Congratulations on becoming a brand new CudaX owner! We're so glad to have you on the CudaX crew. Now let's get your new scooter up and running so you can stop waiting and start diving!
This quick start guide will walk you through the basic steps of getting your CudaX prepped for its first dive. For a complete breakdown of scooter care, maintenance, cleaning, stowing, and other instructions, please reference the official CudaX user manual HERE.
Your CudaX ships fully assembled out-of-the-box. You will find a few removable informational stickers attached to the outside of the scooter, which can be peeled off after you've familiarized yourself with your new CudaX. Follow the steps below to power on your scooter for the first time and walk through the basics of prepping the CudaX for a dive.
Please do not disassemble your CudaX's tail beyond the battery compartment bulkhead. The motor and electronics are not user serviceable and disassembling this portion of your scooter may increase its chances of failure while diving.
- Undo Strap
Release the cam lock and pull the long end of the strap through the length of bolt snap cord on the nose cone until it becomes free. - Remove Nose Cone
Pull the nose cone off, using constant firm pressure (do not yank) pulling straight away from the battery tube, and set the nose cone aside. - Release Pressure
Due to the nature of travel and shipping conditions, sometimes the CudaX will accumulate a pressure differential before it is unboxed. To release this, simply press the tip of the vacuum vent valve to one side until pressure reaches equilibrium again. - Remove Vacuum Bulkhead
Pull the bulkhead out from the top of the battery tube by gripping it on either side of the vacuum gauge. We've made these gaps larger and deeper for this reason. - Keep/Remove Tail Saltwater Weight Plate
Now that you've opened the scooter's battery compartment, this is a good time to remove or leave the saltwater weight plate located at the bottom of the battery compartment. - Seal Port Plug
Check that the small port plug in the middle of the battery compartment's base is completely tightened and sealed. A 4mm T-handle Allen wrench tool makes this step easy. - Install Batteries
Slide your batteries (not included) into the battery clips along the battery compartment. The CudaX Tech model accept 2 batteries, while the CudaX Exploration accepts 4. We recommend using fully charged brand new batteries of the same brand/manufacturer, and capacities of 9Ah or 12Ah only. Mixing battery capacities will result in a scooter battery error. - Replace Vacuum Bulkhead
Place the bulkhead back in the top of the battery compartment, aligning the vacuum gauge towards the top of the scooter (so the gauge's sensing head won't be in the way of the batteries below it). While pressing the bulkhead down, release the vacuum vent valve to allow the bulkhead to seat properly into the tube. - Vacuum Test Battery Tube
Using the included vacuum pump, draw pressure into the battery compartment until the vacuum gauge reads at least -5inHG. Let sit for approximately 10 minutes, but no longer than 15. If there is any change in vacuum level, inspect port plug o-rings then retest. If the scooter continues to fail vacuum test, contact Dive Xtras for technical support. - Replace Nose Cone
Press the nose cone firmly back into place. This is a good time to remove or leave the saltwater weight plates located on the inside of the nose cone. - Connect Strap & Tighten
Thread the long end of the scooter's strap through the bolt snap attachment and over the handle, then secure the strap in place using the cam lock again. - Power On Scooter
Now that you've assembled your CudaX, it's time to power it on! Short press the power switch once and allow the scooter to boot up. This usually takes about 2-3 seconds. Remember to not store your batteries in your scooter for extended periods of time, and to save power, only power on the scooter when you are ready to dive. When left on, the CudaX will power itself off after around 20 minutes of inactivity. - Use A Tow Cord
It’s very important to use the included tow cord while operating your CudaX, as the scooter is designed to only be used in conjunction with one. The tow cord carries all the thrust of the scooter, allowing you to concentrate on steering and other activities. Simply adjust the sliding knot on the long end of your tow cord rope to match the length of your reach, then fasten it to your gear. The tow-cord typically attaches to a D-ring secured to the crotch area of your equipment. Some dive equipment has this attachment point built-in, in the form of a crotch strap. If your diving gear does not feature this attachment point, make sure you obtain one before operating your scooter. - Unlock Thumb Screw
Midway up the length of the trigger arm, you'll see a small knob. This is the thumb screw. It allows you to lock your trigger into a set position and can be used to relieve hand strain while scootering for long periods of time. It can also be used as a trigger lock, in instances where you don't want your scooter powering on at the wrong time. When your CudaX first arrives, the thumb screw and trigger will be in the locked position. - Throttling Up/Down
To accelerate the CudaX, simply click the trigger twice. To decelerate, just tap the trigger once for each speed gear decrease or release the trigger entirely to stop the propeller. Your scooter will start in speed 3, which we refer to as 'cruise speed'. There are 8 possible speed gears on the CudaX, with Ludicrous Speed being the fastest. Speeds 7 and 8 (Ludicrous Speed) may throttle back after a few minutes to avoid overheating the scooter, but most users who only use these speeds for a short time may not even notice these parameters. - Power Off Scooter
To power off the CudaX, hold the power switch button for at least 3 seconds. The scooter's screens will go dark when the scooter is no longer powered on. Remember to remove your batteries after diving to avoid any potential power drain or damage to your batteries. - After Diving
When you have completed your dive (or given up, we don't judge), be sure to rinse your scooter in fresh water and carefully dry before opening any compartments. We recommend using compressed air for this. It's also a good idea to blast the power switch with compressed air to free any possible debris or sediment that may impact switch performance. Once your scooter is clean and dry, remove your batteries and store your CudaX in a dry environment with both the vacuum bulkhead and the nose cone slightly ajar to allow for circulation.