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I own a BioMarine 155 rebreather. I know three other divers besides myself
who own and dive the same unit. The BioMarine unit has a manual override
for all electronic functions. You can turn the unit off or it can crap out
completely and it still can be operated manually in a closed circuit mode.
The unit cost each of us approx. $ 10K. To a person each of the owners
have plumbed new hardware into the system to add an open circuit regulator
and inflator hoses, etc. Hardware has been plumbed and unplumbed;  the
units have been taken completely apart and reassembled. We know the unit
backwards and frontwards. The electronics can be worked on by the
manufacturer if necessary or by a competent electronic tech. The course to
use the unit cost $800. The unit is tried and true with thousands of hours
of dives behind it. It may not have the computer circuitry of newly
designed rebreathers but it sure as hell doesn't shut off when it is time
to see if I've been a good boy and used it properly. If the unit
malfunctions there are backup procedures for all functions. Most
importantly the owners can repair the unit in the field. If you require an
independent third party to repair most of your rebreather components or to 
tell you when to service it, stick to open circuit and have someone bring 
you extra tanks to breathe. Especially if you have to pay $15K plus for 
the unit plus 3K for a course to use it. Unless you are using the unit 
commercially in some form or another it is simply not worth the $ unless 
you have a lot of disposable income. A fact of life is that a rebreather 
diver must be able to work on his (her) own unit in the field. They 
malfunction in some form or another, major or minor, on just about every 
dive with regular usuage. To send it back to the manufacturer for every 
repair is impractical in most instances. Flame me at TEK if you have 
comments. 

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