J Valve justification

[fdog]

There are a few things being missed in this conversation, perhaps I became more aware of the major J-valve problem then most, because I was a child (small lungs and time SAC rate) when I used them: It was easy to breathe right through the reserve. <snip>

Darn rich kids! Nuttin' but K's in our family. Sheesh.

<big grin>


All the best, James

 

[Wayward Son]

the last brand new tank I bought with a J was in 1978. Still have it. But I didn't buy ot to have a reserve. I bought a J rather than a K bc it was easier to pick up & carry a tank with a J on it. That tank still has the original valve on it ( a steel 72) but never, not once, was it used as a J for the purpose of having a reserve. By then I had an SPG & had not used a J as a J in few years. But as a skinny kid that weight 125 lbs (in 1978) is was just easier to carry a tank with one.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

With respect to the DCAR, what did the added complexity and such give you? 300 or 500 PSI over ambient rather than 300 or 600 PSI absolute, that's what. So lets figure you're at 130, thats about 60 psi, or for the tanks of the day, a bit less than 2 cubic feet ... like a spare air. It was a ScubaPro sales gimmick, nothing more.

You can't judge the DCAR valve on today's standards, it is something that has to be savored from the proper perspective of what diving was then...

The stem gauge in both the J and K versions of this valve was also useful for the diver who did not have an SPG and wanted to check the tank contents prior to the dive. They were mildly maintenece intensive as they had to be serviced now and then to ensure they did not leak or stick - but regular maintence was a good idea with a J valve anyway.

And...finding one new old stock is still fun...

 

[Thalassamania]

You can't judge the DCAR valve on today's standards, it is something that has to be savored from the proper perspective of what diving was then...

The stem gauge in both the J and K versions of this valve was also useful for the diver who did not have an SPG and wanted to check the tank contents prior to the dive. They were mildly maintenece intensive as they had to be serviced now and then to ensure they did not leak or stick - but regular maintence was a good idea with a J valve anyway.

And...finding one new old stock is still fun...

I have two now, and I enjoy playing with them. But, with all due respect, I was diving then and at the time I thought it just another list price selling, "fair traded," ScubaPro/NASDS dodad.

 

[Wayward Son]

As best I recall, the J valve predates Scubapro. I was buying US Divers J valves long before I ever heard of Scubapro. I could be mistaken, as both companies existed by then. Scubapro simply wasn't available to me as everything had to be bought via mail order at the time. The nearest dive shop was in another country at the time.

 

[Wayward Son]

From 1953 (yeah, Scubapro did NOT exist), Aqualung (US Divers) items, the J valve:

The Oldest Diving Catalog on The Just Stuff Website

 

[Wayward Son]

So I'm just a bit confused as to how the J valve gets blamed on Scubapro as sales gimmick.

 

[Thalassamania]

Not the J-valve, which was a U.S.D. product, the DCAR version of the J-valve which was a ScubaPro exclusive (at least in the USA).

 

[Wayward Son]

Ahh, OK. Can't say I ever noticed anything about that.

 

[Wayward Son]

My 78 valve is a Scubapro, but it's just a J valve.