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1. Can the BioPak be stored underground and under what conditions?
2. Do the moisture sponges have to be damp when installed into the BioPak?
3. Can I use an existing facepiece with the BioPak?
4. What are the BioPak “end of mission life indicators”?
5. Are the electronic alarm components in the BioPak safe?
6. Is it possible to drink water when using the BioPak?
7. Are there protective options for the rubber breathing hoses?
8. Why does the blue light of the BioPak 240R TRIM indicator come on immediately after start up and sometimes during operation?
9. If the battery of the BioPak 240R monitor fails, how can I determine how much oxygen remains?
10. The BioPak 240R manual states that the three foam pads serve two purposes. What are these purposes?
11. How can it be determined that the BioPak 240R upper housing is properly latched?
12. Why does the TRIM indicator flash red-green-blue when the BioPak oxygen cylinder is opened?

Can the BioPak be stored underground and under what conditions?
Storage of the BioPak can occur in any location that will not exceed the storage temperature limits stated in the manual. The storage location shall be in an area that will keep the BioPak isolated as much as possible from contact with water, dirt and sources of damage such as impact, excessive vibration or crushing. It is strongly recommended to store the BioPak in a hardened case to provide further protection.

Do the moisture sponges have to be damp when installed into the BioPak?
It is stated by the user manual to open the lid of the BioPak and wet the sponges prior to use. This will provide the best inhalation gas cooling possible by the BioPak as the wet sponges provide a seal around the lid baffles that will insure that air flow is directed around the coolant canisters. Failure to wet the sponges prior to use may result in warmer than usual air temperatures at the start of BioPak use.

Can I use an existing facepiece with the BioPak?
The only instance an existing user-owned facepiece can be utilized on the BioPak is if the facepiece is the Scott AV-3000^TM facepiece and the facepiece is submitted to Biomarine for inspection and testing. All BioPak approvals are for the BioPak with AV-3000TM facepiece and the Biomarine quality assurance plan requires that facepieces not directly supplied by Biomarine must still pass all of Biomarine’s requirements and tests.

What are the BioPak “end of mission life indicators”?
The BioPak provides the user with three separate types of end of mission life indicators. A mechanical indicator is provided as a red portion of the remote pressure gauge. When the needle of the gauge is within the red band the BioPak is nearing the end of the mission life. A visual indication is provided by a flashing LED lamp that will flash red as soon as the remaining oxygen stores are at 25% of full capacity and will continue flashing until the BioPak cylinder is closed or the oxygen is fully consumed. A horn will sound for a ten-second period when remaining oxygen stores are at 25% of capacity. The horn will then change to a chirp that will increase in frequency until the BioPak cylinder is closed or oxygen is fully consumed. The horn and LED indicators operate independently and isolated from the gauge so that the BioPak is provided with redundant alarming systems.

Are the electronic alarm components in the BioPak safe?
The electronic package of the BioPak that provides the LED and horn alarms is rated as intrinsically safe according to EN 50014:1997 +A1 & A2, EN 50020:2002, EN 50284:1999 and EN 50303:2000. Additionally the electronic package has been deemed permissible for use in gassy underground mines by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under the requirements of Title 30 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 18.

Is it possible to drink water when using the BioPak?
YES! The BioPak can be supplied with an approved Hydration System that permits drinking of liquids WITHOUT removing the facepiece or breaking into the breathing loop. A 1.5-liter exchangeable reservoir is connected to the harness waist belt and a transfer tube extends to a facepiece interface device. The interface device permits the insertion and withdraw of a bite valve into the user’s mouth during use. The reservoir can be replaced during use without inducing breathing loop leaks. The hydration system can be adapted to any BioPak 240R respirator by the user in the field.

Are there protective options for the rubber breathing hoses?
Yes. The BioPak has several protective devices for the breathing hoses as listed below:

• Anti-Crush Rings: These are injection-molded rings from a stainless steel/polycarbonate alloy that will slide over the breathing hoses and lodge into position between the hose convolutions. The presence of the rings will prevent hose collapse from pinching and will allow the user to carry equipment or other objects on their shoulders on top of the breathing hose.
• Kevlar® Hose Covers: These covers are fitted over the hoses and closed with a zipper. The Kevlar® mesh of the covers will provide a measure of protection against hose abrasion.
• Heat Reflective Cover: This cover is a single cover that covers both hoses and the facepiece adapter. The cover is closed with a zipper and is constructed of fire-resistant and heat reflective materials to provide additional protection from high radiant heat.

Why does the blue light of the BioPak 240R TRIM indicator come on immediately after start up and sometimes during operation?
The blue light of the BioPak 240R TRIM indicator is an indication that the user may not have inserted frozen ice canisters into the BioPak. The blue light will ALWAYS come on during the immediate start up of the BioPak as part of the on-board system diagnostic check. Should the blue light come on again 5-10 minutes after start then the user should verify that frozen ice canisters have been inserted into the BioPak. The blue alarm is a warning and will self-cancel after approximately 5-minutes after activation. Should the blue light come on during operation after the initial 15-20 minutes the cable connecting the breathing chamber to the monitor housing is most likely loose and requires tightening.

If the battery of the BioPak 240R monitor fails, how can I determine how much oxygen remains?
In the case of battery failure causing the TRIM indicator to shut down, the user can determine remaining oxygen simply by viewing the pressure gauge mounted to the shoulder harness of the BioPak. In all cases of battery failure the user is instructed to immediately return to a safe location and doff the BioPak. These instructions are presented to the user in the User Manuals as well as during User Training sessions.

The BioPak 240R manual states that the three foam pads serve two purposes. What are these purposes?
The foam pads provide moisture adsorption and retention within the breathing loop to prevent free water from filling the facepiece during BioPak use. The pads also form a seal on the lower edge of the breathing chamber lid baffles to direct air flow around the coolant shells and thus provide a greater efficiency of breathing gas temperature regulation.

How can it be determined that the BioPak 240R upper housing is properly latched?
A properly latched upper housing will conform to the contours of the lower housing all the way around the top lip of the lower housing and the connecting tabs of the lower housing will be fully engaged into the square holes of the upper housing.

How can I be sure the battery in the electronic monitor will last for 4-hours?
The monitor software will perform a self-diagnostic test of itself every time it is powered up. During this check the software will analyze the remaining battery power and will go into alarm should there not be enough power in the battery to last for a 6-hour mission. This provides the user with a 2-hour cushion for a standard 4-hour mission. Additionally, should battery power drop below acceptable limits during a mission the TRIM indicator will provide an alarm in the form of red-green-blue flashes and the horn will chirp.

Why does the TRIM indicator flash red-green-blue when the BioPak oxygen cylinder is opened?
As soon as the oxygen cylinder of the BioPak is opened the resulting pressure in the pneumatics system will automatically turn on the electronic monitoring system. Every time the electronic monitoring system starts the software will run a self-diagnostic test to verify that all cables are properly connected to the monitor, that the TRIM indicator is functioning properly, that the horn is functioning properly and that there is sufficient battery life for a minimum 6-hour operation. At any time the TRIM indicator does not flash the red-green-blue light sequence and the horn does not provide a short chirp at start up, the user should doff the BioPak and request service on the monitor. Additionally, should the monitor detect any fault, the TRIM indicator will continue with the red-green-blue flashes to signal the user of the fault. The user should not use any BioPak in which the TRIM indicator is indicating a fault.