1st Stage Diaphragm: Replace or Re-Use?

[Zung]

I look at my AL service kit and the diaphragm looks like a piece of some sort of rubber with fabric reinforcement.

Has anybody attempted to DIY the diaphragms? Maybe punching them out of a sheet of rubber, like we do the second stage seats?

 

[halocline]

On the Scubapro MK17, the service kit includes the diaphragm.

This must be fairly recent, as the MK16/18 kits that I've used (it's been a few years) did not include the diaphragm, or my memory is really tanking.

Anyhow, the diaphragms are pretty hefty and they never experience HP air. I've pulled a few out of doublehose regs that were decades old and still surprisingly pliable.

 

[captain]

I look at my AL service kit and the diaphragm looks like a piece of some sort of rubber with fabric reinforcement.

Has anybody attempted to DIY the diaphragms? Maybe punching them out of a sheet of rubber, like we do the second stage seats?

Yes it can be done, McMaster-Carr is source for fabric reinforced neoprene sheet

 

[Zung]

Thanks captain.

My AL diaphragm is 1.52 mm thick, and the diameter is between 35.0 and 35.2 mm, hard to be sure because it flexes a bit.

A quick look at McMaster.com gives:

• Material: Fabric-Reinforced EPDM, 1/16" (1.59 mm), item #2658T21, 12"x12", $22.17
• Punch: 35 mm, item #3418A35, $74.58, or
• Punch: 1 3/8" (34.9 mm), item #3427A31, $33.78

Not cheap!
Any alternative?

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I still don't have a "Thanks" button, so thanks gents!

Best wishes.

 

[Zung]

LT, did you pay your membership fees lately? Maybe you're no longer in good standing: that's why you're not allowed to thank

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

LT, did you pay your membership fees lately? Maybe you're no longer in good standing: that's why you're not allowed to thank

Maybe that's it..... next to go will be all the vowels, and then puctuation, until I pay up...


qwtyppplkxxxx zzzxcvmnbbbb ppppppyyyytwqxszvvbn :shocked2: :shocked2:

 

[herman]

Apeks Zeagle or Zeagle Zeagle. I don't know anything about the former.

Apeks Zeagle (it actually came in an Apeks box with Zeagle stickers on it).

They are a lot more alike that either of them would like to admit.
Same goes for most other diapharm regs. Start measuring them and you will find the main diaphram on pretty much all of them are within a few thousands of each other or in other words close enough to be the same. If you think about it for a moment, the reason becomes clear. The diaphram is the part acted apon by water pressure to keep the reg depth compensated. To do that accurately, the diaphram has to be of a certain surface area reguardless of who makes the reg or it's overall design, therefore the diameter of all regs has to be the same, otherwise they would not track the same as depth increased.

 

[divad]

Apeks Zeagle (it actually came in an Apeks box with Zeagle stickers on it). They are a lot more alike that either of them would like to admit.
QUOTE]



What I meant was, I haven't had an Apeks Zeagle apart in my hands to see wether or not the diaphragm is seated the same way.

 

[herman]

Take the marking off of them (Z-50D and several others as well) and you pretty much can't tell them apart. The later Zeagles are externally different and some have a modified internal design but if you look past the "style" changes you will see the same basic design..