Step 9 Once the LSS Module is charged it may be installed on the inha lation side of the Explorer canister First inspect the O ring
36. ORER the easiest Rebreather to prepare for diving while ensuring system integrity and improving safety The software and hardware uses intelligent monitoring and design experi ence to determine the appropriate tests and checks that the diver needs to perform to get the EXPLORER ready for use Any problems are described clearly on the STATUS screen with the re quired action The integrated system design means that failures or problems with any part of the system are communicated to the diver either in pre dive checks and procedures or as data values graphics or instructions There is sig nificant background analysis that produces a warning system sensitive to changes in expected levels but intelligent enough to not overload the diver with information and situations that may be routine during a dive These electronic alarms combined with varying levels of mechanical user controls ensure safe operation of the Explorer in all conditions Example e PO changes that may normally cause PO alarms to be triggered are inhibited if they are of the correct characteristic expected during a descent or setpoint change THE HEADS UP DISPLAY The Heads Up Display HUD feature gives a simplified and quick to follow view of the status of the EXPLORER The HUD has 3 main warning levels e Flashing Red plus vibration alarm warning is activated when a dive should be aborted on open circuit or not started e If diving the diver should switch to the
37. SENSOR CALIBRATION During the Pre dive sequence you have the option to calibrate the oxygen and CO sensors from the Calibration screen Selecting O will display another series of screens that will guide you through the calibration Please see descriptions later in the manual for calibrating the optional CO sensor SUMMARY OF DO S AND DON TS OF OXYGEN SENSOR CALIBRATION When calibrating sensors there are two factors that the EX PLORER takes into account 1 Ambient pressure 2 Ambient AIR oxygen content These two factors multiply to determine the partial pressure of the oxygen exposed to the Oxygen sensor Example 20 9 oxygen at 1000 mbar 0 209 mbar partial pressure of oxygen 20 9 oxygen at 750 mbar 15 675 mbar partial pressure of oxygen The EXPLORER uses ambient air as the calibrating gas because its composition is accurately known This is in contrast to say a cylinder of compressed oxygen that can vary from supplier to supplier as well as around the world from at least 94 to 100 39 40 To achieve a good calibration some basic rules must be ob served 1 The Oxygen sensors must be exposed to the pure calibrating gas So for an air calibration the sensors must be flushed with air Just taking the hoses off is NOT sufficient as pockets of gas can be enveloping the sensors 2 DO NOT execute calibrations to remedy a rebreather whose PO accuracy is drifting over short periods of time Some o
38. Valve O amp CO Sensors Absorbent Scrubber Electronics Pack Inhale Exhale Counterlung Counterlung Scrubber In Out Indicator MECHANICAL FEATURES The EXPLORER is an electro mechanical rebreather Over time certain software hardware optional extras and or software upgrades will become available Please check www HollisGear com for details HARNESS BCD EXPLORER uses a custom bolt fitting backplate Solo webbing harness and Hollis C45LX Wing There is an optional EXPLORER BCD available COUNTERLUNG The EXPLORER comes complete with dual back mounted counterlungs BMCL These are attached to the canister by a screw threaded O ring fitting CYLINDER EXPLORER uses a 5L 40cuft cylinder with a nitrox compatible inline valve Dives over 18 m 60 ft requires that an additional bailout cylinder of a minimum capacity of 3 L 20 cuft be used in conjunction with the 5L 40 cuft cylinder Fi NOTE All calculations presented in this manual assume the use of a 5 L 40 cuft cylinder USA Only Cylinder Options Chart Any brand that is _ ls prepped for nitrox use acae eimai as 526 sures are shown 4 3 35 26 Fl NOTE The Explorer can accomadate a maximum 14 cm 5 5 in diameter tank EU Only Cylinder Chart OUTER CASE The outer case is made from high impact plastic OVER PRESSURE VALVES EXPLORER uses a combined water release and balanced Loop Control Valve LCV
39. Y depen dant on DCP PO able loop see Alarm Tables for lower priority alarms 60 BAILOUT None Stay on EXPLORER Stay on EX PLORER and ascend Stay on EX PLORER and ascend Ascend on open circuit Stay on EX PLORER and ascend Stay on EX PLORER and ascend Ascend on open circuit Onboard 3 sensor driven Onboard 3 sensor driven PO Onboard 3 sensor driven PO GAS RESERVES DYNAMIC RESERVE The EXPLORER monitors the high pressure HP contents of the onboard gas supplies The EXPLORER includes two warning system for the HP contents 1 Pressure below reserve level 2 Rate of use of gas is too high or too low indicating either a leak or that the HP cylinder valve is turned off and gas injection is being unsuccessfully attempted The gas supply reserve level is dynamically adjusted based on depth because ascent times vary with depth and assumes a stressed breathing rate of 20 I min on open circuit bailout using the onboard cylinder If the system sees this reserve limit approaching it will warn the diver to ascend BAILOUT TO OPEN CIRCUIT Should the operation of the EXPLORER generate an emergency alarm red HUD LED and vibrating HUD then the diver must bailout to open circuit on either the in board supply above 18 m 60 ft or the off board supply below 18 m 60 ft El NOTE Decompression calculations for the ascent profile will assume air as a breathing gas to provide addit
40. age and a lower PO is the opposite For a set DCP the actual PO will vary throughout the dive profile The DCP can be set to AUTO or MANUAL mode AUTO MODE AUTO mode automatically adjusts the DCP throughout the dive to give the best compromise between maximum NDL time and minimum gas usage Ft Fig 3 19 This defaults to 50 each time the unit is switched on AUTO DEP El NOTE Auto Mode is the default If on a dive where Manual Mode has been selected and you then surface and complete the dive Auto Mode will be the default at the start of the next dive M OD E Fig 3 18 34 HOW AUTO MODE WORKS By setting Auto DCP prior to diving the following events occur 1 The DCP will automatically be set to 95 for the first 10 minutes of the dive but only after the diver exceeds 10 m of depth 2 If the NDL is then less than 60 minutes the DCP will stay set to 95 to maximize the NDL 3 If at any point on the ascent the NDL is in excess of 60 minutes then the DCP will reduce to save gas and maintain the NDL at 60 minutes 4 The minimum DCP is 10 If the DCP is 10 and the NDL exceeds 60 minutes the DCP will not decrease Auto DCP Mode ak Example shallow dive using 40 Nitrox NDL too high gt 60 DCP will remain at 10 Auto DCP mode oe begins at 10m depth DCP set to 95 NDL 167mins NDL 89mins DCP 50 DCP 10 NDL control using DCP begins at 10mins wu ydeq NDL 60mins DCP 50
41. aining through out the dive for any DCP setting and work rate El DANGER High pressure gas cylinders especially nitrox cylinders must have their cylinder valves opened slowly to avoid risk of injury This duration is also dependent on how much loop venting mask clearing BCD drysuit inflation occurs Fl NOTE In Europe cylinder valves for use with the EXPLORER must be certified in accordance with EN12021 70O CO ABSORBENT SCRUBBER PACK THE ABSORBENT SCRUBBER PACK The unit has been tested under CE requirements for CO absorbent scrub ber duration The weight of absorbent in the scrubber pack is approximate ly 1 5kg 3 3lbs IH WARNING At the time of this writing all figures were tested using the user packed version of the scrubber canister CANISTER DURATION At 40m 130ft of depth with Nitrox 32 as a diluent at 4 C 39 F water tem perature with a CO injection rate of 1 6 I min and a ventilation breathing rate of 40 l min and a 1 5 kg 3 3 lbs absorbent load of a Hollis Approved absorbent See PART 8 Section 1 the unit will last 40 minutes at 40 m 130 ft as an extreme test Ref EN14143 2003 This duration changes significantly with higher temperatures and low er work rates continued 71 Below is a table of endurance versus depth and changing workloads with temperature MINUTES TO 5 MBAR CO REFERENCE 40 m 130 ft 40 l min 4 C 39 F ming 40 m 130 ft 120 minutes 22 5 l min Normal 15
42. be a BOV that is not fully open or closed or a rubber mouthpiece on the BOV BAILOUT AND ASCENTS Open circuit bailouts become necessary if a loop is unbreathable high CO or low high PO or flooded In the unbreathable scenario the loop will need to vent during the ascent This is done automatically by the OPV and the LCV combined I WARNING Ascents must be practiced on the training course while on open circuit and with a loop full of gas Venting will occur natu rally if the diver is weighted correctly M WARNING A flooded loop will result in 5 kg 42 Newtons 11 Ibs of buoyancy loss If a diver is over weighted they may not be able to overcome this negative buoyancy in an emergency Proper weight ing is important IN WATER SKILLS In water skills are a vital element of dive training It is important especially when teaching complex skills or equipment that training is progressive Non progressive training only serves to scare and confuse students and at best reduce the learning experience to a series of hoops that should be jumped through This is not the goal at all the desire to learn should 85 be nurtured by making the experience as informative fun and as exciting as possible Only then will the subject matter and key survival skills be remembered As in all training while certain skills must be mastered first before the student can progress safely to the next level there are always issues that affect the
43. binding agents plastic fillers other than those listed in the maintenance and troubleshooting or approved products sections of the manual El DANGER Never attempt to clean your rebreather or any part of your rebreather in a dishwasher or any other type of machine that employs high pressure jets of cold warm or scalding hot water 97 98 GLOSSARY Absorbent chemical media used to remove CO from exhaled gas Absorbent Scrubber Pack Mechanical assembly where the CO absorbent is housed ADV Automatic Diluent Valve a mechanical valve that automatically adds fresh gas to the counterlungs in response to increased ambient pressure from depth or decreased volume Bailout a redundant gas supply system Balance Tube The tube between the exhale counterlung and the LCV This tube removes water from the counterlung and controls breathing loop pressure with the LCV BUD Buddy Universal Display Universal display on the side of the LSS module codes identical to HUD BCD Buoyancy Control Device the harness buoyancy compensator assembly BOV Bail Out Valve a valve that allows for the switching from closed circuit mode and open circuit mode via a built in second stage regulator breathing Breakthrough The moment when absorbent scrubber fails no longer removing CO at an adequate rate Breathing Hose The large hoses that connect the Canister assembly to the BOV Breathing Loop the portion of a rebreathe
44. d from the mouthpiece outlet then the barrel O rings need replacing e If a leak is detected at the hose ends then replace the hose end O rings If a leak is detected along the hoses then refer to your Hollis dealer for hose replacement BOV SECONDARY TEST In open circuit mode with the second stage BOV HP gas turned OFF Remove the breathing hoses Block both inhale exhale ports and the LP inlet to the second stage Then inhale from the mouthpiece Faults e If a leak is heard the exhaust valve or the diaphragm may need replac ing If a fault is found Refer to a Hollis service center BREATHING HOSE ASSEMBLY Clean and inspect the hose end O rings Then reassemble BREATHING HOSE ASSEMBLY TESTING Block one end of the hose and blow into the other Look for leaks along the hose while submerging it Repeat for the other hose 13 BOV HOSE ASSEMBLY e Connect the LP feed which should be over the diver s right shoulder to the BOV Replace the LP hose end O ring if required e Fit the breathing hose with the white silicone hose covers to the left hand side inhalation side of the BOV e Repeat for the right hand side black hose El NOTE The BOV should be connected to the weighted side of the breathing hoses BOV HOSE ASSEMBLY TESTING In open circuit mode immerse the BOV Block the exhalation hose end black and blow into the inhalation hose end white Faults e If bubbles come out of the mouthpiece
45. dive trip OPV Wash at end of dive annual or sooner if Flush with fresh damaged water Have ser viced if not holding a negative Regulator first stage Wash at end of dive annual or sooner if Flush with fresh day needed water 96 APPROVED PRODUCTS AND GLOSSARY APPROVED PRODUCTS CO SCRUBBER MATERIAL Intersorb 812 8 12 mesh or Sofnolime 8 12 mesh OXYGEN SENSORS Hollis EXPLORER Sensors CLEANING PRODUCTS Steramine 1 G Tablet White Vinegar Crystal Simple Green or Dawn or similar mild dish detergent MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS Dow Corning 7 Silicone non O clean parts only CRISTO LUBE MCG 111 Tribolube 71 DeoxIT Gold GN5 Electrical Contact Cleaner Other products not listed may be appropriate for use with the Explorer If there is a particular product which you wish to use please call the factory to make sure the product does not contain chemical components which may be harmful to components within the rebreather or the diver L CAUTIONS Consult manufacturer Material Safety Data Sheets for further safety recommendations for these materials Never use the following products or families of products on ANY part or surface of the Explorer rebreather Products which contain alcohol high concentrations of chlorine ammonia gasoline Benzene or any petrochemical based solvent Basically any product with the suffix ene in it Polishes wax automotive cleaning products Glues
46. e e No Decompression Limit NDL f Decompression Information g Filter CO scrubber h CNS i A general Warnings Window the ACTION Panel detailing any alarm in progress This mostly displays SYSTEM OK or DO PREDIVE as in the above example unless there is another fault to report Fig 3 1 24 2a SERVICE MODE Service mode is accessed in the Setup Menu With this mode activated each pre dive screen shows additional text infor mation relevant to the test being performed Also it enables an extra blue STAT button on the Startup screen Fig 3 2 which if selected with a long push of both buttons not indicated will allow access to detailed service sub screens Your Hollis dealer will use information on these screens to assist with any servicing required A short push of STAT will display the STATUS screen and relevant resources as during a dive To enable fault diagnosis put the EXPLORER into Service Mode Having selected STAT with a long hold of both buttons from the Startup screen you will access two extra screens Fig 3 3 3 4 plus alarm and metric screens not shown During Pre dive additional information will be displayed on each Pre dive screen such as the PO and internal loop pressure Fig 3 5 STATUS SCREEN COLORS There are four color states of the STATUS screen Each color provides additional information The four color states are Green No problem with the information Yell
47. e EXPLORER Module and Right Hand end cap along with a new absorbent scrubber pack e Fit the LP hose to the ADV e Fit the counterlungs and the LCV port cap to the exhale counterlung Fig 2 26 e Fit the hoses to the BOV e Fit the cylinder and the DIN wheel Fig 2 24 Fig 2 26 17 e Connect the LP hose to the BCD inflator COMPLETE EXPLORER TEST Follow the on screen pre dive sequence See PART 4 Section 2 If the unit fails the negative or HP leak test and the fault is not easily recognizable Follow these steps e Remove the LCV hose from the Canister or restrict the hose to stop the counterlung venting through the LCV e Turn on the gas e Put the BOV into closed circuit mode e Inflate the counterlungs by blowing into the loop until it is full then put the BOV in open circuit mode e Fully submerge the unit and look for leaks El NOTE The OPV situated under the Canister will vent some bub bles THIS IS NORMAL Look for other leaks WARNING Complete all gear prep and pre dive sequence checks before diving 18 LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM COMPUTER GENERAL OPERATION The EXPLORER Life Support System LSS is designed around a breathing loop high pressure gas sources and electronics control system all highly integrated to give an intelligent but simple display of status to the diver while providing life support This integration gives the user a simple Check and Dive functionality that makes the EXPL
48. e dive and safely ascend to the surface on the breathing loop IH WARNING If the CO Absorbent Scrubber Alarm is triggered during a dive the scrubber time may increase during the ascent This does not mean that the scrubber is now safe to reuse Discard the scrubber material and refill with new scrubber material before additional dives E DANGER If in doubt of the condition of the CO scrubber replace the absorbent and perform full pre dive checks Filter scrubber time remaining must exceed the planned dive time OPERATION AND INTERACTION OF TEMPERATURE PROFILER AND NITROX INJECTION METER The thermistor bar chart of the temperature profile through the scrubber is shown to give the diver information on the activity of absorbent inside the scrubber This should have a peak when the scrubber is being breathed on From cold it will take about 5 minutes for the CO reaction to cause a visible spike This spike should then continue and grow higher The temperature bars fill from the left to the right as the scrubber is being used This screen is in the Pre dive sequence 46 lf there is no peak then there is a problem with the scrubber This could be caused by 1 Flooded scrubber 2 Scrubber pack not installed 3 Scrubber pack empty 4 Scrubber material exhausted or gone bad During pre breathe the unit needs to be breathed on to see a change in the thermal profile This does not guarantee correct operation but has a high
49. e unit El NOTE Certain training agencies may required additional gas supplies for diving in mixed teams open circuit closed circuit Please check with your agency for details The following is offered as a guide when configuring the EXPLORER for a range of diving conditions This must be used in conjunction with the recommendations from your Hollis approved training agency Less than 18m 60ft 5 200 bar 2940 psi Not required 1000 1 40 cuft Nitrox 32 to 40 gt 19m 63ft to 5 200 bar 2940 psi Air or nitrox up to 40 40m 130ft 1000 1 40 cuft Nitrox appropriate mix for 32 to 40 depth of sufficient volume for an ascent from depth with a 150 1 5 3 cuft reserve at the surface after an open circuit ascent 67 Bailout gas volumes should be calculated based on the depth of the dive and the ascent gas requirements Cylinders can be positioned on D ring attachment points on the harness or optional EXPLORER BCD Your Instructor and Training Agency will detail how to calculate for suffi cient bailout gas volumes COUNTERLUNG VOLUME The volume of gas in the counterlungs will affect the breathing feel of the unit Too little gas will make inhaling difficult and too much will make exhaling difficult All retreathers have optimal positions in the water where they have a better or worse breathing feel due the hydrostatic effects of the counterlung position and the breathable volume within the counter
50. epths the Explorer must be turned on prior to diving This is the normal process as a predive must be conducted It becomes especially important if you have transported the Explorer to a change in surface altitude LOW PO SAFETY TURN ON amp INJECTION The Explorer has a safety feature that will cause an activation and attempt ed nitrox injection to raise the PO in the breathing loop if the LSS detects a drop of PO to a level of 0 17 or below This is an attempt by the system to prevent a hypoxic condition in the breathing loop It is important to understand and remember from your training that with an increase in altitude decrease in ambient pressure the PO of ambient air will drop Regardless of a constant FO of 0 21 the PO what the oxygen sensors measure may drop to or below 0 17 This would occur above 5 000 ft 1 524 m of altitude To avoid accidental activation during transport either remove the oxygen sensors or add sufficient nitrox to the loop Upon reaching altitude rein stall the sensors and check the calibration as a part of the normal predive sequence For clarity the Explorer can be oxygen calibrated in air at any altitude To register the correct dive depths at any altitude the Explorer must be turned on at the intended dive site altitude to establish a correct surface pressure reading 63 DECOMPRESSION CONTINGENCY The EXPLORER is designed for recreational diving without decompression All dives however
51. erts lead to blue green HUD alerts Note the following alarm states used in the diagram No Comms Pressure sensor is not communicating with electronics ie lost signal Stale Pressure sensor is not communicating updated data Missed Stop Deco ceiling violated for more than 1min This alarm state locks out the computer for 24 hours Too Shallow Deco ceiling violated for lt 1 min At Stop Within 0 1 bar 3 3 ft 1 m below the next stop Near Stop Within 0 3 bar 9 9 ft 3 m below the next stop Too Deep Deeper than 0 3 bar 9 9 ft 3 m of the next stop 52 IN WATER HUD BUD ALARMS Red OC Bailout Alarms Decompression U D O No VR IC Comms LSS IIC Comms ensor Boar Comms Predive U a a 2 Battery Pressure Difference OK v Near Stop or Too Deep Missed Stop No Comms or Stal At Stop Too Shallow Sensor Failure Failed Ca No Comms or Stale _ ee Low lt 0 17bar Fait Fail nterface Mismatch or Missing LSS module Fait Initial Diving After No Prediv No Comms or Stale Loss of LSS module comms in the handse No Comms or Stale No Comms or Stale Very High gt 10mbaz 03 Blue Green Alarms 54 MOD Exceeded depth gt 40m or too deep for the
52. essively deeper depths and will involve the use of a surface marker buoy OPEN CIRCUIT BAILOUT On every dive you will practice switching to the BOV and or bailout stage bottle On some dives you may be required to conduct additional bailouts possibly back to the surface as defined by your instructor OPEN PREPARING THE UNIT FOR DIVING AND MAINTENANCE CLEANING You will be shown how to assemble the unit and complete the pre dive check sequence In addition you will be shown how to care for your unit post dive REMOVING WATER FROM THE LOOP Condensate will naturally collect in the exhale hose on the diver s right This will be accompanied by a gurgling noise 84 Water is allowed to then move into the top of the exhale counterlung This is acceptable for the following reasons 1 Water entering the counterlung is forced out again by through LCV system 2 A small amount of water will not affect the CO absorbent performance To move water out of the loop via the LCV system Close the mouthpiece Then put the breathing hoses above your head and shake the hose squeezing the exhale hose like an accordion will move water down the hose quickly Now return to the loop and keep breathing normally If water continues to enter the loop abort the dive and solve the issue out of the water You may then submerge the unit in a tub of water with the unit pressurized and the loop closed to locate the leak A common leak point might
53. functions of the EXPLORER have a high likelihood of oper ating correctly 2 Detect assembly errors 3 Detect breathing loop errors MENU Fig 4 4 4 Advise the user of system measurements that are outside correct operating parameters including a High Pressure readings too low b High Pressure readings dropping too quickly possible leaks c Battery Levels d PO in the breathing loop out of expected range e Calibration of PO CO sensors not performed correctly f CO absorbent is not functioning correctly or sealed correctly THE COMPLETE PASS MODE PRE DIVE SEQUENCE The complete sequence is detailed on the following page This sequence assumes The unit has been powered on for 30 seconds all tests pass OK and no Pre dive has been conducted within two hours An APP for any Android device is available at http hollis com support asp 76 tome 00 52 58 I HAYE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE MANUAL I HAYE COMPLETED 4 RECOGNISED TRAINING COURSE I KNOW HOW TO OPERATE l THIS EQUIPMENT i MENU CONFIRM mm 3 CHECK RUBBER MOUTHPIECE AND MUSHROOM VALVES mm 99 PLEASE WAIT 255 NEGATIVE TESTING LOOP r TT x 36 OPEN MOUTHPIECE CONFIRM im 8 xcs CE CHECKED OK CONFIRM PLEA SE Wy H pan I TT SERFORMING SYSTEM CHECKS TT 0 CONNECT HOSES CLOSE HP CYLINDER VALVE AND OPEN MOUTHPIECE CONFIRM um 2 j ENSURE MOUTHPIECE CLOSED OPEN HP CYLINDER VALVE
54. g 1 Always complete all pre dive checks Pay special attention to BOV mushroom valve tests 2 Always pre breathe the Explorer until the system passes its tests 3 Do not modify the Explorer without the manufacturer s written consent 4 Do not use a full face mask unless approved by Hollis for use with the Explorer 5 Always analyze your gas 6 Never dive a unit you suspect is leaking and has not passed all the pre dive tests 7 Never leave your BOV open on the surface 8 Ensure your BC is inflated at the surface 9 Take time to adjust your weight correctly do not dive over weighted 10 Always dive with buoyancy control and buoyancy inflation 11 Practice a skill on every dive 12 Avoid unnecessary mask clearing 13 Regularly sanitize the unit 14 Never exceed the CO alarms 15 Never hold your breath 16 Never start a dive with a low battery alarm 17 Always carry bailout gases of sufficient volume for the planned dive as per your training agency recommendations IF INDOUBT BAIL OUT GAS FLOW As the diver exhales gas flows through the hose blue arrow and over the right shoulder It then enters the absorbent scrubber and flows across the Oxygen and CO sensors in the Sensor Module and through the inhale hose red arrow and back to the mouthpiece Gas also naturally flows in and out of the exhale and inhale counterlungs A rh R api H Vy 7 Se BOV Bail Out
55. he rebreather unless super ceded by rule 7 Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface AD 5 If the difference between the highest sensor and the lowest is greater than 0 5bar then the system will inject gas for 1 second out of every 3 asa fail safe This will cause an ASCEND NOW alarm Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on the rebreather Rebreather switches to Fail Safe Mode Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface 6 If the average of all sensors not removed from the averaging by rules 1 2 3 or 4 is greater than 1 6 bar when diving then an ASCEND NOW alarm will be displayed Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on the rebreather Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface 7 lf the average of all sensors is less than 0 17 or greater than 2 0 when diving then a BAILOUT alarm will display El NOTE This alarm will supersede those in rules 1 2 3 4 5 and 6 Mandatory Diver Action Open circuit Bailout to surface 8 If two or more sensors are removed from the averaging because of rules 1 2 3 or 4 then the system will inject gas for 1 second out of every 3 as a fail safe This will cause an ASCEND NOW alarm Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on the rebreather Rebreather switches to Fail Safe Mode Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface EXAMPLES 1 Sensor 1 0 65bar sensor 2 0 60bar sensor 3 0 70ba
56. her and controls the breathing loop pressure LP low pressure Maximum operating depth MOD the maximum depth a given gas can be used safely Mushroom valve a flexible one way flapper valve that permits the gas to flow in a circular path through a rebreather Negative Pressure Check a test placing the Breathing Loop under a vacuum condition to check for leaks O oxygen OC open circuit Optocon The wireless transmission system used in Explorer to send data between the LSS and Sensor Module Oxygen Sensor galvanic oxygen sensors OPV Over Pressure Valve a mechanical valve that vents gas to prevent breathing loop component rupture PCO Partial pressure of carbon dioxide PO PPO partial pressure of oxygen Positive Pressure Check a test that looks for leaks in the Breathing Loop when pressurized QD quick disconnect Quad Ring a specially designed sealing ring that creates a positive seal on the CO canister Sensor Module Electro mechanical assembly where the oxygen sensors CO sensor and Thermal Profile Monitor are housed Setpoint The PO setting used to determine when a solenoid valve injects gas into the breathing loop TPM Thermal Profile Monitor The device that monitors the thermal front of the reac tion zone inside the absorbent scrubber The Right Hand End Cap End cap that when removed gives access to the CO Scrub ber Pack WOB Work Of Breathing The effort required to complete an inspirati
57. ion as the system appears to be working correctly as there is still a measurable temperature rise and wavefront in the system The human body is tolerant to only approximately 5 to 10 mbar of CO ref CE standards for a life support system A well packed fresh Absorbent Scrubber absorbs all the exhaled CO for a period of time until an amount of CO starts to creep through When this level reaches 5 mbar it is assumed there is no life left in the scrubber However even at 5 mbar there is still considerable thermal activity within the scrubber Fl DANGER Be aware that a well packed and well maintained Scrub ber is key in achieving a life support system The CDM is not a sub stitute for good system maintenance and Pre Dive checks Always use your training and discipline to ensure the sub systems in the EXPLORER are operating correctly Critical components and potential failures are e The scrubber seal around the scrubber e A poorly packed standard pack only scrubber e Used or out of date scrubber material Although the algorithm that analyzes the thermistor curve is adequately accurate during diving if the scrubber is not being breathed on the therm istor s curve will be abnormal It also takes time for the absorbent to rise to normal operating temperatures Therefore for routine use the addition of the nitrox injection meter described in the next subsection is used to report the filter scrubber percentage remaining to the user
58. ion of the sensors a full Pre Dive sequence MUST be completed The user can cause the largest error in oxygen sensor calibration If the calibration is not done in ambient air the sensors will not give the correct readings after calibration Therefore do not execute a manual calibration without ensuring the sensors are exposed to air at ambient pressure The unit s testing for good and bad oxygen sensor calibration is deter mined from the sensor mV level detected during calibration At 1000 mbar atmospheric pressure the range the unit can calibrate for is approximately 5mV to 15mV However if a sensor that would normally show 7 5 mV in air has an enriched gas 40 Oxygen applied to it during calibration then the sensor will give 14 28 mV The calibration will pass but the sensor readings will be dangerously inaccurate 37 Recommendations e Never store sensors for long periods of time before use they have expiration dates e Never subject sensors to high temperatures i e inside cars garages etc e Never freeze sensors left in cars overnight e Never subject sensors to physical shocks e Never subject sensors to vacuum e Never submerge sensors in liquids e Never attempt to open a sensor They contain a caustic chemical e Sensors deteriorate very slowly and near the end of their useful life may show a drift soon after calibration e The oxygen sensors must be replaced every 12 months or at their do not use after
59. ional safety during a bailout ascent 61 MOD MAXIMUM OPERATING DEPTH The EXPLORER will warn on the main display if the maximum operating depth of the unit is exceeded This MOD is based on three things 1 Amaximum depth of 40 m 130 ft 2 Amaximum depth such that the gas attached to the unit as measured cannot result in a PO exceeding 1 6 bar 3 When a maximum PO of 1 6 bar is reached The EXPLORER will not freeze the user out of operation if these depths are exceeded However the system and diver are operating beyond the normal recommended conditions and therefore these limits should never be routinely exceeded WARNING Exceeding these limits is not condoned by the manu facturer and is not a safe diving practice and must be avoided If an MOD alarm is seen then you should ascend immediately to a depth where the alarm is not displayed This depth reduction should be at least 6 m 20 ft but could be more if the MOD has been exceeded by a large amount 62 DIVING AT ALTITUDE WARNING Diving at high altitude requires special knowledge of the variations imposed upon divers their activities and their equipment by the decrease in atmospheric pressures Hollis rec ommends completion of a specialized Altitude training course by a recognized training agency prior to diving in high altitude lakes or rivers The Explorer is fitted with a digital depth sensor For it to accurately gauge altitude and preceding dive d
60. is Dealer El DANGER All oxygen sensors must be allowed to sit in an AIR at mosphere for at least 24 hours prior to use in the EXPLORER The Sensors can be immediately assembled into the Sensor Module but this module should not be fully installed for at least 24 hours after unsealing the sensors packages WARNING The sensors must be calibrated after the 24 hour accli mation period Step 3 Pull the Sensor Module straight out of the Canister Step 4 Push the three oxygen sensors onto their respective connection points as shown in the picture Fig 2 2 Fl NOTE Ensure the oxygen sensors are installed with the white membrane facing up as shown Fig 2 1 Fig 2 2 Step 5 If using the optional CO sensor accessory part 240 9001 install now I WARNING Before use it is essential that you read and understand all maintenance and use information for the CO sensor and cap See the Explorer CO Sensor User Manual doc 12 4127 available at http Awww hollis com support manuals El DANGER ONLY the Hollis CO sensor may be used with this unit No other CO sensors are tested or approved Step 6 Reinstall the Sensor Module Step 7 Undo the rubber latches at the base of the Case Front Back as Fig 2 4 sembly and lift up the Case Back until the hinge at the top is free Fig 2 3 i iw Place to one side m H m H Step 8 Inside the Explorer case you will find a zippered case containing the LSS
61. is secured with an O ring attached to the two tabs on the underside of the bracket Step 12 Ensure the counterlungs are correctly positioned where they will not get pinched cut or unecessarily restricted Fig 2 11 Then refit the ee Case Back and secure the two clips at its base Fig 2 12 IH WARNING Ensure that the counterlungs are not pinched during in stallation of the Case Back Pinching counterlungs could puncture or cut the counterlungs leading to flooding and risk of drowning El NOTE The Case Back will not fit or lock properly if the end cap lock rings are not in the correct orientation Fig 2 12 10 COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY amp REASSEMBLY INTRODUCTION The information below will enable complete disassembly cleaning rebuild ing and testing of the EXPLORER Rebreather Further disassembly must be performed by a qualified Hollis EXPLORER Technician GENERAL NOTES ON ASSEMBLY 1 All O rings should be lightly lubricated 2 Inspect all O rings for cracks and other damage during each assembly 3 Sanitize all breathing loop parts Fl DANGER Only Hollis Explorer Oxygen sensors must be used with this unit No other sensors are tested or approved These are avail able from your Hollis Dealer El DANGER ONLY the Hollis CO sensor may be used with this unit No other CO sensors are tested or approved WARNING All servicing beyond the user level must be performed by an approved Explorer service tech
62. l NOTES indicate tips and advice that can inform of features aid assembly or prevent damage to the product EXPLORER DESIGN TEAM Bob Hollis Kevin Gurr HollisExplorer User Manual Document Control Number 12 4102 Rev 6 Publish Date 6 17 2014 Kel REBREATHER U WARNING Use of The Explorer manual This user manual does not nor is it intended to contain any information needed to safely dive with any type of SCUBA apparatus It is designed as a guide for the proper setup operation maintenance and field service of the Hollis Explorer only It does NOT take the place of a recognized training agency instructor led diver training course or its associated training manual s and materials This user manual is intended to be used only as a type specific ad dition to such training and materials and as a user reference This manual cannot be used as a sub stitute guide for any other type of Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SCUBA Photo by AAA m NIDI exer a a GENERAL SAFETY STATEMENTS WARNINGS W WARNING GENERAL SAFETY No person should breathe from or attempt to operate in any way a Hollis Explorer rebreather or any component part thereof without first completing an appropriate Hollis Certified user training course Further no Explorer diver should use a Hollis Explorer without direct Hollis instructor supervision until they have mastered the proper set up and operation of the Hollis Explorer reb
63. l then allow you to choose DIVE or PREDIVE repeat the Pre dive Sequence from the beginning Fig 4 10 81 POST DIVE DAILY MAINTENANCE POST DIVE During a diving sequence it is important that a small amount of daily main tenance is undertaken These fall into 5 categories 1 Care of oxygen and CO sensors 2 Loop cleaning 3 Recharging 4 Cylinder filling 5 Absorbent changing 6 BCD CARE OF OXYGEN AND CO SENSORS The Sensor Module SM is easily removed from the unit by removing the Life Support System Module LSS and pulling the SM out The SM carries the three oxygen sensors and the CO sensor Post dive the CO filter yellow cap sponge should be replaced as de tailed At the end of a days diving the complete SM should be removed and the LSS cap refitted and kept in a dry low humidity and ambient tempera ture environment The CO filter cap should be removed for the non diving period SANITIZING After a dive the Explorer breathing loop needs to be sanitized The recom mended sanitizer for the Explorer is Steramine This sanitizer is available through your Hollis dealer Please see www sSteramine com for Safety and Handling Instructions Basic sanitizing can be conducted by making up a solution in the correct quantities and soaking or wiping the part with the solution IH WARNING The use of any other sanitizing agent may damage the component parts of the rebreather in partic
64. layed are ___Screen Description Screen Description MDL BATTERY HP min 2319psi Battery time in minutes High pressure ni trox gas supply re maining in minutes at current depth and workload Carbon dioxide absorbent filter scrubber estimat ed remaining time Any decompres sion information min CNS min i No Decompression Limit in minutes CNS oxygen toxicity time in minutes Partial pressure of oxygen in bars Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in millibars El NOTE The Status screen disappears after 5 seconds of inactivity if no alarms or 30 seconds if an alarm is present Alternatively a long press of both buttons will Hide the screen og MAIN MENU MAIN MENU SCREEN FIG 3 7 The EXPLORER has a simple menu system which is available while at the surface To access the Main Menu short press any button MENU NAVIGATION Action Button Press Enter Highlighted Short push both buttons Menu Item Long push both buttons Scroll Down Short push right button Scroll Up short push left button MAIN MENU OPTIONS SETUP setup is a basic settings menu See the following Setup Menu section for further details NDL PLAN lt is a dive planner based on current tissue state surface interval and a DCP setting for the next dive Fig 3 8 PC LINK This screen is a gateway to updating the internal software and download ing the log information to a PC Fig
65. likelihood of correct operation Any sense of dizziness nausea or oth er CO symptoms should also be used to alert the diver that the scrubber is not operating correctly A small bypass due to a badly fitted scrubber or CO seals could give a scenario of a good peak but an excessive amount of CO could still bypass the scrubber If this occurs stop breathing on the EXPLORER This will be indicated and alarmed for by the optional Gas eous CO sensor accessory Replace the absorbent and or check scrubber packing and seating T CAUTION Pre breathing any rebreather should be done in a safe seated position with their nose plugged where the diver can monitor displays and any potential symptoms of CO poisoning Pre breathing should never be conducted while walking or stand ing in a place where the diver could fall into the water or injure him or herself The actual minutes remaining number displayed to the diver comes from the Nitox Injection Monitor This gives a consistent and reliable reading of current absorbent duration based on nitrox injection Always remember to reset the absorbent duration when a new scrubber is fitted You will be prompted to do this during the Pre dive sequence Fig 3 21 El DANGER DO NOT reset the absorbent duration unless a new scrubber with fresh absorbent has been fitted Fig 3 21 Always change the absorbent when the low filter Scrubber alarm appears or before if you suspect the absorbent is n
66. lled a 5 minute pre breathe of the absorbent scrubber will be forced Fl DANGER Careful monitoring of scrubber duration is vital regard less of having a CO sensor or not 48 DISPLAY amp ALARM SYSTEMS HUD BUD amp COLOR SCREENS The EXPLORER can be routinely dived by using the HUD Heads Up Display as the main underwater human interface This frees up the diver to concentrate on the dive at hand The HUD is mounted in front of the diver s mask on a retaining clip attached to the BOV It utilizes color LED s and a vibration feature to get your attention when necessary Additionally the EXPLORER has a BUD Buddy Universal Display on the side of the LSS Module for the Buddy Instructor to see your status at a glance Both the HUD and BUD indicate the same color codes lf the HUD BUD system changes from Green for go mode to a flashing green blue then the diver can refer to the main wrist display and investigate the additional information on the STATUS display The wrist display utilizes color as an alert for general status changes and couples this alert with unprecedented clarity of information that can be reviewed in further detail The HUD BUD color screens on the wrist display and uncluttered screen layouts are key to providing the diver and dive team with essential information in high stress scenarios DEFINITIONS Alarm state These are mostly high level alarm conditions Though they could be lower level
67. lungs It is important to balance the volume in the breathing loop so that exces sive inhale or exhale pressure is not experienced Under certain situations the EXPLORER will vent during the exhaled breath This will result in a drop in oxygen levels and more gas addition by the system It is possible to balance the loop to an extent by venting a small amount through your nose particularly on ascents if the need arises ADJUSTING THE BREATHING FEEL The breathing feel of EXPLORER is partially controlled by the LCV Having removed the case cover this can be seen underneath the Canister This is an adjustable valve over a small range Oriented as shown moving the valve left Fig 4 7 decreases loop volume vents more and moving the valve right Fig 4 7 increases loop volume vents less The LCV is a hydrostatically balanced valve this means that in any swim position it releases gas from counterlungs at approximately the same pres sure and rate In addition it is a water drain device and it is connected to the exhale counterlung via a water drain tube such that as water enters the counterlung condensed exhaled breath then it moves through the tube and out of the LCV regularly throughout the dive THE AUTOMATIC DILUENT VALVE The EXPLORER also has an automatic diluent addition valve ADV which compensates for loss of gas volume To activate the ADV either descend or exhale through your nose and breathe i
68. more information To check if you re EXPLORER has any available updates and to obtain the reprogramming software go to http hollis com support asp fl DANGER After new software is installed you MUST recalibrate the oxygen and CO sensors 65 GETTING READY TO DIVE GEAR PREP WEIGHTING As the counterlungs inflate the diver may experience movement in the EXPLORER This is minimized by tightening the harness or adding trim weights to the pocket available on the top of the case A weight of up to 2 3 kg 4 4 6 6lbs can be used If the EXPLORER is allowed to move on the diver s back a change in breathing resistance may be noted With the Explorer s back mounted counterlungs it is important that the Explorer is as close to the diver s back as possible Your instructor will teach you how to weight yourself correctly WARNING Over weighting is dangerous With an empty BCD no additional bailout cylinder and 50 bar 735 PSI in the main cylinder you should be able to begin slowly to submerge in a controlled fashion by exhaling slightly too much exhalation and the ADV will add gas upon the next inhalation WARNING It is important to perform weight checks in confined shallow water with at least 50 bar 735 psi bailout gas prior to any open water diving HARNESS BCD POSITIONING When adjusting the harness try and imagine that the center of the count er lungs should be within 100 mm 4 inches of the tip of your sternum
69. n The ADV is designed to help maintain a breathable lung volume in conjunction with the LCV The ADV on the Explorer is a simple tilt lever system that in the relaxed position no gas applied will remain open It seals when gas is applied If moisture is present in the system and extreme freezing temperatures are experienced that are able to form ice within the rebreather this valve could freeze in the open position Freezing of ADV s is a common failure mode in most rebreathers The EXPLORER design assumes this and provides an additional link to the Pre dive alarm sequence to warn of such a failure If the valve is frozen open then gas will freely flow into the circuit This will give a HIGH HP usage alarm and the unit will fail its Pre dive sequence This is the correct failure mode for this device If the system had been pressurized and then it froze and hence the valve failed closed again pre dive will fail momentarily until counterlung collapse removes the icing as the lever activates then pre dive will pass unless there is a leak due to icing then the pre dive will again fail high gas flow alarm The Explorer warning system was developed with the recognition that it is common for rebreathers to contain moist gas which can lead to icing in cold environments The EXPLORER is the first rebreather that fully informs a diver if an ADV failure occurs from and iced closed or iced open situa tion 69 FILLING THE GAS SUPP
70. n Wash out mouth thoroughly with clean water Seek medical attention See the brand respective safety data sheets for further safety information WARNING Always fill scrubber packs in a well ventilated environ ment Avoid contact with eyes and skin FILLING STEPS STANDARD VERSION WARNING Filling a scrubber improperly could lead to a hypercap nia incident 1 Remove the Scrubber Pack from the Canister Inspect the quad ring for cleanliness damage and clean replace with a small amount of lubricant Fig 4 2 2 Unscrew the yellow top nut and canister lid and inspect the canister and lid mesh for damage 3 Remove any excess absorbent stains from the canister components with warm soapy water and then rinse in fresh water Then allow it to dry 4 Place the Dust Filter inside at the base of the scrubber canister Fig 4 3 It should lay smoothly against the metal screen bottom with the tabs along the radial edge folded upwards Ensure that the tabs lay smoothly against the inner walls of the scrubber canister 5 Fill the canister in a well ventilated environment Raise the absorbent barrel at least 200mm 8 inches above the canister to allow dust to blow away as you fill Fill to the top of the canister making sure absorbent is at an even depth across the canister 6 Pack the absorbent by tapping the sides for at least 1 minute 7 Fill to the top again 8 Pack the absorbent by tapping the sides for at least 1 minute
71. nician at a Hollis service facility BOV DISASSEMBLY There are very few parts within the BOV assembly that should be removed by the user since many parts especially the second stage components require additional setup by a trained Explorer technician l l Fig 2 13 e Turning counterclockwise unscrew the breathing hose ends e Remove and inspect the hose end O rings for damage e Using the rubberized end of a pencil or other blunt soft instrument insert the pencil through one of the mushroom valve carriers moving the mush room valve aside first and gently push out the opposite carrier assembly Fl NOTE DO NOT push on the center of the carrier ONLY push on the outer edge e Remove the mushroom valve carrier O rings Fig 2 13 e Gently pull out the mushroom valve Fig 2 14 Fig 2 14 12 BOV REASSEMBLY amp CARE e Clean the mushroom valve carrier O ring and the groove around the mushroom valve carriers Lightly lubricate and refit new O rings e Inspect the mushroom valve and mushroom valve carrier for damage Sanitize and remove any debris from the carrier e Clean the mushroom valve carrier O ring and the groove around the mushroom valve carriers Lightly lubricate and refit the O rings e Refit the mushroom valves to the carriers El DANGER DO NOT put lubricant on the mushroom valves e Having cleaned and sanitized the BOV press the valve carriers into the BOV Ensure the O rings around the mushroom
72. o cells in state OK but with different high low alarm states or the same alarm states and no O C bailout case V Low Control If 2 or 3 cells in state OK and PO lt 0 20 bar V High Control If 2 or 3 cells in state OK and PO 0 70bar where PO PO set point i e the difference between the average PO2 and the setpoint The average PO is based on the calibrated value from all cells in alarm state OK 55 SURFACE HUD BUD ALARMS Red Do Not Dive Alarms 56 Dive Hours Remaining 0 Depth Senso No Commsor Stal No Commsor Stal Ascent Rate Commsor Stal me E ee Bee Very High gt 10mbar ay py PPCO No Comms Sensor Stale or Failure Failed Cal PPO Low Very High No Comms Stale High Span or Bad Cells i TRE a Fai ee Fail _ o Interface Mismatch or Missing LSS module LSS IIC Comms Cell 1 Bad or Cell 2 Bad or PPO Cell Cell 3 Bad one only vve No Comms or Stale Very High Not diving and CNS 2100 Loss of LSS module comms in the handse o pierre Battery No Comms or Stal Empty either LSS module or handset battery gt Charge lt 10 Charging and Empty either LSS module or handset battery Charge lt 10 No Comms or a Solonoid Valve Pressure Difference OK v PO Bad Cell States e Cell input timed out e Cell input stale
73. of pre dive checks that are built into the electronics prompting the diver to test certain aspects of the unit prior to diving Additionally there are several manual tasks that should be com pleted prior to this final system check These checks automatically start once you turn the unit on A complete flow chart of all the screen layouts can be found on the enclosed CD and in the rear of this manual TURN ON SYSTEMS The EXPLORER can be fully activated in three separate ways 1 By button push 2 By breathing breath detection as a low PO of 0 17 is reached 3 At depth gt 1 15 bar absolute pressure or about 5 ft 1 5 m Hl DANGER The batteries must be charged for the automatic systems to work If the batteries are not charged the unit will not turn on and not support life To turn on EXPLORER simply press both buttons on the handset and hold for 3 seconds The system will boot up and perform internal checks This will take about 30 seconds Then the Hollis splash screen will ap pear followed by the training acknowledgement screen Fig 4 4 El DANGER It important that you have read this manual and are prop erly trained in order to complete the Pre dive sequence and dive EXPLORER safely If you have not undertaken these steps yet do not proceed any farther By selecting CONFIRM the Pre dive sequence starts and you will be prompted through the sequence PRE DIVE CHECKS PURPOSE These tests are designed to 1 Check that all
74. on expiration breathing cycle OUR HISTORY Bob Hollis had his first rebreather experiences in the mid 60 s He used Draeger units to allow him to get close to sea Otters and other marine life in Monterey Bay In 1970 Hollis made some of the first dives on the Electrolung rebreather using Heliox down to 300 feet in Honduras and Bonaire filming shipwrecks and deep reefs In 1990 Bob amp Oceanic developed the Phibian rebreather which at the time was the only commercially available unit HOLLIS REBREATHER DEALER SUPPORT COMMITMENT As a consumer you will receive a greater level of support from a Hollis Rebreather Dealer Not because a non Rebreather dealer doesn t care about support Instead the Hollis Rebreather Dealer has a greater level of commitment to the complete product line A Hollis Rebreather Dealer has perfected their diving skills and is at their peak of instruction They will provide access to rebreather training service consumables upgrades and travel The view from a Hollis rebreather into the underwater realm is like a view from no other place on earth Hollis Gear promises to deliver an experience like no other In 2000 Hollis parent company American Underwater Products under two separate contracts with the United States Naval surface Warfare Command developed and delivered a unit called the ATUBA Advanced Tactical Underwater Breathing Apparatus That led to the develooment
75. ot operating correctly or close to the end of its life be conservative be safe El DANGER If you do not insert an absorbent scrubber pack the de vice greatly restricts breathing on the loop This is to force you off the breathing loop until the issue is remedied You must not dive without a CO scrubber pack fitted 47 No matter how many safety monitoring systems are in place use your own common sense and discipline to ensure you do not push the life support systems beyond their designed limitations It is your life being Supported respect the equipment and its limitations OPTIONAL CARBON DIOXIDE SENSING MODULE The EXPLORER is designed with an option to fit a CO sensor The user can elect to buy this initially or upgrade to the sensor later Advantages to using a CO sensor include 1 To ensure active absorbent has been installed 2 To ensure the absorbent sealing systems are functioning 3 To warn of reducing absorbent efficiency in order to give the diver time to respond by reducing depth temperature or work rate to avoid an inci dent occurring 4 To warn of rare situations when excessively high CO levels may require immediate bailout to safe open circuit gas See the Explorer CO Sensor User Manual doc 12 4127 rev 2 or newer for further details on safety and use of the Explorer CO sensor El NOTE With the CO sensor installed the system only requires a 1 minute pre breathe Without a CO sensor insta
76. ow The system is informing you of a low level alarm such as low HP gas supply The STATUS Screen s Action Panel will give information regarding the warning or action to be taken and in the case of the low HP gas example the value in the HP window will also be in yellow This will result in a flashing Green and Blue on the HUD BUD Magenta indicates unreliable data on the reading being taken This could be caused by a failed sensor Such as a low wireless HP battery This will be coupled with an action to be taken displayed on the STATUS Screen s Action Panel This will result in a flashing green and blue or red signal on the HUD BUD 3 00 13 MENU Fig 3 2 Fig 3 3 METRICS Fig 3 4 Fig 3 5 Red A major alarm indicating that information resource has now become critical forcing an open circuit bailout or no dive condition OC Bailout will be displayed on the STATUS Screen s Action Panel and the HUD will flash red and a vibrating alarm will activate on the HUD From the Main Dive Screen two short presses of the right button will bring up the STATUS screen Fig 3 6 so that the user can determine at a glance the status of the system while doing a system check Fig 3 6 23 AUTOMATIC TURN ON FAILSAFE FEATURE Normal practice and training is for the user to turn the EXPLORER on by depressing any button on the wrist display and going through the pre dive checks The following failsafe addition
77. passed successfully Note that all icon colors as with any numerical displays match the alarm severity yellow indicates a low level alarm and coincides with a blue green HUD BUD state In addition a grey icon indicates a test not yet performed WARNING A red icon means a failure of the test alarm which if ignored would make EXPLORER unsafe to dive The icons are Battery amp Computer O Sensors Breathing CO Removal HP Gas HP Gas Loop Ae Content Analysis S 26 DIVE SCREENS Screen Description Dive Screen when ascent rate bar is 1 2 full then rate is 30 ft min 10 m min Dive Screen with menu bar accessed by a single push of any button Status Screen accessed by a short double push of the right button DCP Auto Mode Q short push of both buttons to AUTO DCP change modes M OD 3 DCP Manual Mode Q Q short push both buttons to change MANUAL DCP modes 1 increment change by short push of either button 10 D a increment change by long push of h either button y M OD E 27 STATUS SCREENS The Status STAT screens show all key resources in a simple format The screen is accessed from the main screen by a short double push of the right button and then a short push of either the left or the right button moves around the screen The Status screen also incorporates a color coded Action Panel to give instructions The items that can be disp
78. pect the LCV counterlung mushroom valve and cap sealing ring for damage Fig 2 22 Replace re lubricate as required e In normal diving operations the canister should be flushed with fresh water rinsed with sanitizing solution and wiped clean STANDARD ABSORBENT SCRUBBER PACK DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY WARNING Filling a scrubber improperly could lead to a hypercap nia incident and possible death e Disassemble and discard the absorbent material as per local regulations Wash the scrubber pack in warm soapy water to remove absorbent debris Sanitize as required e Inspect the scrubber pack for damage especially around the Quad ring sealing surface e Inspect the quad ring seal before every dive It must be replaced at the first sign of wear or damage Fig 2 21 El DANGER The quad ring seal is extremely important and it should be regularly cleaned and inspected It is vital in preventing CO bypass Additionally it must be replaced at the first sign of wear or damage Fig 2 22 fl DANGER The quad ring is not a standard O ring It must not be replaced with anything else e Inspect the cannister and lid mesh for damage e Place a Dust Filter inside at the base of the scrubber canister Fig 2 23 It should lay smoothly against the metal screen bottom with the tabs along the radial edge folded upwards Ensure that the tabs lay smoothly against the inner walls of the scrubber canister El NOTE The Dust Filter mu
79. r All sensors used 2 Sensor 1 0 3bar sensor 2 0 60bar sensor 3 0 70bar Sensors 2 and 3 still used 3 Sensor 1 0 3bar sensor 2 0 60bar sensor 3 0 9bar Failsafe inject for 1 second out of every 3 Sensors are great er than 0 5 apart across all 3 sensors 0 3 to 0 9 43 CDM CANISTER DURATION METER The EXPLORER Canister Duration Meter CDM is comprised of three main parts 1 A patented absorbent temperature profile duration meter 2 A Nitrox Injection Meter based on CE tested durations 3 An optional gaseous CO sensor accessory The CDM combines information from these three features to determine the appropriate state of the scrubber The STATUS combines and displays this information as Filter minutes The Nitrox Injection Meter minutes are reset when the absorbent is replaced and confirmed in the Pre Dive Sequence The duration of the Scrubber depends mainly on the amount of CO being produced by the diver and the depth of the dive The readings from all of these devices together can be used to report a high confidence status regarding the state of the Scrubber However user experience and train ing should also be used to determine the validity of the readings given Scrubbers are a key element of a rebreather Great care should be taken when determining if a dive can be safely performed with the scrubber in its current state Flooding extended storage between uses improper
80. r through which breathing gas circulates Canister Mechanical assembly where the Absorbent Scrubber Pack is housed Caustic Cocktail very alkaline liquid water mixed with CO absorbent material CC closed circuit mode CO carbon dioxide Dive Control Parameter DCP The control to define how high the oxygen level is set for the dive profile eSCR electronic Semi Closed Rebreather a semi closed rebreather that utilizes elec tronics for setpoint maintenance Exhale Counterlung The counterlung positioned behind the diver s right shoulder FO fraction of oxygen Graphical User Interface GUI The display system for communicating information to the diver Heads Up Display HUD The LED display positioned in front of the mask HP high pressure Inhale counterlung The counterlung positioned behind the diver s left shoulder IP intermediate pressure The use of the word diluent is a misnomer carried over from a component used in closed circuit rebreather diving that operates in a similar fashion In the Explorer the ADV does not dilute the gas but instead enriches with nitrox gas LCV Port the port on the exhale counterlung that houses the exhale counterlung mushroom valve This port links to the LCV via a balance tube Life Support System LSS Module the diver s left hand electro mechanical assembly Loop Control Valve LCV the valve in the canister that controls the amount of exhaust gas exiting the rebreat
81. reather This includes new Explorer divers as well as Explorer certified divers who have been away from diving for an extend ed period of time and would benefit from an instructor led refresher course to regain skills and mastery of the Hollis Explorer Failure to do so can lead to serious injury or death W WARNING NITROX STATEMENT The EXPLORER equipment is classified as being suitable for use with nitrogen oxygen Nitrox breath ing gas mixtures containing up to 40 oxygen by volume without the need for special preparation cleaning or component parts If Explorer equipment is subsequently used with equipment or connected to an air supply system that is not rated for Oxygen Service it can subsequently be used with Nitrox 32 40 O as long as the equipment is maintained in accordance with the procedures and parts specified by Hollis The EXPLORER was designed for use with Nitrox 32 40 O DO NOT use gas mixtures with a fraction of oxygen greater than 40 with your EXPLORER M WARNING CAUSTIC MATERIAL The CO absorbent used in the scrubber is caustic alkaline material Take steps to protect yourself from direct lung and skin contact Furthermore poor management of the breathing loop could lead to water contact with the CO absorbent causing a caustic cocktail very caustic liquid This could lead to se vere chemical burns and if inhaled possible drowning Proper handling procedures pre dive checks dive techniques
82. require safety decompression stops to be conducted consult your training agency for information If you accidentally stray into decompression the system will generate a green blue HUD alarm the decompression stop and stop time will be displayed on the STATUS screen This feature is designed for contingency purposes only El DANGER The EXPLORER is not designed for use with gases other than Nitrox WARNING Decompression diving significantly increases the risk of decompression illness Various alarms will be generated if elements of decompression are vio lated Please see the Deco States Table below and the EXPLORER flow charts for further detail DECO STATES Missed Stop Missed deco stop Blue Green MISSED STOP USE TABLES Too Shallow Deco Ceiling violated Blue Green DECO for lt 1 min DESCEND NOW At Stop Within 1 m 3 3 ft below Blue Green AT STOP the next stop WAIT x MINS Near Stop Within 3 m 10 ft Blue Green NEAR STOP of the next stop ASCEND TO x M FT Too Deep gt 3 m 10 ft below ceiling Blue Green DECO ASCEND TO x M FT El NOTE When you have decompression stops to complete or if any alarm is showing the STATUS display will remain on and not automatically time out 64 INTERNET REPROGRAMMING The EXPLORER can be automatically reprogrammed and upgraded with new software downloads from the Internet The PC Link option enables use of this feature Contact the manufacturer web site or your dealer for
83. ring dives review the STATUS informa tion Using the Simu lator APP and the display understand the surface menu s Stay on the EX PLORER Allow a Buddy to use the Buddy regulator Initially conduct in a horizontal swim then during an as cent to 6m 20ft Follow all local standards and training agency guidelines regarding available breathing sources while executing this skill 930 EXPLORER SKILLS COMPLETED DRY SKILLS 1 Management of O rings Student Instructor 2 Assemble the unit Student __ Instructor 3 Proper dive planning Student__ Instructor 4 Post dive care Student ___ Instructor 5 Complete Explorer Exam Student Instructor with a minimum score of 80 missed questions reviewed with instructor IN WATER SKILLS 1 Pre dive checks Student Instructor 2 Callibration of EXPLORER Student Instructor 3 In water leak buoyancy and trim checks Student__ Instructor 4 Carry and use of additional bailout gas Student Instructor 5 Dive Control Parameter Adjustment Student__ Instructor 6 Remove and replace unit on surface Student Instructor 7 Electronics operation Student Instructor 8 SMB deployment Student Instructor 9 Remove water from the breathing loop with the LCV Student____ Instructor 10 HUD use STATUS monitoring Student Instructor 11 Gas share with a buddy Student Instructor 12 Equalizing ears Student Instructor 13 Mask clearing skills Student Instructor 14 Drysuit use where
84. s and sealing surfaces to ensure they are in good condition The Explorer case has two notches on either side of the canister opening Align the locking ring tab with the notch on the left side when the Explorer case is laying on the harness side Additionally line up the solenoid as shown Fig 2 8 Then while pressing the LSS assembly into position turn the the lock ring clockwise 180 degrees until the tab rests in the other notch on the Explor er case Step 10 Adjust the included Harness or optional BCD for proper fit El NOTE See the Hollis Buoyancy Guide doc 12 4012 for instruc D tions on the Harness and Wing fittment and proper use It may be downloaded from http hollisgear com support_manuals asp Step 11 Inspect the mushroom valves in the BOV and make sure they are in place El DANGER Your Explorer must have proper mushroom valve func tion before every dive See BOV Assembly subsection in the Complete Disassembly amp Reassembly PART 2 Section 3 of this manual for instructions on testing the mushroom valves Fig 2 10 Attach the regulator LP hose to the BOV and gently tighten the nut to the hose inlet Fig 2 9 item C After inspecting the hose end O rings attach the breathing hoses to the BOV Ensure the white hose end goes to the inhale side Fig 2 9 item B of the BOV Attach the HUD Bracket to the inhalation side hose nut and snap the HUD into the HUD Bracket Fig 2 10 The HUD Bracket
85. s are to reduce the chance of acci dental injury or death by breathing on an EXPLORER that is in off sleeping state EXPLORER uses detection of a diver breathing the loop to automatically turn the unit on BREATHING DETECTION TURN ON RULES The EXPLORER will turn on if the loop PO drops to 0 17bar Therefore even with the unit incorrectly assembled gas not turned on the system will detect the fall in PO and will activate It will then alarm and require the user to properly complete the pre dive sequence Once turned on the LSS unit will attempt to maintain a breathable PO based on the DCP Dive Control Parameter setting and the supply gas expected If sensors are removed or read 0 00 then the unit will only turn on with depth or by the user pressing a switch This feature is included to conserve battery power when the user takes out O sensors for storage or during transport Other errors such as failing to turn on cylinders etc are much more likely and should be reduced by proper training and the intelligent alarm systems as in the EXPLORER If the diver does not have HP gas turned on alarms on the HUD BUD and Wrist display will occur as soon as auto turn on occurs Hence this method provides increased warnings whenever the loop is breathed on with the unit turned off Breathing the loop in all circumstances where the unit is breathable and O sensors operative will trigger an automatic turn on fl DANGER The additional
86. s never wrong to bailout in response to a misunderstood unit failure When in doubt bail out Proper bailout planning can save your life Rules 1 If a single sensor is below 0 15 bar or above 3 00 bar then it will be removed from the averaging a BAD CELL DO NOT DIVE alarm will be displayed if not diving or ASCEND BAD CELL if diving Mandatory Diver Action Ascend on rebreather Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout to surface 2 lf a sensor is less than 7 mV then it will be removed from the averaging a BAD CELL DO NOT DIVE alarm will be displayed if not diving or ASCEND BAD CELL if diving Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on the rebreather Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface 3 If one sensor is 0 2 bar away from the two remaining sensors then it will be removed from the averaging a BAD CELL DO NOT DIVE alarm will be displayed if not diving or ASCEND BAD CELL if diving Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on the rebreather Preferred Diver Action Open circuit Bailout ascend to surface 4 If all three cells are removed from the averaging for the same reason i e all low or all high then all cells will be used in the averaging Super seding rules 1 2 and 3 a BAD CELLS DO NOT DIVE alarm will be displayed if not diving or ASCEND BAD CELLS if diving Mandatory Diver Action Ascend to surface on t
87. sen sors MUST be replaced DO NOT touch the white sensor face with anything in an attempt to dry the sensor CANISTER END CAP DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY Fig 2 18 e Remove the Right Hand end cap by twisting the lock ring counter clock wise 1 2 turn e Inspect and clean the O ring and sealing surfaces Lubricate and refit the end cap sealing O rings Fig 2 19 A e Refit the end cap by aligning the locking ring tab with the notch in the Explorer case on the left side while pushing the end cap into the canister Then turn the lock ring clockwise by 180 degrees to the opposite notch in the Explorer case Fl NOTE The Diver s Right Side End Cap contains the Go No Go Device This is the green stem in the picture Fig 2 19 B sur Fig 2 19 rounded by a spring Ei DANGER If you do not insert an absorbent scrubber pack the de vice greatly restricts breathing on the loop This is to force you off the breathing loop until the issue is remedied You must not dive without a CO scrubber pack fitted CANISTER DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY e Remove the counterlungs and hoses by unscrewing the hose lock rings counterclockwise Clean and inspect the sealing face for each end cap seal hose ends and counterlung ports e Disconnect the LCV balance cap and tube from the exhale counterlung to the Canister at the counterlung Fig 2 20 This is a 1 2 turn counter clockwise unlock Release the locking tabs as shown Fig 2 21 e Ins
88. st be replaced if it begins to show signs of deterioration or becomes torn Fig 2 23 16 e Fill with CO absorbent as per PART 4 Section 2 in this manual and refit the lid dust filter spring and top nut COUNTERLUNG DISASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY e Remove the counterlungs by unscrewing the connectors e Remove the exhale counterlung LCV mushroom valve cap 1 2 turn counterclockwise to unlock e Sanitize and inspect the counterlungs COUNTERLUNG TESTING e Attach the BOV exhale side diver s right side of the mouthpiece to the exhale counterlung canister port e Block the LCV port cap hose by folding it on itself to cut off gas flow e With the BOV in CC mode Fully inflate the counterlung Immerse and look for leaks e Repeat for inhale counterlung there is no LCV cap to cap off REGULATOR WIRELESS HP TRANSMITTER TESTING e Connect a diving cylinder e Turn on the wrist display and complete the pre dive sequence e During the Pre dive HP gas test sequence if the first stage transmitter battery is low a warning will appear Fig 2 24 or if low at the start or end a yellow warning Fig 2 25 will appear El NOTE The HP Sender must be pressurized to activate A closed tank valve could result in a HP Sender battery low indication Fl DANGER If you are in doubt as to the HP readings on EXPLORER you must check it by attaching a normal gauge and hose to the HP post PUTTING ASSEMBLIES TOGETHER e Fit the Sensor Modul
89. t 30 Charging and Low either Loo LSS module or handset battery lt 100 Fail or Solonoid Valve Loss of LSS module comm in the handset PO Blue Green Do Not Dive alarm states are High If 2 or 3 cells in state OK and average PO 1 6 bar V High Control If 2 or 3 cells in state OK and provide complete and PO 0 70 bar V Low Control If 2 or 3 cells in state OK and predive complete and PO lt 0 20 bar where PO PO setpoint i e the difference between the average PO and the setpoint The average PO is based on the calibrated value from all cells in alarm state OK 59 PRIMARY ELECTRONIC BAILOUT SCENARIO CHART None Usable Green Y loop Bad sensor Usable Blue Y Fail loop Green safe mode Bad sensor readings error greater than 0 5 PO PO exceeds safe limits or multiple sen sor errors Wireless HP data loss High CO gt 5 mbar Very High CO gt 10 mbar System OK STATUS screen action panel will show AS CEND NOW STATUS screen action panel will show AS CEND NOW PO panel will be in Magenta No Comms BAILOUT Usable Blue Y Fail loop Green safe mode Usable Y depen loop dant on DCP PO Usable Blue Y STATUS screen action loop Green panel will show AS CEND NOW HP panel will be in Magenta No Comms STATUS screen action panel will show AS CEND NOW Usable Blue loop Green Unus
90. tain levels as defined in the Alarm Tables Fig 3 20 In addition should a resource alarm be triggered for any reason the STA TUS screen will appear This will not only note the resource level but can also tell the user of the direct action required i e ASCEND NOW 36 OXYGEN SENSOR CALIBRATION The EXPLORER is able to perform accurate calibration of the Oxygen PO sensors in ambient air This has particular importance on the ease and accuracy of achieving calibrated sensors The EXPLORER is able to measure atmospheric pressure during calibra tion and make the appropriate calibration adjustments for the sensors When performing sensor calibrations it is important that the calibration gas and ambient pressure are known By using ambient air as the calibration gas this is known accurately Calibration Errors When Oxygen sensors are new or completely dry anda calibration is undertaken a small difference will be not ed when another calibration is done after a dive This is because the humidity inside a unit post dive affects the sensor membranes permeability to a small safe degree In general it is good practice to calibrate a unit in an as dived state i e with humidity in the loop This is per formed naturally during the Pre Dive Check sequence The EXPLORER uses advanced empirical techniques to ensure the accura cy of the ambient air calibration I WARNING When refitting an oxygen sensor or after calibrat
91. terial Proper training and education are your best insurance against an inconvenient situation becoming a deadly one MW WARNING ALTITUDE For the Explorer to accurately gauge altitude and the preceding dive depths the Explorer must be turned on prior to diving Additionally diving at high altitude requires special knowledge of the varia tions imposed upon divers their activities and their equipment by the decrease in atmospheric pres sures Hollis recommends completion of a specialized Altitude training course by a recognized training agency prior to diving in high altitude lakes or rivers MW WARNING COLD WATER Diving rebreathers in frigid water requires special equipment training and preparation to prevent pos sible injury or death Rebreathers present unique variables to cold water diving that are not a factor in open circuit diving in the same temperatures Cold water diving is beyond the scope of this manual There are many variables not listed here It is essential and the responsibility of the diver to be aware of all issues The diver must know how to best prepare their equipment and how to best prepare themselves for the cold water environment The diver must obtain further training beyond standard Explorer training or Open Circuit Ice Diver certification alone Cold Water Issues Include The Following Changes in temperature may lead to expansion and contraction of CO absorbent material possibly leading to channeling
92. the surface with weights removed and BCD inflated On the surface and in the water the div er should be able to demonstrate navigation through all the STATUS screens describe onsurface each screen s meaning and comfortably in terpret all displayed information This skill teaches students the rela tionship between PO changes due to ascent and buoy ancy changes 89 Remove water from the breathing loop with the LCV HUD BUD use STATUS monitoring Gas share witha buddy User demonstrates how to clear water from the breathing loop Understand Hand set computer operation STATUS monitoring Menu System amp HUD BUD User demonstrates gas sharing witha buddy To learn how to remove water from the breathing loop due to conden sation improper mouthpiece handling etc To understand the STATUS display and the HUD light and vibration motor alarms To understand the set up menus of the EXPLORER To practice deploy ing and receiving a second stage bailout Towards the end of a dive move to an upright position switch to open circuit and shake loop above head to drain any water from BOV and hose Then return to breathing loop Continue breathing as normal and the LCV system will vent water from the loop If on an ascent simply continue ascending until the counter lung over pressuriz es Water will drain through the LCV Using the Simulator APP and du
93. ther problem is likely to be the cause in this instance Possible causes include e Oxygen sensors have become wet e Current gas exposed to the Oxygen sensors is not what you think it is e The mini jack connection is corroded Check the readings on the STATUS screen average or Service Mode STATUS Screen all 3 sensors If a sensor is reading incorrectly first remove it and clean the mini jack connector This can be done with Hollis approved elec trical contact cleaner or simply by wiping the connector with a lint free cloth DO NOT scratch the connector with a metal instrument Then look for droplets of moisture on the sensor membrane Use a rolled tissue to gently wick any moisture drop lets from the sensor WITHOUT making contact with the sensor membrane itself Pushing on the sensor membrane face can destroy the sensor If neither of these corrects the reading then the sensor should be replaced The Oxygen sensors vary only slightly over time Temperature atmospheric pressure and moisture have far greater short term effects on the readings Calibrations carried out once a week should be more than sufficient unless the EXPLORER has been transported to different climates or significantly different ambi ent conditions So calibration checks not actual calibrations should be car ried out regularly to ensure the oxygen PO sensing system is performing correctly Calibrations should be done more spar ingly as it takes
94. these checks rely completely on the diver to perform them correctly i e Close open BOV Other tests can be performed by the electronics control system and the user needs to con firm that these are OK to dive with i e that the high pressure cylinder is adequately filled Information regarding the current status of EXPLORER and all available resources can be reviewed prior to conducting Pre Dive Checks using the STATUS screen DATA LOGGING EXPLORER has a sophisticated data logging system that not only records all the units sensors depth time PO etc but also records any alarms and error messages This information can be retrieved through the data download Users can obtain dive download software from http hollis com support asp STATUS SCREEN The EXPLORER has two levels of detailed information available to the diver The primary method is via the STATUS screen There is an additional set of STATUS screens in service mode described in the PART 3 Section 6 of this chapter The STATUS screen shows as soon as the EXPLORER is turned on Fig 3 1 In addition Status screens can be viewed at any point in the dive by press ing any button and selecting STAT from the pop up menu using a short push of the right button Once in the STATUS screen a short press of the left or right button scrolls through the information options These are a PO average of the 3 sensors b CO sensor c HP gas d Battery lif
95. time to ensure sensors are exposed to the cor rect conditions Often a bad calibration causes more confusing problems than small errors due to temperature change User error caused by failure to use the appropriate ambient gas air is a big source of sensor errors 1 Don t mask problems with excessive calibrations 2 If something seems wrong check everything Do not just execute a calibration to fix the reading You could be making matters worse 3 Keep sensors dry 4 When doing a calibration ensure the sensors are exposed to air by following all on screen handset instructions 5 Just removing hoses is not enough to get air to the sen sors Either the breathing routine described in the Pre Dive sequence must be used or the Sensor Module should be re moved from the EXPLORER and sensors allowed to stabilize in ambient air 6 If the EXPLORER has had a change in climate or significant ambient conditions these are good reasons to check calibra tion 7 The readings from the oxygen sensors change with tempera ture If you are diving in warmer or colder water than normal PO readings will vary Ensure calibrations take place at a tem perature as close to diving conditions as possible 41 OXYGEN SENSOR VOTING VOTING METHOD The EXPLORER has a method of automatically removing Oxygen sensors from the PO averaging and entering a fail safe mode when it is not possi ble to resolve an inaccurate PO reading Fl NOTE It i
96. together and after a maximum of 12 months from first usage or the Do Not Use After date printed on the sensor whichever comes first e Water and corrosion on the sensor jack plug may give false Oxygen readings Seawater may dry leaving a deposit on the jack connectors and the sensor membrane If you Suspect corrosion remove the sensor from the sensor module and clean the jack plug with a cloth and DeoxlIT GN5 contact cleaner ga e Check the sensor membrane A certain amount of moisture will always appear on and around the sensors If you suspect excessive water has made contact with the sensor faces Remove excess water carefully with a paper tissue and leave to dry in a warm area If the jack socket on the sensor is wet the sensor may be damaged as the electronics inside the sensor will also be wet Il WARNING Flooded sensors must be replaced 93 SERVICE Your instructor will educate you on what you the end user can service yourself For all other service needs your Hollis Explorer Technician has been trained in the proper skills to service your your Hollis equipment Always follow the Maintenance Schedule at the end of this chapter to keep your EXPLORER in peak condition The EXPLORER also keeps a log of usage hours and it will display a service reminder when it is close to the service interval Fig 7 1 Fig 7 1 El NOTE The maximum usage hours between service is 200 hours When less than 25 of the 200 allowed
97. tons Fig 3 12 enter the modification screen Exit The Menu Long push both buttons Scroll Down Short push right button Scroll Up short push left button SETUP MENU OPTIONS UNITS This option allows for the switching between metric and imperial unit modes LOGGING INTERVAL This option allows for the selection of how frequently 1s 10 s or 1 min the computer takes a snapshot of dive data stored for later download Us ing a shorter interval results in more data points per dive and fewer stored dives for download data respectively Longer data intervals result in fewer data points less detail but the space to store more dives Example 2 hour dives using a 10 s logging interval the storage limit is 5 dives For increasingly shorter dives the logbook limit will increase to 28 for dives lt 10min TIME DATE 23 179 This is the clock and calendar setting Fig 3 13 i gt k E A F T f El NOTE When the EXPLORER is first powered up from a discharged battery you will be asked to update the date and time Fig 3 13 31 DEFAULT GAS FIG 3 74 DEFAULT GAS a X A Set this to your analyzed dive gas During the Pre dive checks if EXPLOR 40 EAN ER analyzes a different gas it will alarm and ask you to recheck the anal ey ysis For further detail on the proper use of this function see the following VOL 40 CUFT section Bailout and Gas Configuration HP PAIRING 4 Fig 3
98. try again Return to dealer if problem persists Negative test failed Ensure Cyl inder is attached Ensure Mouth piece is fully in OC mode Fill loop until vent valves exhausts then attempt negative test again If HP reduces by gt 50bar 735 psi or does not reduce by at least 5bar 73 5 psi Make sure cylinder valve is fully open Check cylinder size is correct in DEFAULT GAS Menu Do not use unlisted cylinders Submerge unit and look for LP HP leaks BC inflator failures etc Low HP gas in dive cylinder 79 Message Meaning CALIBRATE CONFIRM Wireless HP sender battery is low Analyzed gas is not what is expected by the DEFAULT GAS setting Analyze gas and check setting The LCV and OPV are not vent ing at the correct pressure Flush valves with fresh water and repeat test If the problem persists return the unit to your dealer You have stopped breathing while conducting a pre breathe se quence Repeat the test If the error per sists return the unit to your dealer If the Predive sequence is com pleted the STATUS window is active and you see the above alarm then HP usage is greater than 1bar min 14 7 psi min This could indicate a leak in the HP or LP circuit internal pipe work BC or BOV Submerge to locate the leak EMERGENCY START UP SYSTEM ESS Should you have no option other than to enter the water immediately EXPLORER will activate the display and show
99. ular the mushroom valves 82 ltems to be sanitized are e The BOV and hoses e The counterlungs e The canister tube and all its internal components Il WARNING You MUST make sure you read the Material Safety Data information before using The hoses should be removed and Steramine solution should be flushed through the complete assembly and allowed to drain out To remove excess solution push the hose corrugations together like using a concer tina to squeeze the water out RECHARGING Please see Batteries PART 2 Section 1 ABSORBENT DISPOSAL Absorbent must be changed in accordance with the PART 4 Section 2 of this manual BCD Drain any water from the BCD Re inflate operate dump valves and the inflator to confirm everything is OK B83 MANDATORY DIVING SKILLS EXPLORER BASICS The primary diving skills required to use the EXPLORER will be covered in your chosen agency s training program and will not be reviewed here However there are certain unit specific skills which must be covered during your training course These are detailed below LEAK TESTING See PART 4 Section 1 CALIBRATION See PART 3 Section 12 HARNESS ADJUSTMENT see the Hollis Buoyancy Guide doc 12 4012 BUOYANCY CONTROL AND TRIM Initially in shallow confined water you will be required to maintain a hov ering simulated decompression stop You will then practice short ascents descents initially ascents will be made from progr
100. y war ranties and no repairs or service work will be performed by any Hollis service professional until the altered Explorer unit is brought back into factory specifications by a Hollis service professional at the owner s expense W WARNING COMPUTER CONTROLLER SPECIFIC WARNINGS This computer is capable of calculating deco stop requirements These calculations are predictions of ohysiological decompression requirements Calculations are for contingency use only The Explorer in this sport configuration is not intended for decompression use iV MW WARNING HYPERCAPNIA HYPOXIA amp HYPEROXIA RISKS This device is designed to maintain a safe breathing gas under sport diving conditions But like all machines it could fail To mitigate risks it is essential that a diver is trained and fully understands the risks of hypercapnia CO poisoning hypoxia oxygen starvation and hyperoxia oxygen poisoning It is also critical to have adequate bailout gas for the planned depth Be aware that a well packed and well maintained Scrubber is key in achieving a life support system The Canister Duration Meter CDM is not a substitute for good system maintenance and Pre Dive checks Always use your training and discipline to ensure the sub systems in the EXPLORER are oper ating correctly Critical components and potential failures are The scrubber seal around the scrubber A poorly packed scrubber Used or out of date scrubber ma

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