Just bought a Vintage Aqua-Lung Regulator!!!

[Paladin]

Scubabrett,
While all the back and forth about getting the regulator rebuilt before using it and breathing at different pressures are all true there is a couple of things you should know. Position of the regulator is highly important. Brian, the best in the business IMHO, could rebuild it with all new parts and then fine tune it but if you place it on your BC like a modern single hose it is going to breath like crap. This is one of the main reason new comers ditch the dual hose, lack of position knowledge. Buddy breathing means learning a new skill, it is not the same. You have no place on the DAAM for a Octopus or an inflator. If it has a Hookah adapter I guess you could hook up a Octopus. You could also purchase a banjo fitting. I strongly suggest you go to the VDH website and get some knowledge before taking her out for a test dive. Go to the forum section for a lot of great info from a group of great Engineers, Technicians and dual hose divers.

All DA Aqua-Masters have the Hookah port. I bought an adapter from VDH that converts the Hookah port into a low pressure port. A three port LP tee gives me 3 LP ports. I can run an inflator and an octo from it and still have a spare port. A banjo fitting lets me connect an SPG.

 

[Paladin]

I think we lost this guy a couple of days ago.

Probably.

 

[captain]

I think his idea of vintage is to collect and look at it.

 

[Paladin]

I think his idea of vintage is to collect and look at it.

What a waste of good gear.

 

[ScubaBrett22]

I think his idea of vintage is to collect and look at it.

Kinda but your off i like old gear because it symbolizes the stages of how scuba was formed and how it has gotten better over the years now this regulator i might only use ounce or twice other than that i am going to keep it in good condition and then pass it down to my kids and show them the evolution of scuba regulators!! :cool2:

 

[ScubaBrett22]

Scubabrett,
While all the back and forth about getting the regulator rebuilt before using it and breathing at different pressures are all true there is a couple of things you should know. Position of the regulator is highly important. Brian, the best in the business IMHO, could rebuild it with all new parts and then fine tune it but if you place it on your BC like a modern single hose it is going to breath like crap. This is one of the main reason new comers ditch the dual hose, lack of position knowledge. Buddy breathing means learning a new skill, it is not the same. You have no place on the DAAM for a Octopus or an inflator. If it has a Hookah adapter I guess you could hook up a Octopus. You could also purchase a banjo fitting. I strongly suggest you go to the VDH website and get some knowledge before taking her out for a test dive. Go to the forum section for a lot of great info from a group of great Engineers, Technicians and dual hose divers.

Agree i might try to find someone that knows what they are doing.

I think we lost this guy a couple of days ago.

no got caught up with a few school things but i am back!!!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Kinda but your off i like old gear because it symbolizes the stages of how scuba was formed and how it has gotten better over the years

Many people in this forum would disagree with that.

For example, out of all the regs I had to choose from (and I have a LOT) including regs I will rley on a half mile back in a cave, I took my Phoenix Royal Aquamaster even though it is a little heavier to travel with. For photography it is hard to beat and even when the camera decided to die, it was still advantageous as the diffusion traits of the exhaust tend to not scare fish, so they tend to get closer to you and let you get closer to them without spooking.

Similarly in cold water a double hose reg like the DA Aquamaster is by definition a fully sealed design with both first and second stages sealed from contract with water. It makes them virtually freeze proof and they are still popular for use under the ice in the artic and antartic. In the DC metro there is a picture of a national science foundation ad with a picture of diver under the ice using what appears to be a PRAM.

In terms of single hose regs, I think the highest performing second stage ever made was first marketed in 1977 (Scubapro Pilot) and it's angled diaphragm and pilot valve design evolved into the center balenced Air 1, D300, D350 and D400 over the next decade - all of them exceptional regulators that breathe better than almost anything else made since. Similarly, the Balanced Adjustable was a very high perforance design in a very durable metal case that breathes as well as anything available today. It led to the G250 which was brought back last year in part because old ones in excellent shape were selling for as much as the 20 year younger regs that "replaced" them.

The USD Divers metal second stages as used in the Conshelf XI, XII, XIV, etc is an extremely good design that is incredibly durable as are the Conshelf first stages corresponding to thse numbers. They will go for YEARS without service and still perform very well.

In general single hose reg design peaked in the mid 1980's and what has transpired since has mostly been more plastic and reduced production costs, often at the expense of performance.

If I had to be on a deserted island with a great reef, unlimited tank fills but no reg parts, I'd want to have either one of my PRAMs or a Conshelf XIV.

Personally, I also have a collection with a similar intent of showing reg progression and improvement - but it starts with an Aqualung and progresses through the DA Navy Approved, the DA Aquamster, Royal Aquamaster and PRAM with a brief sidebar to the DW Streamair and Mistral.

 

[Paladin]

"If I had to be on a deserted island with a great reef, unlimited tank fills but no reg parts, I'd want to have either one of my PRAMs or a Conshelf XIV."



I would probably want an Aquarius because of its simplicity and ruggedness.

 

[duckbill]

I'd take my Mistral, having just three moving parts and one o-ring which isn't designed to seal anything anyway.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

That is where some "progress" has occurred though. In terms of being able to utilize an Octo, a power inflator and an SPG without a banjo or ported valve, the PRAM is nice. Similarly, the Conshelf XIV is no different than a Conshelf XII and not much different than a Conshelf XI, except for the extra ports and they do add a degree of capability in terms of recreational (as opposed to vintage) diving.

In terms of my trecent trip to Bermuda, my Faux 50 was a serious contender in terms of excellent breathing, light weight and excellent corrosion resistance, but it lost out on the octo, power inflator and banjo fitting issue as that would have been a tougher sell on a recreational dive boat.

But you are right, on a desert island with no buddy to need an octo and no real downside to a banjo and or no real need for an SPG on a shallow reef, the Faux 50 or Mistral would be serious contenders.