Dive Rite RG1208 1st stage as a Deco Regulator

[Katie S]

Hey all, I have an option to purchase a cheap Dive Rite RG1208 first stage regulator. I was thinking of getting it serviced/O2 cleaned and using for a Deco Regulator. Has anyone used this first stage as a deco reg? How does it breathe at depth? My current Deco regulator is a non-balanced piston regulator (also Dive Rite), but limited to 50 ft.

 

[Katie S]

Hey all, I have an option to purchase a cheap Dive Rite RG1208 first stage regulator. I was thinking of getting it serviced/O2 cleaned and using for a Deco Regulator. Has anyone used this first stage as a deco reg? How does it breathe at depth? My current Deco regulator is a non-balanced piston regulator (also Dive Rite), but limited to 50 ft.

This is the RG1208 first stage I'm looking to get. I would pair it with the 2nd stage shown below:

This is the current deco regulator I have

Any feedback would be helpful!

 

[rhwestfall]

That is the regulator I got for AN/DP. Serves me fine. Keep in mind you are talking about shallow depths for a DECO regulator on 50% or 100% and just about any name brand regulator better breathe well at DECO depths...

EDIT - Although appearing to be the same, I have the RG3ICE first/second combo..

 

[Katie S]

That is the regulator I got for AN/DP. Serves me fine. Keep in mind you are talking about shallow depths for a DECO regulator on 50% or 100% and just about any name brand regulator better breathe well at DECO depths...

RG3ICE

Thanks for the reply, it sounds like it meets your needs. I certainly would only use the deco regulator at shallow depths. The current deco reg I have is limited to 50 ft per dive rite specs: "Note: The Oxygen Deco Regulator is not intended for use deeper than 50-feet (15 m) on appropriate gas mix" which is fine for higher gas blends.

I was specifically wanting feedback given it is an older model first stage (compared to the current XT1 or FT1 1st stages). I was also thinking it may be better equipped for deco blends in the ~50-60% range, which can be used at deeper depths (MOD of 73ft/55ft on 1.6 ppO2, respectively). I don't want to push the depth limits of my current unbalanced piston reg or increase work of breathing at those slightly deeper depths. Thanks again

 

[DiveGearExpress]

It will work fine. Since you don't know the history you should have it serviced with an O2 cleaning. However, from a purely financial point of view it might be more cost effective to consider this...

DGX Gears FIRST Regulator w/OPV

The DGX Gears FIRST Regulator w/OPV is a value priced compact 1st stage piston regulator that can be used on any DIN valve.

www.divegearexpress.com

For well under $100, it is a balanced piston first stage new out of the box ready for O2, and you can service it yourself ... we sell the parts kit and the overhaul instructions are published in the Product Attachments tab.

 

[Katie S]

G

It will work fine. Since you don't know the history you should have it serviced with an O2 cleaning. However, from a purely financial point of view it might be more cost effective to consider this...

DGX Gears FIRST Regulator w/OPV

The DGX Gears FIRST Regulator w/OPV is a value priced compact 1st stage piston regulator that can be used on any DIN valve.

www.divegearexpress.com

For well under $100, it is a balanced piston first stage new out of the box ready for O2, and you can service it yourself ... we sell the parts kit and the overhaul instructions are published in the Product Attachments t

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[MarkField]

I was specifically wanting feedback given it is an older model first stage (compared to the current XT1 or FT1 1st stages). I was also thinking it may be better equipped for deco blends in the ~50-60% range, which can be used at deeper depths (MOD of 73ft/55ft on 1.6 ppO2, respectively). I don't want to push the depth limits of my current unbalanced piston reg or increase work of breathing at those slightly deeper depths. Thanks again

You point out the main drawback here - it’s an older reg. Even if you got the reg for free, you’re looking at $50-80 to get it serviced (including parts). The primary benefit is that you’re getting a “full” reg. It’s designed for <insert depth here>, as appose to a deco specific reg that’s not going to breathe/deliver gas nearly as easily as one designed for depth.

It comes down to a choice you need to make: Do you prefer the ease, convenience & cost of a deco reg (no more than what it needs to be to accomplish the job), or would you prefer to have something a little more robust that can, with effort, be useful elsewhere?

I, personally, prefer the later. I’d be willing to pay a little extra for a deco reg that could also double as a stand-alone diving regulator (or, in a more likely scenario, I’d reconfigure a set of regs I had to serve the purpose of a deco reg for my dive - such as using my single tank setup without all the extra hoses). I don’t particularly want 1000 regs, when I can reconfigure what I need to meet the purpose. Now, this may not continue to hold true if I’m looking into doing a multi-gas deco dive and find myself needing 5 deco reg sets, since the price of 5 single tank sets (more or less) is going to be significantly more expensive than cheaper deco regs. I’m not there yet, and I imagine I’ll be picking up additional regs before I get to that point, so it may not ever come up.

 

[Beau Holden]

I own and dive 5 sets of these 1st stages. I fact it's the only reg I do dive and they have served me well over the years.

 

[Zef]

Can someone explain what is different about the deco specific 1st stage that makes it only usable for shallower depths?

I understand the PPO2/depth limits of high O2 concentrated gas blends (to include 100% O2) used for accelerated decompression, but the discussion above eludes to some kind of mechanical limitation of the green Dive Rite 1st stage depicted in the OP's first post in this thread.

-Z

 

[rhwestfall]

DECO specific stages are frequently unbalanced firsts.... As simple and reliable as can be, but won't work at depth...