Conshelf SE2 Dates

[blc]

I recently aquired Conshelf SE2 regular, otopus and gauges that are in mint condition. They coud pass for new out of the box. The diver I purchased from said he had dived with this set up only five times since he purchased it. He did show me a receipt where they were serviced two months ago and was told by LDS that there was absoutely nothing wrong with them.The diver I purchased from said he bought it new around 8 or 10 years ago.

My question is: What years were the Conshelfs SE2's manufactured in and when did they stop production?

Thanks,
Bobby

 

[GillScales]

IIRC they were made from the mid 80's thru the early 90's,when they were superseded by the SE3, which was really the same reg with some minor cosmetic differences. Yours could well have been bought as new old stock 10 years ago if the shop had them lying around forever ( not uncommon really). Conshelfs are great regs IMO, take care of them, and they'll last you a good 20 years or better. Happy diving.

 

[Paladin]

Conshelfs rule!

 

[blc]

Conshelfs rule!

Thats good to hear. I have read a lot of good things on here about them that influenced me to buy this set. I am not always of the opinon "newer" is better. A long history of good service means a lot.

 

[halocline]

I am not always of the opinon "newer" is better. A long history of good service means a lot.

Definitely true in terms of regulators. The best regulators designs from decades ago are every bit as good as anything being made currently. The conshelf 1st stage is one of two benchmark 1st stages (MK5 being the other) that have more-or-less become the basis for almost all high performance regulators that followed.

 

[ams511]

IIRC they were made from the mid 80's thru the early 90's,when they were superseded by the SE3, which was really the same reg with some minor cosmetic differences. Yours could well have been bought as new old stock 10 years ago if the shop had them lying around forever ( not uncommon really). Conshelfs are great regs IMO, take care of them, and they'll last you a good 20 years or better. Happy diving.

When I learned to dive in '90 or '91, the SE2 was being sold so these dates seem right. If they were serviced two months ago then dive and enjoy. The were considered excellent regs at the time and I am sure they still are.

 

[Paladin]

I love Conshelfs. I have Conshelf XIs, XIIs, a XIV, a 21, a 22, and an SE. I prefer the older, all metal second stages over the plastic ones. The Titan is just a renamed Conshelf 30. All the parts from the (cone shaped) Titan are the same as for the Conshelf series. They are the same inside.

 

[USdiver1]

I purchased a Conshelf SE in January of 1987 when the SE was being discounted to make room for the new SE2. I think that production of the SE2 began sometime in 1986 or early 1987. I also love the Conshelf series: besides my SE, I own a couple of XIVs, as well as many other US Diver regulators from double hose through the new Legend and Kronos. The Connies are the workhorses of my collection. When I have cold water or contaminated water to dive in, I reach for my SE or XIV before all others.

 

[Gilldiver]

Just to show you how much the Conshelf has changed over the years, Aqualung 1st stage rebuild kit # 900001 is used for the following regulators:
Conshelf XII, XIV, 20, 21, 22, SE, SE2, SE3, and Titan. The hp seat, balance chamber, O-ring, and teflon backing ring are the same as are used in the Royal Aquamaster double hose regulator.

In other words, in all real respects there has been no internal changes in the aqualung/US Divers 1st stages between 1968 and well into the 2000's.

People over complicate diving regulators, all they really are is diaphragm and spring/piston operated pressure reducing valves. Some in the late 50 into the 60's did it in one step (the original Mistral double hose) but most do it in 2 stages starting with the original Aqualung that was developed from an automotive compressed gas regulator in France in 1943 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan, and include all the regulators sold today.

 

[Nemrod]

Gilldiver, does the newest Titan XL with the funky first still use the same kit? Just curious. My Titan XL has the older cone shaped first and I do use the same parts in it as in my RAM(s) and Conshelf XII set.

Despite assertions by another person, the Legend does use a different kit, or at least the rebuild kit I bought for my wife's Legend has some different parts, and some that are the same, lol.

N