Looking For Advice: ScubaPro Mk15

[HurricanDan]

I know it’s sounds trite now, but you should have come here for advice BEFORE buying the reg. I would have happily given you a free MK15 instead of tossing them like I usually do. That shop should be named for suckering a new diver. They musta been high-fiving each other after you walked out.

Yeah, I had done some reading over here first, but clearly not enough. It's definitely an expensive lesson to learn, but it hasn't put me in the poor house yet at least. I'm hesitant to call anybody out on here. They had some good reviews in the Orlando area (even on this site, but the posts were 19 years old). I also learned after the fact that the first shop wasn't a Scubapro dealer so his "working used set of regs" might've just been a clean up job. I'll wait for my Scubapro dealer's inspection before I start pointing fingers.

I'm a ScubaPro dealer and the MK15 Seat is still in stock via the ScubaPro dealer portal.
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That being said, you made a bad deal. The MK15 is not something that should have been sold to you anymore. It is a great regulator for collectors and enthusiasts. For a new diver looking for gear that he won't be personally working on, the MK15 is not the right choice.

Other parts for this regulator are not in stock anymore: Spring, piston, etc.

Technically your regulator is still serviceable, via sourcing O-Rings from other places and buying the original MK15 seat via ScubaPro. I however have to whole heartily agree with every person above in that this is less than ideal especially for a first time regulator.

Try to get a refund, you have been lied to. The parts are not all universal and interchangeable with other ScubaPro regulators. The MK15 spring, piston, body and swivel cap are unique to the MK15 to just name a few parts that I could possibly see needing a replacement at some stage. None of these are sold via official channels anymore.

The last iteration the MK15 got was in 1997 and while this is certainly not a measure if a regulator is still serviceable, see the Mk10 with the last iteration in 1993, it may convey the time-frame you are looking at. The MK15 was never as popular as some other first stages and hence has been abandoned a bit earlier than other designs.

Should you still wish to stick with it, which I can't recommend, you may find the attached useful. If I was in your shoes, I'd try to get the refund, if that for whatever reason should not work, sell the MK15 and buy something else.
For first time buyers I always recommend the MK2 from ScubaPro, now called MK2 EVO. The MK2 design has been around since forever, the MK2 specifically since 1974. For the type of diving that 95% of divers will ever do, it is more than enough. The MK2 and it's "copies/siblings" from other brands like the Aqualung Calypso, Cressi XS2 or Mares 2S are the workhorses for most of the dive centres worldwide.
Buying one of these workhorses likely means it's the last regulator you will ever buy. With proper care it will last you forever.

People here will come along pretty quickly and suggest high end regulators, something which I have never seen the point of. If it really comes down to it, I reckon that maybe 1 out of 10 people can actually tell the difference between regulators when breathing on it. I certainly can't for most scenarios...
Ask yourself if you really need the "Ferrari", like an Atomic TFX, or if the affordable "Ford Fiesta", like an MK2 EVO does not also get you from A to B.
What looks good on paper and in sales brochures, doesn't always make sense or a difference in the real world for most people.

It's funny you mention the MK2 because I had just picked up a $50 MK2/R190 reg set (also came with a Dacor Pacer Aero 2nd as an octo and a Suunto console) off ebay with the intention to learn how to rebuild a reg myself. Sounds like maybe I should get that serviced and try to cut my losses.

I'm still considering looking into one of those Couv MK10s though. Trying to figure out what "non-grooved" means first when it comes to those. At least that could lead to me having 2 good functional (if a bit dated) reg sets.

 

[L13]

It's funny you mention the MK2 because I had just picked up a $50 MK2/R190 reg set (also came with a Dacor Pacer Aero 2nd as an octo and a Suunto console) off ebay with the intention to learn how to rebuild a reg myself. Sounds like maybe I should get that serviced and try to cut my losses.

The Mk2 with the G250 will be a good combo, if both are in decent condition. No need to buy the Mk10, unless you want to in that case.

 

[Litefoot]

Yeah, I had done some reading over here first, but clearly not enough. It's definitely an expensive lesson to learn, but it hasn't put me in the poor house yet at least. I'm hesitant to call anybody out on here. They had some good reviews in the Orlando area (even on this site, but the posts were 19 years old). I also learned after the fact that the first shop wasn't a Scubapro dealer so his "working used set of regs" might've just been a clean up job. I'll wait for my Scubapro dealer's inspection before I start pointing fingers.


It's funny you mention the MK2 because I had just picked up a $50 MK2/R190 reg set (also came with a Dacor Pacer Aero 2nd as an octo and a Suunto console) off ebay with the intention to learn how to rebuild a reg myself. Sounds like maybe I should get that serviced and try to cut my losses.

I'm still considering looking into one of those Couv MK10s though. Trying to figure out what "non-grooved" means first when it comes to those. At least that could lead to me having 2 good functional (if a bit dated) reg sets.

I bought a couple of Couv’s regs, so I just learned this. A non-grooved MK10 is an earlier model that doesn’t have a groove for a rubber (SPEC) boot that seals the ambient pressure chamber holes of a grease-packed reg.

 

[Tanks A Lot]

....With the current pricing for the MK2, in the EMEA region, it really doesn't make sense to buy the MK2 when the other better SP first stages with better seconds (balanced firsts and seconds) are available for less than 30 euros more than the least expensive MK2 combo. ....

I do agree with you on the combo point. If I go for a first stage & second stage combos, the MK2 EVO/R095 is indeed only 30€ less than the MK11/S270 combo. Now here is a funny tidbit - The MK2 EVO/S270 combo is just around 5€ cheaper than it's MK11 combo...

Looking at just first stages, I'm not sure I can agree with you and from my point I would keep those second stages if he can't return the complete regulator.

Without going into specific numbers, a MK11 will cost x1.3 of an MK2 EVO and the MK17 EVO runs around x1.5. Going towards an MK25 EVO it will be x2.5 the price of an MK2 EVO.


All of the above first stages are better than the MK2 EVO. It probably does not translate to anything meaningful for most divers in the real world. The 2600 l/m flow rate of an MK2 EVO get dwarfed by the 8500 l/m of an MK25 EVO - I get "dwarfed" by either of those numbers. Balancing is a great feature, but an MK2 EVO, while not being balanced does no horrible job of holding a rather stable IP. Towards the very end of my air supply the IP sure does drop, but it's probably time I end my dive anyway. Above 60 bars it still does an amazing job of holding it somewhat steady.

Edge cases do call for better equipment of course. If I go ice diving or try to set the world depth record on open circuit SCUBA, the MK2 EVO wouldn't be my choice either.

Again, I'm not arguing that the MK2 EVO is the best of the line-up, it is not! It is the worst of the ScubaPro first stages. But when every first stage you look at is a great performer, even the worst is just a title in that particular line-up.

Some people like the latest and greatest, that's fine. Some people like good enough and save even the 30$ for a nice meal with the wife or whatnot.

Apart from that, in 15 years time I will eat my hat if I have trouble finding MK2 spare parts. This regulator is so ubiquitous in the dive industry the spare parts will be with us for decades to come. Even if Johnson Outdoors goes belly up tomorrow, I bet the last regulator I won't be able to service anymore of their line-up is the MK2.

 

[James79]

Yeah, I had done some reading over here first, but clearly not enough. It's definitely an expensive lesson to learn, but it hasn't put me in the poor house yet at least. I'm hesitant to call anybody out on here. They had some good reviews in the Orlando area (even on this site, but the posts were 19 years old). I also learned after the fact that the first shop wasn't a Scubapro dealer so his "working used set of regs" might've just been a clean up job. I'll wait for my Scubapro dealer's inspection before I start pointing fingers.


It's funny you mention the MK2 because I had just picked up a $50 MK2/R190 reg set (also came with a Dacor Pacer Aero 2nd as an octo and a Suunto console) off ebay with the intention to learn how to rebuild a reg myself. Sounds like maybe I should get that serviced and try to cut my losses.

I'm still considering looking into one of those Couv MK10s though. Trying to figure out what "non-grooved" means first when it comes to those. At least that could lead to me having 2 good functional (if a bit dated) reg sets.

Regarding the Mk15, the shop that sold it to you is either incompetent or actively screwed you... as others said it's an uncommon and hard to get serviced reg with useful end of life in the near future (barring those who stockpiled parts or are willing to take heroic measures).

On the Mk2, they are dirt simple regs and reliable. In your shoes (since you already planned to learn) I would just go forward with rebuilding it yourself, then use the G250 as your primary and the R190 as the octo (pick the console that suits you better). Part of the overall discussion is that the Mk2 is an unbalanced piston (Intermediate Pressure will get lower as the tank pressure drops), but that is why it's so simple and bullet proof. The G250 is a balanced second stage (relatively unaffected by IP changes) so feeding it from an unbalanced first is a non issue. If I recall correctly the R190 is a basic downstream second (unbalanced) which means the cracking effort will go up some as the IP goes down.... not an issue per se, it will still breathe easy enough even at low tank pressures but trying it on the Mk2 with a full tank and immediately again on a low tank you will notice the difference.

On the Mk10, grooved or not only matters if you want to seal it (filling the ambient chamber with grease) in which case the the groove is where the rubber or silicone boot to cover the ambient holes rides (allows the water pressure to transfer to the grease and maintain pressure compensation while keeping water out of the ambient chamber).

Respectfully,

James

 

[BoltSnap]

the 30$ for a nice meal with the wife or whatnot.

A "happy meal" will cost you more than the $30

 

[Still Kicking]

The TFX is more like top end Rolls Royce not a Ferrari

And the pricing is more like a Rolls Royce with a Ferrari tucked in the boot (trunk).

 

[Mutton Man]

Great info here as I was just gifted two MK 15 sets wearing G250;s consoles and inflators from a recent passing divers wife. sounds like the first stages are something I should not pursue working on even though they look very good. Guess I will break them out and keep what is serviceable. Thanks to those with more knowledge who answer these posts. Cheers!