1st stage for a "frankenstein" reg ...

[MR12111]

Hello , old capt./instructor/reg tech ..been out of the water 15? years looking to put together a reg to try this again ..is my bad back will let me ..I will be using my trusty Mares III second stage ...but my old sherwood first stage has bitten the dust ..I liked the sherwood for the dry bleed system and the simplicity of service ..sadly parts are sketchy at best ..
So the question is what first stage would you suggest for me to try ..I'm an old scubapro guy ..but ..not really crazy about the mk 5 & 10 that they are open to salt water ..been a long time ..lots of changes ...thanks . Don

 

[lexvil]

Hello , old capt./instructor/reg tech ..been out of the water 15? years looking to put together a reg to try this again ..is my bad back will let me ..I will be using my trusty Mares III second stage ...but my old sherwood first stage has bitten the dust ..I liked the sherwood for the dry bleed system and the simplicity of service ..sadly parts are sketchy at best ..
So the question is what first stage would you suggest for me to try ..I'm an old scubapro guy ..but ..not really crazy about the mk 5 & 10 that they are open to salt water ..been a long time ..lots of changes ...thanks . Don

If you want a sealed first all diaphragm res are at least partially sealed and those that aren’t don’t expose anything important to the water but there are many sealed diaphragm firsts from nearly all brands.

if you want a piston thats sealed there is pretty much Sherwood, the have new bleed types and the SR series which are sealed flow through piston that don’t bleed.

 

[happy-diver]

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[OMyMyOHellYes]

Well, you could try for the MK17 or the Halcyon H50-D (same reg but blue colored)

SP booted the MK17 from the line (stoopidly, IMNSHO) in favor of the much bigger MK19 ) an MK17 with a big turret). The halcyon is the same reg though.

Both equally sealed.

Nobody has, as of yet, offered up a cogent argument as to why the 1st and second stages have to match. It's like a car manufacturer saying you have to use their branded oil and filter in your car. The second really shouldn't care so long as the pressure (and flow volume) it gets from the first is right. The second can't even see the first as it's on the other side of your noggin.

Not "Frankenstein" reg setups; The proper term is "optimized hybrid setups".

 

[James79]

Hello , old capt./instructor/reg tech ..been out of the water 15? years looking to put together a reg to try this again ..is my bad back will let me ..I will be using my trusty Mares III second stage ...but my old sherwood first stage has bitten the dust ..I liked the sherwood for the dry bleed system and the simplicity of service ..sadly parts are sketchy at best ..
So the question is what first stage would you suggest for me to try ..I'm an old scubapro guy ..but ..not really crazy about the mk 5 & 10 that they are open to salt water ..been a long time ..lots of changes ...thanks . Don

My vote is usually for the venerable Conshelf. Many variations over the years, but all the same internally. After market versions are available for all the regular replacement parts. As @lexvil mentioned, being a diaphragm reg all the functional parts are sealed and the spring chamber is easily rinsed.

Respectfully,

James

 

[happy-diver]

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[MR12111]

My vote is usually for the venerable Conshelf. Many variations over the years, but all the same internally. After market versions are available for all the regular replacement parts. As @lexvil mentioned, being a diaphragm reg all the functional parts are sealed and the spring chamber is easily rinsed.

Respectfully,

James

Thank You for the reply ..I hadn't even thought of that ..I guess I still have the bad taste from when I saw 1st stage poppets blowing left and right on these ..the mares , USD , some Dacor all had poppet problems back in the 80's ... Have they gotten this fixed ...and you know it really won't matter so much ..I will not be diving every day several times a day so anything will be OK ..Thanks for the Idea

 

[MR12111]

Thanks for the reply ... I wrote down your suggestions and will look them over ..."new" to me was the MK 10 ..Ha ! ..I worked on tons of MK 5's and some MK10's just before Captain became my full time job ..I actually liked the MK 5's better .. I had Mares 2nd stage I liked but the first stage blew HP seats too often ..I went to this weird Sherwood 1st stage this 1 shop had laying around ..it was for the Posiden type reg Sherwood used for a little while ..worked good but 15 years of sitting unwashed turned it into unuseable .. I just realized this whole thing isn't as critical as I won't be diving every day ...most anything will be good enough

Well, you could try for the MK17 or the Halcyon H50-D (same reg but blue colored)

SP booted the MK17 from the line (stoopidly, IMNSHO) in favor of the much bigger MK19 ) an MK17 with a big turret). The halcyon is the same reg though.

Both equally sealed.

Nobody has, as of yet, offered up a cogent argument as to why the 1st and second stages have to match. It's like a car manufacturer saying you have to use their branded oil and filter in your car. The second really shouldn't care so long as the pressure (and flow volume) it gets from the first is right. The second can't even see the first as it's on the other side of your noggin.

Not "Frankenstein" reg setups; The proper te

 

[MidOH]

Hog d1.

Sealed diaphram, all black no logos, turret, and 5th port. Reasonably priced.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

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