Any recommendation for a AirLock Vacuum System ?

Hi

there are several AirLock Vacuum System out there.. with or without battery. 

Any recommendation for a AirLock Vacuum System ?

Thanks 

Hi ido

Check out the Vivid Leak Sentinel. Lots of us on Wetpixel have been using one of the various models for some years and really trust them. The boss at Vivid, Miso, is really helpful and provides superb customer service.

The link is here:

https://www.vividhousings.com/leak-sentinel.php

There is a version 5 too but I'm not sure why the website does't show it. If you google around you'll find lots of references to it. I've got the V5 "XB" version. I can heartily recommend it. In that version the electronics and battery are inside the housing rather than all contained in one unit like the V4. 

The leak sentinel gets good reviews, I think the battery ones are better than the ones where you have to come back and plug in a gauge, much more amenable to doing a long vacuum check of a few hours.  Of course if you have for example a Nauticam housing with with included vacuum electronics just buy their vacuum valve with the housing.

Here's another recommendation for the Vivid Leak Sentinel. I installed a Vivid Leak Sentinel V5 XB on my Nauticam housing and have been very happy with the results. Installation was really simple.

When my Ikelite returns from service/repair work, I'll be shopping for a V5 XB to install in it.

-Tinman

Thank you. This is very helpful.

I am also interested in third party vacuum systems...

May I ask Tinman, why you install the leak sentinel in a Nauticam housing, that has the vacuum system already preinstalled and just needs addition of the valve?

I am also interested to hear, how long do the batteries last. I have two Nauticam housings that use single CR2450 batteries for the vacuum and have to exchange them every 1-2 years (estimated after about 150 dives). I frequently assemble the rig in the evening and leave the vacuum on overnight until the next day. How does this compare to the leak sentinel?

Thanks, Wolfgang

Hey Wolfgang. 

I've had one version or another of the Sentinel for maybe 5-6 years starting with, I think the V2 - its now the V5. I've had to change the battery maybe twice.

Since V4 it has been possible to switch the system off after setting the vacuum - and then switch it back on, eg, the next morning pre-diving. So the system is not left switched on overnight - so saving battery life.

Hard to put a number of dives on it but I'd say 150 no problem. It's an easy to find battery and, with the XB version, very easy to change. It was slightly fiddlier with the V4 unit - but not that difficult.

Hi just got the 

On 10/14/2021 at 12:53 AM, TimG said:

Hi ido

Check out the Vivid Leak Sentinel. Lots of us on Wetpixel have been using one of the various models for some years and really trust them. The boss at Vivid, Miso, is really helpful and provides superb customer service.

The link is here:

https://www.vividhousings.com/leak-sentinel.php

There is a version 5 too but I'm not sure why the website does't show it. If you google around you'll find lots of references to it. I've got the V5 "XB" version. I can heartily recommend it. In that version the electronics and battery are inside the housing rather than all contained in one unit like the V4. 

Just got mine yesterday. Miso was indeed very helpful. Thanks for the recommendation. 

27 minutes ago, ido said:

Just got mine yesterday. Miso was indeed very helpful. Thanks for the recommendation. 

Yay! Miso is The Man. One of the many really helpful people/businesses linked to Wetpixel that it is a pleasure to deal with.

Hi guys,

Here is my very recent story (Oct 15) on the Leak Sentinel: I emailed Miso and his email bounced back with the error " Quota exceeded (mailbox for user is full)". The email address I used is  info@vividhousings.com . I then contacted him via website, and no response. I ended up ordering the V5 XB from a shop in Australia, and is already at the customs in San Francisco (I live in California). Looking forward to getting it and installing it.

16 hours ago, Silvana said:

Hi guys,

Here is my very recent story (Oct 15) on the Leak Sentinel: I emailed Miso and his email bounced back with the error " Quota exceeded (mailbox for user is full)". The email address I used is  info@vividhousings.com . I then contacted him via website, and no response. I ended up ordering the V5 XB from a shop in Australia, and is already at the customs in San Francisco (I live in California). Looking forward to getting it and installing it.

 

Woah, strange. And not like Miso. I hope he’s ok. 

54 minutes ago, TimG said:

Woah, strange. And not like Miso. I hope he’s ok. 

He had a problem with his mail server. Everything is fine now

Oh right! Thanks, Ido. Good to know.