This entry-level course is aimed at divers who want to dive with a Rebreather eCCR for the first time – always in the company of a certified Poseidon Se7en Air Diluent Instructor of an organization recognized by Poseidon Training to a maximum depth of 20 meters.
Participants will learn to:
- Pre-dive and preperation checks
- Demonstrate planning procedures before the dive, System identification and redundancy planning, Selection of conservatism (gradient factors), Assessing thermal limitations, Planning emergency decompression
- Rescue and ascent procedures, Managing gas loss scenarios, Communication using hand signals or audible signals, Identifying damaged hoses / loops, Flooded scrubber canister / CO2 breakthrough, Dealing with oxygen value deviations, Flooded breathing hose / loop, Electronics and battery failure
- Bubble check / linearity test at 3–6 meters depth, Electronic PPO2 monitoring and setpoint adjustment, Operating head-up display and dive computers
- Removing, replacing, and clearing the mask, Using lift bags / SMBs and spool/reel, Adhering to dive limit, Conducting safety stops, Consistent management of loop breathing volume, Behavior in mixed diving teams (OC and eCCR), Switching to bailout and safe OC ascent
- Exiting the water using an environmentally suitable technique, Proper care and disassembly of the rebreather, Cleaning and disinfection of the device, Flushing the device with freshwater, Rinse and disinfect mouthpiece/BOV, counterlung, hoses, and scrubber sponge, Cleaning and disinfecting the device, Inspecting components of the device, General maintenance of the unit, Removing and replacing sensors if necessary, Charging batteries
Prerequisites
- Certification: The participant must be certified as an Open Water Scuba Diver by a recognized organization certified according to ISO framework conditions and woksflows and provide proof of a Nitrox (EAN) certification or an equivalent certificate from an organization recognized by Poseidon Training.
- Nitrox training can be combined with this course.
- Minimum age: 18 years
- Diving experience: A minimum of 25 logged open water dives and a total dive time of at
least 20 hours must be documented.
Course Structure
Poseidon Training permits instructors to flexibly adapt the course to the number of participants, their skills, and their level of knowledge. This allows for an individualized design of the curriculum to optimally address different learning levels.
Theoretical requirements: For the theoretical part, the Poseidon Training e-learning for the Poseidon Se7en eCCR must be used. To pass the final test, a score of at least 80% of the maximum points is required. All incorrectly answered questions must then be reviewed together with the participant to ensure complete understanding. If the e-learning is not available in the participant’s language, the english version must be used.
Course duration: The entire course should take a minimum of 3 days.
Theory and equipment workshop: At least 8 hours of theoretical instruction as well as a workshop on equipment maintenance are required. Part of this theoretical training is conducted via the Poseidon Training e-learning for the Poseidon Se7en eCCR.
Pool or confined water (swimming pool–like conditions): At least 2 dives must be conducted under controlled, swimming pool–like conditions with a total training time of at least 120 minutes, to a maximum depth of 9 meters.
Open water (sea, lake, quarry, river, or similar): Before beginning open water training, a fully equipped eCCR diver must be towed for a distance of 50 meters at the surface. Thereafter, at least 120 minutes of open water training, distributed over a minimum of 2 dives, must be completed.
Theory Sessions:
- History and development of rebreathers
- Comparison of open circuit (OC) and closed circuit (CC) systems
- Functionality of the Se7en
- Physics for eCCR diving
- Medicine for eCCR diving
- CO2 absorption systems
- Technology / configuration of the Se7en
- Pre-dive/post-dive checks for the Se7en
- Bailout strategy for the Se7en
- PPO2 measurement systems
- Diving practice with the Se7en
- Dive calculation and planning
- Care / maintenance of the Se7en
Training Sessions:
- Session 1 (confined conditions)
- Linearity test, bubble checks, maintaining buoyancy control
- Switching underwater from CC to OC and back to CC, removing the mouthpiece from the mouth, putting it back in, clearing it, and switching back to CC, letting it
- float up, “catching” it, putting it back in, clearing it, and switching to CC
- Remove the mask, put it back on, and clear it by blowing out through the nose
- Session 2 (confined conditions)
- Linearity test, bubble checks, maintaining buoyancy control
- Buoyancy control and adjustment of the correct amount of weight and its positioning
- Closing the mouthpiece underwater, removing it from the mouth, switching to the instructor’s bailout gas regulator (stage), switching back to the rebreather mouthpiece, opening it, clearing it, and breathing from it again
- Remove the mask, put it back on, and clear it by blowing out through the nose
- Session 3 (Open water with a maximum diving depth of 10m)
- Linearity test, bubble checks, maintaining buoyancy control
- Safety exercise: Responding to alarms
- Controlled ascent to 5m
- Practicing a safety stop at 5m
- Session 4 (Open water with a maximum diving depth of 20m)
- Linearity test, bubble checks, maintaining buoyancy control
- Safety exercise: Responding to alarms
- Switching to own OC (BOV) and controlled ascent from 10m with a safety stop at 5m
After the Course
After successfully completing the course, graduates are qualified to conduct safe dives to a maximum depth of 20 meters – always accompanied by a Poseidon Se7en Air Diluent Instructor or a higher qualified instructor from a recognized training organization. An upgrade to Poseidon Se7en Air Diluent eCCR Diver is possible within 12 months.