Guide to Mares regulators from 2000-2020

[Dubio]

The Ruby was a special edition of the Abyss 22 that had the SCS HP seat but the SCS poppet was made with a ruby gemstone instead of stainless steel.

As you have noted, the 2008 and beyond MR22 1st stage have a bit of a redesigned body that has a fitting on the bottom that requires a special 2-pin spanner.

Inside, everything is the same, with the exception of what others above have noted.....if your friend's 1st stage has the SCS HP seat and poppet it should be updated to the current version.

As lowwall mentioned, the current poppet seat upgrade kit is part # 46201386....it comes with the the 2K18 version of the HP poppet (with white sealing surface) as opposed to the newest version of Mare's HP poppet, the 2K22 version (with translucent sealing surface).

Here is a link where you can purchase the kit if required:

Mares ACT Trimat 2K18 Upgrade Kit

Mares ACT Trimat 2K18 Upgrade Kit

jonasdive.com

If you need to update your friend's 1st stage and can't otherwise find a kit and/or just want the latest parts for it, here are the specific part #s to look for separately:

HP volcano orifice - #46201541
volcano orifice o-ring - #46110107

plus
2K18 HP poppet (30N) - #46201575
Poppet spring for SK18 Poppet - #46201284 ~ (part# 46185011 will also work)

or
2K22 HP poppet (30N) - #46201815
Poppet spring for 2K22 HP poppet - #46201284 ~ (part# 46185011 will also work)

Other than the plug requiring the 2-pin spanner, if you have, or once you have the non-SCS poppet and orifice, the rest of the service procedures should be the same across the MR22/Abyss 1st stage manuals. To my knowledge the intermediate pressure specification remains unchanged across the years.

Good luck and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions or run into any issues.

-Z

Thank you so much for that information!
This also means if his regs have a non-SCS seat I can simply use a service kit with the new 2k22 seat right?

Tom

 

[lowwall]

Thank you so much for that information!
This also means if his regs have a non-SCS seat I can simply use a service kit with the new 2k22 seat right?

Tom

Short answer: Yes.

Long Answer: Well... They did do one small and one infinitesimal redesign to the volcano orifice after your reg was made (part numbers 46186216 and 46201541 respectively). Neither was a required upgrade. If it locks up tight, you don't need to change it. But it's only around €10, so maybe do it anyway? Again, the current part number is 46201541. The o-ring for it is in the service kit.

I'll attach something I just found (in Japanese) for the transition from the 46186216 to the 46201541. I had thought they were the same part, but there's actually a tiny difference in the radius of the orifice. I ran the pdf through Google Translate and DeepL. They agree on the substance, but the DeepL reads better. Both confused "seat" and "sheet".

 

[lowwall]

I haven't updated the main site. But I'm attaching the various technical bulletins that describe the changes starting with the ACT poppet (aka HP seat). Here's the chronology: ...

• 2022 - TB 42-bis - the poppet gets a new seating surface and new designations: 2k22 30N CPL and 2k22 50N CPL. This technical bulletin lists all the service kits that come with the new poppet. Note that the first column of photos has an error. It shows the 30N and 50N springs, which were not changed, instead of the replaced poppets.... [emphasis added]

Thanks to Japanese attention to detail we can now see the difference between the 2k18 and 2k22 poppets. This is from the Japanese version of the updated TB 42:

 

[Dubio]

Again very enlightening!

By the same time reminding me why I personally only own Apeks regs.

 

[Zef]

Again very enlightening!

By the same time reminding me why I personally only own Apeks regs.

And why is that?....is it because you prefer a company that has chosen to let substandard parts plague the products they release on the market by way of HP poppets that fail, and don't own up to it, but just silently pretend there is no issue at all?

You have chosen the wrong place to deposit your feculence.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
-Z

 

[lowwall]

Again very enlightening!

By the same time reminding me why I personally only own Apeks regs.

I prefer to look at it as Mares strives to improve. I also likes that they use the same critical parts throughout the line so you can not only service their regs back to the beginning, but with very few exceptions you can upgrade to the latest spec.

I also have a theory on why there have been so many tweaks in the last few years. In 2018 or early 2019, they bought an ANSTI testing machine with 400m capacity. This is the machine used to generate the breathing graphs you sometimes see for regs. More to the point, it's what is used for certification testing like EN250 etc. This is an expensive machine and was just the second one in Europe.

Since they purchased the ANSTI machine, these little little tweaks to the HP seat and orifice have resulted in all of their diaphragm first stages (except the Abyss Navy II which has to use the older parts) being recertified under EN250A which is the most difficult standard available for recreational diving.

Furthermore, they have also used this machine in the design of their TBP environmental seal system. This comes standard on the 28XR and can be added to all of their current diaphragm first stages (again except for the Abyss Navy II which is required to keep the older environmental seal system that it had when certified for US military use). With the TBP kit and appropriate second stage, all of these regs are certified not only under EN250A, but under the commercial standard NORSOK U-101 (to 200m).

EN250 requires the reg meet a set of flow rate and work of breathing requirements at 6 bars absolute. It is meant to simulate a diver working extremely hard at 50m deep. Testing is done in 4°C water. It can be done in warmer water, but then the reg has to be marked "EN250 > 10C".

EN250A requires the reg meet the same requirements while the first stage is serving 2 second stages, i.e. primary and octo, at the same time . That means all the first stage flow rates are doubled. Relatively few regs are certified under this standard.

The NORSOK U-101 standard has similar requirements to EN250, but there is no set depth. It is up to the manufacturer to select a depth and to provide proof that the report meets the standard at that depth which is then stated as part of the certification.

All of the Mares EN250A regs also meet NORSOK U-101 requirements at 200m when equipped with the TBP kit. Per the standard this is done with air to 60m and an appropriate Heliox mix for deeper depths.

AFAIK, other than Mares, only Poseidon and Apeks are NORSOK certified among recreational scuba regulator manufacturers. But Poseidon and Apeks only have it for one or two of their advanced regs while Mares has it for the full line. I kind of doubt anyone planning a normoxic Heliox dive to 200m (656') is going to consider a budget regulator like a Mares 15X. But the fact that a $225 first stage with a $125 environmental seal kit has been certified at that depth is amazing. It should also reassure anyone wondering whether it will hold up at 35m.

 

[Dubio]

And why is that?....is it because you prefer a company that has chosen to let substandard parts plague the products they release on the market by way of HP poppets that fail, and don't own up to it, but just silently pretend there is no issue at all?

You have chosen the wrong place to deposit your feculence.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
-Z

I don’t really know where the accusation of „depositing feculence“ comes from to be honest but rest assured that I give zero shits what your preference in regs is and I invite you to try the same.


Thanks everybody for the help!

 

[lowwall]

There's an interesting variant of the 28 currently for sale on eBay for $500obo.

Mares Dual ADJ 28X Regulator 1st and 2nd Stage Set& Octo Serviced Ready to Dive | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mares Dual ADJ 28X Regulator 1st and 2nd Stage Set& Octo Serviced Ready to Dive at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

This is the second one I've heard of. Mares made a small run of these for SSI shop pros. It's marked 28X, not XR, and It comes with Dual ADJ seconds in unique colors. It's in yoke. I don't know if they were also made in DIN, but you can change it easily enough.

That's a very reasonable price. I have no need for this and can't really afford it right now, but the want is high. Feel free to buy it and remove the temptation

 

[jellycatsdad]

I prefer to look at it as Mares strives to improve. I also likes that they use the same critical parts throughout the line so you can not only service their regs back to the beginning, but with very few exceptions you can upgrade to the latest spec.



Since they purchased the ANSTI machine, these little little tweaks to the HP seat and orifice have resulted in all of their diaphragm first stages (except the Abyss Navy II which has to use the older parts) being recertified under EN250A which is the most difficult standard available for recreational diving.

Furthermore, they have also used this machine in the design of their TBP environmental seal system. This comes standard on the 28XR and can be added to all of their current diaphragm first stages (again except for the Abyss Navy II which is required to keep the older environmental seal system that it had when certified for US military use). With the TBP kit and appropriate second stage, all of these regs are certified not only under EN250A, but under the commercial standard NORSOK U-101 (to 200m).

I have an orphaned MR42T - so no hope for me to get the latest environmental sealing kit or orher improvements? Else, it’s been a solid reg in the time I’ve became a diver.

 

[Mutton Man]

Awesome bit of info and history, my first regulator was indeed a swimmaster from amf voit called the mr 12 purchased in 79 and dove hard for 23 years! Easy to rebuild all metal and a true pleasure to use. Had to get into the Abyss/22 after too many issues getting a rebuild kit. Fond memories though, thanks again for putting the article together.