Diver Daves' Mark-15 Teardown
This is a full teardown of the Biomarine Mark-15, which is likely the yardstick against which all other rebreathers are measured. There are a lot of pictures, at it's a complex rig. Give the page a short while to load and it'll be worth it. This particular rebreather is one that has been remanufactured using Smithers/Juergenson digital electronics, and it has been further modified for use of offboard second diliuent selection via a 3-port Whitey valve. In addition, the rig has has a 'Butt Mount" added for a 'Utility' bottle. This small bottle is for suit inflation, air diluent source, and 'may' be provided with an open circuit regulator for some slight open circuit capability in no-decompression diving. Of course, using the rig in deep water would require additional open circuit supplies to ensure a pathway to the surface. I have tried to group the photos in some sort of order, IE: electronics are grouped, etc. But enough of that, let's move on to the good stuff:
There are also some very good Mark-15 related articles available in the LINKS section. Make sure you visit it.
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I hope you enjoy this tour. Perhaps by studying the system in detail, you may come to understand why the Mark-15 has gained an extremely loyal following. The engineering of the system is beyond comparison, and the multiple available paths to a safe return to the surface makes the rig extremely safe. I am not aware of any accidents with civilian owned Mark-15 rebreathers, and am not aware of any accidents in the military that can be attributed to a failure of the machine and not the diver. I'd appreciate comments and will answer any questions that you may have. Thanks for visiting! Dave Sutton, January 2001 DSutton@redstaraviation.org
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