Aqualung Conshelf 20

[skimphish]

I recently took my Conshelf 20 to the LDS to get serviced and they said something kind of interesting. This is the 2nd time I have had it serviced in the 3 years I have been diving (I know, should have been serviced 3 times now but there was a period where I wasn't diving much). This shop looked at the reg and they said "you know you got an old military conshelf, right?" I said no and told them that my neighbor had given it to me as a gift a few years ago. They continued to say that the old military reg's hoses face downward, where most hoses go upward. They also said the hose size is different on the old regs, which is why I have adapters on mine. They then looked at the numbers on the side of the 1st stage and said "this thing is from 1948." Can this be correct? The numbers are 48 05189. This is the only reg setup I have ever dove with and I LOVE my setup, I have tried other more modern regs and didn't like them at all. I was just surprised to learn that this reg is 64 years old.

 

[diversteve]

Not possible. First of all U.S. Divers started business operations around 1950. 2nd I believe everything even in the 60's was still double-hose.
Here's a link to a 1980 U.S. Divers catalog - in it they're only up to selling the Conshelf XIV. So yours must be newer than that. https://backup.filesanywhere.com/fs/Link.aspx

[user]herman[/user] would likely know, maybe send him a PM if he doesn't see this.

 

[skimphish]

Ok, I was having a hard time wrapping my head around it being made in 48 which is why I asked. lol.

Does anyone know how to lookup when it was made? Like by serial number?

 

[herman]

My Conshelf history is not very good but it's def not a 1948, USD did not make it's first single hose reg until the late 50's and that was the Aquamatic...a strange bird that is nothing like a Conshelf. The first Conshelf I see in the catalogs is in 1965. It actually sounds like you have Royal Aqualung (not to be confused with the Royal Aquamaster which is a double hose reg). It looks something like a space capsule with the hoses coming out the bottom at an angle and if I remember correctly had 1/2 LP ports. I think they also may have marketed the regs as one of the Conshelfs.....30 maybe....USD was bad for selling the same reg under 2 or 3 different names.......did a little digging, if it's what I think it is, it was marketed as the Pro, the Royal AL and Conshelf 30. In any case, it was not at used exclusively by the military although it is always possible they did use some of them. By the way, I have the parts breakdown and a service manual in PDF for the Royal AL if you need/want one. Internally, it's a regular old Conshelf with a funny looking housing. The second stage is a totally different animal, looks nothing like a Conshelf inside...got the parts/service manual for it also.

 

[skimphish]

^Pic of said housing? I'll get some pics of my reg tonight and post them up.

 

[GillScales]

I bought my conshelf 20 new in 1984 or 85 iirc, prior to its introduction USD used all metal seconds on all it's regs. It's just a conshelf xiv w plastic seconds and a matte rather than chrome finish. It has 3lp and one hp port. All ports the same size 3/8 in I think. All ports point down when the first stage is attached to the tank. It was, I recall certified to us navy class A standards, but not used by the navy,because they already used the xiv and you know how anal the .mil can be with the uniformity of their spare parts supply chain issues. Fantastic reg,still breathes as smoothly as anything else I own.:cool2:

 

[skimphish]

Ok that makes even more sense. I didn't think it was anything too special. I love it to death and don't plan on getting rid of it. I have definitely put it through its paces and it has never let me down.

Sent from my Tweaked Charge

 

[Fishpie]

GillScales is absolutely correct.....it's a satin chrome 14 with a plastic 2nd.

 

[Paladin]

I have a Conshelf 14 and all the ports point down when mounted on a tank. For use, I configured my hoses so that the HP hose for the SPG was to my right and the octo hose was to my left. The primary and inflator hoses then came out at upward angles, over my shoulders.

I recently bought a NIB Conshelf 21 with more convenient ports and transferred everything over to the 21 first stage.

The Conshelf 14 came out in the 1970s and the 20 came out in the '80s. Your LDS doesn't know his Conshelfs.

I'm a devoted Conshelf diver. I have several and I love 'em all.

 

[skimphish]

Does any body have the service manual for the Conshelf 20?