Aqualung Mistral

[Nemrod]

I used to go thru an AL80 in about 15 mins.

Wow, why do you use so much air, 80cf in 15 minutes is a bunch of air to use, what depth? I guess trying to keep up with that prodigious intake of air the old DA proabably was smoking!
Well, since the double hosers did not work out for you and you use lot's of air then you might try another forgotten marvel, the Tekna 2100, let's see you out breath one of those!
Just teasing you, good luck. N

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Yea,
Getting air thru that reg was pretty tough. For some reason I just wasn't getting enough air out of it. Felt like too much resistance - I tried eveyhting all the vintage guys suggested - new parts, tuning, adjustments - nothing seemed to work on that reg to make it breathe easier.

The only time I got a good return of air was when I on the surface swimming in my back or submerged on my back. Any other time I just starved for air!

About $400 later between being rechromed, rebuilt, replacing parts, etc. I just said 'this isn't working' and eBayed it. The buyer got a beautiful reg. I wished I had been able to get it to work. I dunno know what else I could have tried - especially when I didn't have any other double hosers to try and compare it to.

To bad - I thought it was the neatest idea having my exhaust bubbles behind my head and something or historical in value. Heck, even my low-end Mares MR-12 breathed way better than that DA did...

What was the Tekna 2100? i'm not familiar with that regulator.


??

 

[ScoobieDooo]

I'd love to get another Aqua Master and try again - however, I'm not sure WHERE I could have gone wrong on rebuilding mine.

Can anyone offer ANY suggestions/idea's on what I MAY have missed in tuning mine that resulted in such poor breathing characteristics that would have left me so O2 'starved?'

I REALLY liked the idea of diving with a vintage reg, I like the design/looks of a double-hoser, the like rear exhaust...

Suggestions?

 

[Nemrod]

I am not sure the O2 starvation is real. I don't mean to doubt you but I am not thinking it was the regulator. You were not used to it, you expected something different, your fitness level may need a tuneup (mine too--lol), you may have lacked the training and I doubt it was tuned corretly. An aluminum 80 in 15 minutes indicates something other than a hard breathing regulator to me. Maybe just slow down and relax. Hey, we all get old and out of shape, at least I do.

The Tekna was a servo/pilot assited design, super small and light, from the early 80s. They literally pumped the air to you at depth, most people never got used to that. I love mine. Nothing breaths easier and can flow as much air that I have come across though I am sure they are out there now that can.

The MR12 is a good regulator with excellent performance. Good luck. N

 

[ScoobieDooo]

I went thru the AL80 in 15 mins when the HP Nozzle was frozen. Other times I had air for awhile - it was just difficult to get from the reg.

 

[captain]

Maybe you should have tried an old Mistral. It is difficult to screw up the ajustment on them being the only ajustment necessary is lever height. Aqua Masters have several ajustments and they must be done in the proper order and usually more than once as one ajustment can affect the others, plus the original Aqua Lung or Navy manual way is not the best way. I won't say they will breath like a top of the line single hose but yours must have been way off.

Captain

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Maybe you should have tried an old Mistral. It is difficult to screw up the ajustment on them being the only ajustment necessary is lever height. Aqua Masters have several ajustments and they must be done in the proper order and usually more than once as one ajustment can affect the others, plus the original Aqua Lung or Navy manual way is not the best way. I won't say they will breath like a top of the line single hose but yours must have been way off.

Captain

Any suggestions? Thats EXACTLY the method I used to tune mine - the original Aqua Lung Service Manual Publication.

??

 

[Nemrod]

My suggestion is to send it to somone who has had good luck tuneing and rebuilding them and pay them to make it work like a champ. Buying a bunch of new parts and following a cookbook manual is a start but it is not the complete story.
I am an A&P mechanic, we always work from a manual, reading complex instructions on a P&W turbine engine you would think everything you need to know is there in black and white?--you would be wrong, that is why they call us mechanics and not technicians because knowledge and skill above and beyond the specific written instructions is required. These double hose regulators and regulators in general are such simple devices that one might think tuning them for good performance is simple as well, not so. N

 

[mistral_plongeur]

Any of you guys seen or used anything like this?

http://www.zerovisibility.co.uk/New%20products/AqualungMistral.htm

Can't believe it can be as good as the normal regulator style and it looks cumbersome.

Any comments?

I own and dive with both original Mistrals and a new Aqualung Mistral

the new one is terrific - I think Aqualung should be congratulated on producing this product - the neoprene hoses are larger diameter than the orignal Mistral or the Royal Mistral. Breathing effort is about the same for all - that is providing the regulator is at the correct height relative to the lungs. The first stage is base on the Titan and has several MP ports and an HP port

 

[Diver0001]

I own and dive with both original Mistrals and a new Aqualung Mistral

the new one is terrific - I think Aqualung should be congratulated on producing this product - the neoprene hoses are larger diameter than the orignal Mistral or the Royal Mistral. Breathing effort is about the same for all - that is providing the regulator is at the correct height relative to the lungs. The first stage is base on the Titan and has several MP ports and an HP port

What made you choose this reg above a single hose version?

R..