Elbows on 1st Stage

[JVM4.0]

Hello Reg experts out there. Here's one you don't see every day............

My wife and I dive some ancient regulators. Over the years, they have been rebuilt and tuned to the point of perfection. I don't really need to upgrade them except for one thing. They have one HP port and three LP ports. The ports are arranged 90 degees from each other, with the hoses forming a "cross" arrangement. I want to install two 90 degree elbows at the top (BC power inflator) and bottom (HP SPG port)ports, so that three of the hoses (Octo, inflator and SPG) will orient themselves to the left side, and one (primary) to the right.

I have located some elbows at a local hydraulic/pneumatic hose fabricator that will withstand 5000psi, have a 4X safety factor, have the proper threads and are made out of zinc plated steel.

I have called the manufacturer of the regs to ask their opinion. They reviewed the specifications and said that they don't see any problems with the idea, but have never heard of it.

I can't seem to find anybody who has everd seen or done this modification. The elbows I found are just one solution, and I'm sure there are others out there that are more acceptable.

Any ideas?

 

[Poseidon8118]

My only concern would be the zinc plated steel which will break down and rust over time. Hot dipped galvanized would be better and chrome plated would be best, but over all not as good as brass that is chrome plated or stainless steel.

 

[Grajan]

Those will 'rot' and ruin your carefully maintained gear.

you can get any hyd fittings from hundreds of online stores.

Hello Reg experts out there. Here's one you don't see every day............

My wife and I dive some ancient regulators. Over the years, they have been rebuilt and tuned to the point of perfection. I don't really need to upgrade them except for one thing. They have one HP port and three LP ports. The ports are arranged 90 degees from each other, with the hoses forming a "cross" arrangement. I want to install two 90 degree elbows at the top (BC power inflator) and bottom (HP SPG port)ports, so that three of the hoses (Octo, inflator and SPG) will orient themselves to the left side, and one (primary) to the right.

I have located some elbows at a local hydraulic/pneumatic hose fabricator that will withstand 5000psi, have a 4X safety factor, have the proper threads and are made out of zinc plated steel.

I have called the manufacturer of the regs to ask their opinion. They reviewed the specifications and said that they don't see any problems with the idea, but have never heard of it.

I can't seem to find anybody who has everd seen or done this modification. The elbows I found are just one solution, and I'm sure there are others out there that are more acceptable.

Any ideas?

 

[Tom Winters]

JVM - your profile says 0-15 dives and you dive old regs like one that I have. That's something like .5 dives per year on an on old Calypso. If you're going to dive that infrequently, don't bother annually maintaining life-support equipment like a regulator - just rent them. Use the old things like I use mine - for historical reference ONLY.

 

[halocline]

I'm not sure why you can't just orient the regulator on the tank as follows:

Looking directly at the reg from the front, sort of as if the tank was in place on your back and you had an eye in the back of your head loking right at the reg, picture the direction of the hoses on a clock face. You'd have a LP hose (inflator) at 2:00, the HP hose at 4:00, octo hose at 8:00 and primary hose at 10-11:00. This puts the primary over your right shoulder, inflator over left, SPG under left arm, octo under right arm. This is exactly how my MK2 is set up. Is there a reason you want the octo going left? I must be missing something, because probably you would have thought of this.

One suggestion, leave the elbow off the HP port. Even though you may find fttings that can take the pressure, if there ever were a failure, it would be quite a scene!

 

[JVM4.0]

Thanks for the valuable input. I've been carefully looking at as many options as I can, and your help is appreciated.

Grajan and Poseidon have suggested that the zinc plated steel will corrode over time. Good point, and I tend to agree, that's why the question about other sources. I'm going to check again with my local cupplier, to see if there are some alternatives.

Thanks for the orientation idea, mattboy. The orientation issue is one I've played with as well. We both tend to stick with how we learned, and that is with the secondary under the LEFT arm. It's the way SDI/TDI teaches, and we have adapted to it. I don't intend to start a flame war here about where the secondary should go, so please, no comments about that. Also, orienting the ports at 45 degrees, doesn't solve my "looping" problem with the hoses. I'm trying to get a little more streamlined, and eliminate any entaglement issues.

Anybody have a better source of fittings?

Anybody have an issue with using elbows in the first place?

Jim

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

Thanks for the valuable input. I've been carefully looking at as many options as I can, and your help is appreciated.

Grajan and Poseidon have suggested that the zinc plated steel will corrode over time. Good point, and I tend to agree, that's why the question about other sources. I'm going to check again with my local cupplier, to see if there are some alternatives.

Thanks for the orientation idea, mattboy. The orientation issue is one I've played with as well. We both tend to stick with how we learned, and that is with the secondary under the LEFT arm. It's the way SDI/TDI teaches, and we have adapted to it. I don't intend to start a flame war here about where the secondary should go, so please, no comments about that. Also, orienting the ports at 45 degrees, doesn't solve my "looping" problem with the hoses. I'm trying to get a little more streamlined, and eliminate any entaglement issues.

Anybody have a better source of fittings?

Anybody have an issue with using elbows in the first place?

Jim

There is nothing wrong with having the octo on the left. Unless your reg has an option of switching the hose from the left side to the right side, if you put it on your right, it would be upside down. We found this out with scubapro titan LX. I agree with the other advice about the fittings.It should solve your problem (Nothing wrong with vintage gear) :07:

 

[DiveGolfSki]

Hello Reg experts out there. Here's one you don't see every day............

My wife and I dive some ancient regulators. Over the years, they have been rebuilt and tuned to the point of perfection. I don't really need to upgrade them except for one thing. They have one HP port and three LP ports. The ports are arranged 90 degees from each other, with the hoses forming a "cross" arrangement. I want to install two 90 degree elbows at the top (BC power inflator) and bottom (HP SPG port)ports, so that three of the hoses (Octo, inflator and SPG) will orient themselves to the left side, and one (primary) to the right.

I have located some elbows at a local hydraulic/pneumatic hose fabricator that will withstand 5000psi, have a 4X safety factor, have the proper threads and are made out of zinc plated steel.

I have called the manufacturer of the regs to ask their opinion. They reviewed the specifications and said that they don't see any problems with the idea, but have never heard of it.

I can't seem to find anybody who has everd seen or done this modification. The elbows I found are just one solution, and I'm sure there are others out there that are more acceptable.

Any ideas?

As an owner of the first AMF MR12 model, my old first stage had a high pressure and two low pressure ports. If you want to dive those ancients, you can get proper elbows at Northeast Scuba (http://www.northeastscubasupply.com/cat_misc_portadapters.html) in a variety of configurations.

However, I suggest you update your 1st stage altogether. If you ever progress with your diving and get into Nitrox (everyone should), then the old technologies may not be compatible. Even if you don't, the newer first stages are more reliable and give you a lot of flexibility (usually 2 hp and 3-5 lp outlets). It will make your setup a lot easier and prevent you from looking like a plumber's nightmare.

 

[JVM4.0]

I like that one, cmgmg. I'll look into the link you provided. It's appreciated very much.

And, not to worry, hecker. My regs are "ambidexterous", I thought of that one a long time ago.

And to all of you who support "mature" gear, thanks. I realize that newer gear may be more efficient to some slight degree, have more ports, and may be a little more streamlined, but why upgrade? I enjoy universal parts availablity, simplicity of repairs (if ever needed), ability to make easy modifications, and security in knowing my equipment how it works and its' capabilities.

Jim