Ebay buys

[Paladin]

Over the weekend, I bought an Aqualung Aquarius (with Dacor SPG) off Ebay for $29.00. Today, I bought an Aqualung Conshelf XI (also with SPG) for $12.00. Both look good in the photos, though I won't know their actual condition until I get them. However, for the price, I felt it worth the gamble as they are not difficult to refurbish and parts are still available from VDH. Also, the owner of the dive shop where I now go is a vintage diver and he has parts for both regulators and has told me he will overhaul them for $25 each, plus parts. I have always serviced my Aquarius myself and will probably service the one I just bought as well, but I don't know much about the innards of the Conshelf XI. Yet. So that one will go to him for servicing.

I love the old AL regs and am looking forward to adding them to my gear.

Also, many thanks to Blue Water Diving. I owe you one, my friend.

 

[Rhone Man]

I have always had good luck on eBay with dive gear, but I am sure I will get burned one day.

Hope your purchases work out.

 

[redacted]

I have bought some pretty ugly looking regs on ebay including a lot of 2 Scubapro 109 and a 108 for $15 including shipping. All three are now working again. I would not expect any problem as long as you can get parts.

 

[Luis H]

You should not have any problem servicing the Conshelf.

IMHO the first stage is one of the best first stages ever. They started making it in the Royal Aqua Master double hose in 1965 and the internal parts are still the same in many Aqua Lung regulators. Parts will be around for just about as long as Aqua Lung is in business.

The second stage should be the same as in your Aquarius.

Aqua Lung has made the Conshelf until about last year or they may still be making it…I am not sure.

You can down load a Conshelf XIV repair manual from the Aqua Lung Military web site.
Here is a link:
http://www.aqualung.com/military/PD...Manuals/Conshelf14_Repair_Manual_with_DIN.pdf



And everyone with a Conshelf needs one of this:
http://www.aqualung.com/military/PDF_Data_Sheets/Acc_and_Tools/Conshelf_XIV_ToolKit_LZ.pdf

Actually I would love to have such a tool kit. I have many more specialized tools, but that kit is kind of cool. :cool2:

This is a cool web site in general.
Datasheets

 

[Paladin]

Thanks, Luis. That manual will no doubt help a lot!


UPDATE:
Received the Aqualung Aquarius in the mail today (7/8/09) and it is in excellent condition. It's a '76 model and looks as if it was seldom used. Chrome, rubber and everything in almost mint condition. The SPG is in excellent condition and, like the reg, works perfectly. Not a bad deal for $29.00! I bought the reg for my youngest son and he is thrilled with it. Now all I have to do is keep my fingers crossed concerning that $12.00 Conshelf XI I bought yesterday!

 

[herman]

If that Dacor gauge is the one I am thinking about you now have use for more of that tubing.

 

[Paladin]

Unfortunately, the SPG is not the type that has a capillary depth gauge built in. It would've been nice, though. Hmm. Maybe a retrofit of some kind? (Gears and wheels turning in demented mind)

 

[herman]

Must have been a differnet one than I saw or it was not what I thought it was. I have a Dacor pressure gauge that looks like it with a cap gauge on the back, held on the rubber housing with a screw.

 

[drbill]

I have purchased a number of my regs on E-Bay since they are no longer made by the manufacturer. I don't dive with them as my primary set-up until they have been tested and/or serviced. I did receive one lemon, although the problem took many months to surface. A relatively easy repair fixed it.

 

[Paladin]

This evening I took the Aquarius completely apart (both stages) and gave it a thorough inspection. No dirt or corrosion inside or out. The O rings look new and the HP seat is perfect, with only the slightest mark left by the HP inlet orifice. Inside, it is pristine and the outside shows only the slightest amount of usage; about what you would expect after a single season of diving. The second stage valve seat looks new as does the exhaust valve flapper.