SSC Acronym Dictionary
Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:05 pm
In the recent thread, "AOS," Ben added to the general feeling of confusion due to so many acronyms floating around. There have been other attempts at this, including the Soakological Glossary and the Duxburian Dictionary, but this will hopefully be the one that solves the problem completely. People may contribute, and like in the RP, the relevant text (in this case, the actual definitions) should be submitted in bold, while general discussion continues in standard text. Everybody may, and is encouraged to, contribute.
Also, remember that (ironically,) part of the mission is to reduce the number of acronyms. While this will provide a source of all definitions, and while the more experienced members here will eventually learn the acronyms, this thread alone cannot end the confusion. I'll start us off with a compilation of some of the things in the sources above, including the most basic of topics...
Brand and soaker names
SS: Super Soaker, the partly monopolistic commercial soaker manufacturer known by everybody.
XP: Xtra Power, relatively old line of air-pressure SS soakers that replaced the original series and involve larger, 1X streams.
Max-D: Maximum Distance, relatively new line of air-pressure SS soakers that replaced the XP series and involve pressurized reservoirs and "clicky" triggers, sometimes abbreviated to simply "MD".
CPS series: Constant Pressure System series, relatively old line of SS soaker that marked the peak of commercial soaking by using powerful rubber bladders to shoot water (see CPS technology).
BBT: Buzz Bee Toys, whose Water Warriors division provides a sometimes superior alternative to SS' weak soakers currently in stock.
WW: Water Warriors; see BBT.
FF: Flash Flood, a 2005 SS that uses CPS and features two triggers and nozzles; one for a small 2x stream and another for a low-medium ranged riot blast that unloads the bladder in a second.
APD: Aquapack Devastator, a CPS blaster that included a 100oz Aquapack that was later to be sold separately and compatible for most of the 2006 blaster line.
3XA: Triple Aggressor, older PR blaster noted for its gimmicks: a detachable blaster and a sponge-like water bomb.
HC: Hydro Cannon, 2011 released blaster similar to the FF but has only a riot blast nozzle. However, the trigger is a standard one, not a pullback type, making it more ergonomical to control.
Universal soaker technology
PC: pressure chamber, usually air or elastic based.
AP: Air Pressure, in the most general sense.
CPS: Constant Pressure System; uses a rubber bladder to store water rather than a pressure chamber; the bladder applies more constant force as opposed to most air pressure systems and takes up less space. CPS can refer to the CPS line of blasters produced by Larami in 1998-2002, or to the rubber bladder system itself, used in several other non-CPS line blasters by both SS and WW, and in many homemades.
QFD: Quick Fill Device, used by some SS soakers to directly and quickly connect with a hose for filling the reservoir and/or a CPS bladder automatically.
SC: Super Charger, a line of blasters made by Larami/Super Soaker which all feature the ability to be pressurized by a hose using a QFD. Some require a QFD, as they lack a reservoir and pump.
PR: Pressurized Reservoir, pumps air into the reservoir to generate pressure; costs less than and takes up far less space than using separate air chambers, and popular for small sidearm blasters.
HP: Hydro Power, an elastic system used by BBT from 2003 to 2010 that uses a rubber disk pressed flat on the flat bottom of a plastic dome that serves as the case. Pressure built-up will push the disk upwards, making it bell-shaped. Not as effective as CPS or AP.
Pulse Series: A line of spring-powered blasters (cylinder chamber with sealing piston and a strong spring behind it) made by BBT.
Modified/Modded Soaker Technology
PRV/PRVD: Pressure Relief Valve/Pressure Relief Valve Disable, a modification that disables the pressure relief valve from functioning, usually to accommodate mods that involve the PC.
CVF: Check Valve Freeze, no longer used term that refers to PRVD (the PRV is a type of check valve, but PRV's are never referred to as check valves since it is not specific enough, and the valve is never "frozen").
XPS: Xtra Power/Constant Pressure System, using multiple layered balloons to turn the spherical PCs on most commercial air pressure soakers into a spherical CPS bladder.
K-mod: The standard power-mod for spherical CPS bladders, done by stacking helium balloons over the bladder.
Colossus: The equivalent of the k-mod for cylindrical CPS bladders, done by stacking bike tubes, LRT, or elongated air balloons over the bladder.
Homemade soaker technology
APH: Air Pressure Homemade, any self-built water gun, constructed out of PVC pipe and fittings, that uses air pressure.
CPH: Constant Pressure Homemade, any self-built water gun, constructed out of PVC pipe, fittings, and rubber bladder materials (usually latex rubber tubing), that uses CPS technology.
LRT: Latex Rubber Tubing (also surgical tubing), flexible rubber tubing that expands and contracts and is often used for cylindrical CPS bladders in CPHs; often bought from McMaster-Carr.
PCgH: PreCharger Homemade, special APH that uses PreCharge technology, a system pioneered by BBT in which a plunger separates the air and water inside the PC and in which extra air is pumped before use for enhanced performance.
CAP technology: Constant Air Pressure, involving a source of highly pressurized air and a regulator which keeps the pressure on the water at a mostly constant level. Similar technology is incredibly useful for WBL's.
LPD: Low Pressure Dropoff, an air pressure system that uses a very high air to water ratio (up to 4 times as much air as water) to reduce dropoff to that of CPS or better.
WBL: Water Balloon Launcher, a homemade weapon constructed out of PVC that uses air pressure supplied by a Schrader valve or pressurized tank to launch a water balloon projectile great distances.
APOL: Air Pressure Object Launcher, same as WBL but WBL is preferred.
Water Cannon: Air pressure cannon, usually with a piston to separate the air, that often functions as a Pre-Charger on steroids. Capable of shooting mass volumes of water great distances, whose purposely unused names include ITWL (Inverted-T Water Launcher), ITWC (Inverted-T Water Cannon), and water cannon (Air Pressure Water Launcher). If you see these acronyms, understand that they are alternative terms for "water cannon," but "water cannon" should be used instead.
Edit: Updated March 19, 2011 by C-A_99.
Also, remember that (ironically,) part of the mission is to reduce the number of acronyms. While this will provide a source of all definitions, and while the more experienced members here will eventually learn the acronyms, this thread alone cannot end the confusion. I'll start us off with a compilation of some of the things in the sources above, including the most basic of topics...
Brand and soaker names
SS: Super Soaker, the partly monopolistic commercial soaker manufacturer known by everybody.
XP: Xtra Power, relatively old line of air-pressure SS soakers that replaced the original series and involve larger, 1X streams.
Max-D: Maximum Distance, relatively new line of air-pressure SS soakers that replaced the XP series and involve pressurized reservoirs and "clicky" triggers, sometimes abbreviated to simply "MD".
CPS series: Constant Pressure System series, relatively old line of SS soaker that marked the peak of commercial soaking by using powerful rubber bladders to shoot water (see CPS technology).
BBT: Buzz Bee Toys, whose Water Warriors division provides a sometimes superior alternative to SS' weak soakers currently in stock.
WW: Water Warriors; see BBT.
FF: Flash Flood, a 2005 SS that uses CPS and features two triggers and nozzles; one for a small 2x stream and another for a low-medium ranged riot blast that unloads the bladder in a second.
APD: Aquapack Devastator, a CPS blaster that included a 100oz Aquapack that was later to be sold separately and compatible for most of the 2006 blaster line.
3XA: Triple Aggressor, older PR blaster noted for its gimmicks: a detachable blaster and a sponge-like water bomb.
HC: Hydro Cannon, 2011 released blaster similar to the FF but has only a riot blast nozzle. However, the trigger is a standard one, not a pullback type, making it more ergonomical to control.
Universal soaker technology
PC: pressure chamber, usually air or elastic based.
AP: Air Pressure, in the most general sense.
CPS: Constant Pressure System; uses a rubber bladder to store water rather than a pressure chamber; the bladder applies more constant force as opposed to most air pressure systems and takes up less space. CPS can refer to the CPS line of blasters produced by Larami in 1998-2002, or to the rubber bladder system itself, used in several other non-CPS line blasters by both SS and WW, and in many homemades.
QFD: Quick Fill Device, used by some SS soakers to directly and quickly connect with a hose for filling the reservoir and/or a CPS bladder automatically.
SC: Super Charger, a line of blasters made by Larami/Super Soaker which all feature the ability to be pressurized by a hose using a QFD. Some require a QFD, as they lack a reservoir and pump.
PR: Pressurized Reservoir, pumps air into the reservoir to generate pressure; costs less than and takes up far less space than using separate air chambers, and popular for small sidearm blasters.
HP: Hydro Power, an elastic system used by BBT from 2003 to 2010 that uses a rubber disk pressed flat on the flat bottom of a plastic dome that serves as the case. Pressure built-up will push the disk upwards, making it bell-shaped. Not as effective as CPS or AP.
Pulse Series: A line of spring-powered blasters (cylinder chamber with sealing piston and a strong spring behind it) made by BBT.
Modified/Modded Soaker Technology
PRV/PRVD: Pressure Relief Valve/Pressure Relief Valve Disable, a modification that disables the pressure relief valve from functioning, usually to accommodate mods that involve the PC.
CVF: Check Valve Freeze, no longer used term that refers to PRVD (the PRV is a type of check valve, but PRV's are never referred to as check valves since it is not specific enough, and the valve is never "frozen").
XPS: Xtra Power/Constant Pressure System, using multiple layered balloons to turn the spherical PCs on most commercial air pressure soakers into a spherical CPS bladder.
K-mod: The standard power-mod for spherical CPS bladders, done by stacking helium balloons over the bladder.
Colossus: The equivalent of the k-mod for cylindrical CPS bladders, done by stacking bike tubes, LRT, or elongated air balloons over the bladder.
Homemade soaker technology
APH: Air Pressure Homemade, any self-built water gun, constructed out of PVC pipe and fittings, that uses air pressure.
CPH: Constant Pressure Homemade, any self-built water gun, constructed out of PVC pipe, fittings, and rubber bladder materials (usually latex rubber tubing), that uses CPS technology.
LRT: Latex Rubber Tubing (also surgical tubing), flexible rubber tubing that expands and contracts and is often used for cylindrical CPS bladders in CPHs; often bought from McMaster-Carr.
PCgH: PreCharger Homemade, special APH that uses PreCharge technology, a system pioneered by BBT in which a plunger separates the air and water inside the PC and in which extra air is pumped before use for enhanced performance.
CAP technology: Constant Air Pressure, involving a source of highly pressurized air and a regulator which keeps the pressure on the water at a mostly constant level. Similar technology is incredibly useful for WBL's.
LPD: Low Pressure Dropoff, an air pressure system that uses a very high air to water ratio (up to 4 times as much air as water) to reduce dropoff to that of CPS or better.
WBL: Water Balloon Launcher, a homemade weapon constructed out of PVC that uses air pressure supplied by a Schrader valve or pressurized tank to launch a water balloon projectile great distances.
APOL: Air Pressure Object Launcher, same as WBL but WBL is preferred.
Water Cannon: Air pressure cannon, usually with a piston to separate the air, that often functions as a Pre-Charger on steroids. Capable of shooting mass volumes of water great distances, whose purposely unused names include ITWL (Inverted-T Water Launcher), ITWC (Inverted-T Water Cannon), and water cannon (Air Pressure Water Launcher). If you see these acronyms, understand that they are alternative terms for "water cannon," but "water cannon" should be used instead.
Edit: Updated March 19, 2011 by C-A_99.