The Long Awaited JJ-CCR Review

With the summer here and everything heating up we thought it was time to bring you the review of one of the two new CCR’s we have to offer for 2012. With Werner Lau Tek being the ONLY centre in the middle-east to offer JJ-CCR rental and training we thought we would update you with a few pictures and some text from instructor David Armstrong.

The JJ-CCR is an electronic closed circuit rebreather with a twist. It has back mounted counterlungs as standard… meaning a clear fron whilst diving. Usually back mounted counter lungs have the inherent problem of an increased work of breathing due to their position but the JJ-CCR has risen above and gained a full CE rating for both air dil and trimix. The result is that the JJ-CCR has a fantastic work of breathing and it has been described by people as ‘like having a twinset on your back’. Because of this the JJ-CCR is a perfect move for people wanting to transfer from Open Circuit to closed circuit rebreather diving.

The first noticable thing when you first look at the JJ-CCR is the obvious build quality. Everything is machined to the highest standard.
The ‘Can’ is machined out of aluminium which is then anodised black with a JJ-CCR engraving across the back, this engraving can be changed to anything you would like aswell.

On the base of the unit is a plaque depicting the type,serial number and depth operation range of the JJ.

The regs are standard apeks DS4 1st stages with all myflex hose fittings with the exact lengths to fit the JJ-CCR perfectly.

The Loop of the unit is made from tough convoluted rubber and allows flexibility of movement when looking either left or right.

The mouthpiece it-self is machined from deralin and is therfore robust and comfortable in the mouth with an easy ‘pin’ protruding from the front to allow one handed operation from CCR to OC mode.

With back mounted counterlungs the manual add buttons have been added to the T-pieces on the top of each counterlung (divers shoulders). On the Inhale side an ADV is fitted to allow automatic diluent edition as the loop volume decreases. On the exhale side there is fitted the oxygen manual add. The O2 manual add has a swivel and quick disconect with standard LP nipple on it so it is possible to plumb in off-board gas if the need arises.

The head of the unit again is made from deralin and houses the electronics or brains of the unit. With a battery box containing two CRP-2 batteries and a single 3.6v AA for the HUD it is compact and sleek in design. The top of the head also has a shearwater button to turn the head on/off and to allow calibration.

On the inside of the head the JJ has 3 cells with coaxial connectors. The elextronics themselves are resin sealed in a block beside the cells. The solenoid is also a low powered design meaning less battery useage but it is still easily audible through a hood.

The handset of the unit is in the form of a shearwater predator computer. Not only do you get the shearwater capability for decompression diving it is live and up to date from the readings of the 3 cells. The shearwater also allows you to change gradient factors, use different algorithums and has a selection of solenoid speed, colours and alot more.

The HUD sits on the divers right hand side on top of the mouthpiece. This an easy to read LED sequence and a light for each cell it is easy to fly the unit without having to look at the handset and if the primary fails the HUD allows you to complete using the LED’s to read your ppO2

The JJ-CCR is fast becoming a popular unit and it is easy to see why. It is well built, easy to use and set up and trims out perfectly in the water with minimul to no adjustment needed from the diver.

‘I am still smiling from that try dive… it was just like diving a twinset’ Jonathan Allen

‘I wasnt expecting the unit to be so eay and comfortable in the water and the back-mounted counterlungs were easy to breathe in all positions’ Stefan Bol

The JJ-CCR is now officially available at Werner Lau tek the only place in egypt for CCR Diving!!!