Mares Abyss MR 22 full-service overhaul

[RicMares]

I just picked up my Mares Abyss MR 22 rig that I purchased in 2008. This is the first service on this reg. I have about 100 or so dives on it. I have not been diving in the last two years, so I thought it would be prudent to have a full-service overhaul. It cost me $90 at my LDS, which I thought was very reasonable. I also added a new octo to help reduce weight and to be more streamlined. I gues you can tell I try to keep my gear in pristine condition.

Thought the SB Mares Abyss fans would enjoy the pics of the old parts and some regulator porn.

Cheers, Ric

 

[Zef]

Nice. The MR22 1st stage and the Abyss 2nd stage are veritable work horses, and yours is obviously well cared for.

I recommend asking your shop what version of the HP poppet they installed....their response should be the "ACT"....that is what is currently used in Mares "X" series 1st stages (MR22x, MR15x, etc.)....if they indicate anything other than "ACT" then you should explore why not.

In case you were not aware...given the faceplate of your 2nd stage and the body style of your 1st stage (assuming matching serial numbers), your reg set was produced between 2000 and 2004. The faceplate cover is known as the Abyss "Turbo".

Here is a link to a discussion thread from a couple of years ago that serves as a good reference:
Guide to Mares regulators from 2000-2020

-Z

 

[lowwall]

That's in really nice shape. If you have a receipt with part numbers, we can tell from the service kit part number if you got the latest version of the HP poppet.

Turbo is the nickname for the 2nd stage with that faceplate. Mares' official name was Abyss 2000.

Edit: I checked the service manuals and Mares does call the faceplate the "Turbo Flow cover" and sometimes refer to this model as the Abyss 2000 TF.

 

[RicMares]

Wow, the SB Mares Abyss guys know their S#!%! So I bought this somewhere between 2000-2004 Huh! Well you get old and forget crap is my only excuse, I have been known to have CRS from time to time.

Thank both of you very much for the heads on the HP poppet that should have been installed. I will reach out to my LDS guy today and put that question to him. I knew If I posted some pics of my service I would probably learn something new from the SB community. Great to have friends to depend on.

Thanks for the pic of the brand new "Abyss turbo model. Is that an old pic, or do you have a brand new backup waiting in the wings?

CHeers, Ric

 

[lowwall]

I grabbed the pic from this current eBay listing: Mares MR22 ABYSS 2000 | eBay

My personal reg is the later version of your MR22 first stage with Proton Metal second stages. I think Zef has your setup except his octo is another Abyss Turbo.

 

[207diver]

I wouldn’t be too concerned about which poppet was used. The tri-material poppet is still used in the MR22 Navy. The newer ACT poppet replaced the tri-material poppet and was used in everything else until recently when they introduced the newest poppet the tri-material 2k18 which is now the latest version. All will perform just fine for you.

 

[Zef]

I wouldn’t be too concerned about which poppet was used. The tri-material poppet is still used in the MR22 Navy. The newer ACT poppet replaced the tri-material poppet and was used in everything else until recently when they introduced the newest poppet the tri-material 2k18 which is now the latest version. All will perform just fine for you.

The fact that Mares still used the tri-material poppet on the MR22 Navy is not any significant testament to it being a better poppet design....they simply can't make any changes to the parts of that regulator without it having to go through full testing and recertification by the US Navy. They call it the MR22 "Navy" because it is certified by the US Navy, and they do not want to either lose that certification nor go through the pain of getting any changes re-certified. But instead they have improved the HP poppet of all their other regulators...the cost of the poppet versions is relatively the same....there is simply no reason to accept the older version unless you are diving as part of an organization that demands you keep the regulator stock for the purpose of equipment certification audits.

You are correct though that the either poppet will perform adequately, though I have not seen Mares refer to the latest as the tri-material 2k18....in all their literature and ad-copy I have seen it referred to as the "ACT" (advance coating technology) poppet. Setting aside the similar performance between the tri-material poppet of the "T" version of Mares 1st stages and the ACT poppet of the "X" version of their 1st stages, I can't fathom a reason for a shop to install anything but the latest poppet version when servicing a Mares reg other than the scenario regarding the Navy version I mentioned above.

-Z

 

[Zef]

That's in really nice shape. If you have a receipt with part numbers, we can tell from the service kit part number if you got the latest version of the HP poppet.

Turbo is the nickname for the 2nd stage with that faceplate. Mares' official name was Abyss 2000.

Edit: I checked the service manuals and Mares does call the faceplate the "Turbo Flow cover" and sometimes refer to this model as the Abyss 2000 TF.

The service kits I purchased in Belgium before moving back to the US a little over a year ago had the HP poppets in them, but it is my understanding that the poppet was not always included in the kit.....there is a note somewhere in once of the service manuals for the MR22 about the shop technician inspecting the poppet, at the first service interval after installation, for adverse wear and tear and if none is found they were instructed to mark the stem side and then reinstall; the mark was to let whomever services that reg in the future know that the poppet was already reused and should be replaced during that next service interval....because of this the poppet was not part of the kit. I don't know if/when that practice changed and when exactly they started putting the poppet in the service kit, I just throw that out there as useful history to know.

-Z

 

[lowwall]

The service kits I purchased in Belgium before moving back to the US a little over a year ago had the HP poppets in them, but it is my understanding that the poppet was not always included in the kit.....there is a note somewhere in once of the service manuals for the MR22 about the shop technician inspecting the poppet, at the first service interval after installation, for adverse wear and tear and if none is found they were instructed to mark the stem side and then reinstall; the mark was to let whomever services that reg in the future know that the poppet was already reused and should be replaced during that next service interval....because of this the poppet was not part of the kit. I don't know if/when that practice changed and when exactly they started putting the poppet in the service kit, I just throw that out there as useful history to know.

-Z

When Mares was using the Tri-Material poppet, they had a one year service interval for all the other service parts (mostly O-rings), but the poppet had a 2-year service life. Since it wasn't replaced at every service, they didn't include it in the kit.

Mares switched to a 2-year service interval for everything at the same time they introduced the ACT poppet so they began including it in the kit. The switchover for the service kits was made in 2015. Here's what the current 22 kit looks like:

The little T shaped thing towards the right is what we are calling the poppet. Other manufacturers call it the HP seat.

 

[Zef]

When Mares was using the Tri-Material poppet, they had a one year service interval for all the other service parts (mostly O-rings), but the poppet had a 2-year service life. Since it wasn't replaced at every service, they didn't include it in the kit.

Mares switched to a 2-year service interval for everything at the same time they introduced the ACT poppet so they began including it in the kit. The switchover for the service kits was made in 2015. Here's what the current 22 kit looks like:

The little T shaped thing towards the right is what we are calling the poppet. Other manufacturers call it the HP seat.

What surprised me when I purchased the service kits, is that the diaphragm is not included...I had to ask for/purchase that separately. My recollection is the service manual states the 1st stage diaphragm should not be reused so its strikes me a bit odd that it is not included.

-Z