Mares XR Wing - Inflator elbow

[kdlv]

Hi folks,

I've recently acquired a Mares XR Psycho Calavera wing and decided to replace the inflator to a simple XDeep K-inflator and normal 16" corrugated hose. I always do that with my wings.
To my surprise, the original inflator hose diameter is standard on the side of the inflator, but smaller on the side of the elbow.

I will not focus on the typical corporate decision to use a custom one...

Do you know any experience whether I can use any of the standard Halcyon/OMS/XDeep/Tecline elbows.
I have seen some topics that SEAC elbows are identical with potential SubGravity elbow replacement, but these are difficult to find in Europe.

So in a nutshell. Any hints what I can replace the proprietary elbow with. Or shall i start experimenting with generic ones until I am able to fit one.

Cheers

 

[happy-diver]

Leave your elbow hose and inflator at home and take your wing into a dive shop to
look for an elbow hose and inflator

 

[kdlv]

Not an option unfortunately. Both dive shops don't sell the elbows only.
The original Mares corrugated hose... is just too bulky and not a big fan of it. Otherwise this is my "don't risk my next dives scenario" -> to use the hose and just replace inflator with a standard K.

Made some pics, measurements are metric, converted to inch.

So my ask is if you have any elbows like that, would you be able to measure and let me know which one with 1inch diameter at the hose will fit the thread. and has bottom elbow part with the measurements in the next post.

This is the diameter of every K-inflator I've ever seen so far (branded, generic, etc.) - 25mm (1 inch)
This is the thickest part of the elbow hose section: 23.5mm (0.925 inch) and it gets narrower towards the back.
This is the back, where the corrugated hose stop is: 22.3mm (0.88 inch)

And this is the screw cap:
Cap diameter at the thread: 51.1mm (2 inch)

And the inner circle of the cap at 30mm. (1.18 inch)

 

[kdlv]

That's the shape of the elbow bottom part, looks "Toothed".

Outer teeth diameter - 46.75mm (1.84")

Inner teeth diameter - 43.7mm (1.72")

 

[happy-diver]

Work two slices of pushbike tube on to the elbow, put hose on and cabletie

 

[kdlv]

Yep, that would work. I was hoping I can do it properly without "fancy" mods.
The thread on the cap itself is coarse as opposed to the generic ones.
I read Halcyon used fine thread until 2020 and switched to coarse.

Xdeep and Tecline use fine thread on current models.
Will order a generic ones from somewhere and try to fit the elbow only, retaining the cap.

 

[happy-diver]

Well that is a really good idea

Realise the elbow is 25mm ish and the diameter of the flange is 40mm ish

 

[kdlv]

The inner diameter of the cap (where the elbow goes) is 30mm, so a generic elbow will stay centered. Question is whether it will stay flush with the connector on the bladder and the gasket.

I sold my other wing and I have no access to it to experiment unfortunately.

In the meantime found that these Mares inflators and elbows seem to be manufactured by an Italian company called Hydpro, but they don't seem to sell to individuals.

Also found and ordered an elbow and 22-25mm 16" hose branded as Dirzone. I was aware about Dirzone, but never found this kit in their catalog. Nevertheless... not a cheap kit - around 40 EUR for an elbow and hose, but hey... not an active diving season now, so I can fiddle with the gear a bit. Plus having a spare and difficult to source elbow and silicon gasket may not be necessarily a bad idea. And this elbow is 100% identical to what is on the Mares wing.

(oddly enough, latest Mares "Tactical"-color single tank BPW is using an elbow that appears to be the standard type nowadays. Sent a question to Mares, I suspect the answer will be "Bring it to a Mares dive shop", "Change the bladder" or... something similar. We'll see!)



Ordered a couple of slightly different cheap Chinese elbows for 2 EUR each (let's be honest, majority of them come from China).


And also followed your advise to get an inner tyre tube from a racing bicycle 18-25 or 23-28 tyre width size. Ordered both, will see which one fits better.


Will update the thread once I receive them and have results.

 

[happy-diver]

Mate you're a superstar!

Cheers!

 

[kdlv]

I hate scrapwork...

Long story short:
Inner bicycle tyres are brilliant.
My first order with the genuine replacement from Dirzone didn't go through, order could not be fulfilled. I found another corrugated hose only: BestDivers branded with jacket-side diameter of 22mm, waiting for it to arrive, but it will take a week at least. I also have a backup scenario of a rather expensive Finnsub hose + inflator + elbow that are a direct replacement for mine which will leave me with several K-inflators to sell afterwards, but I am still delaying the decision whether I should order. After all it all started with the intent to replace this heavy and bulky Hydpro K-inflator, which appears to be quite a stupid choice for a lightweight BP/W setup (and I hate the rubber coating)

As a backup to the backup: Polaris Germany can supply me with just the right type of hose potentially and the elbow is available from another German seller. I realize that instead of trying to change the elbow which is not very easy, it is better to find the right hose and have a spare elbow, give how difficult it is to find one online in Europe.

So... the generic elbows almost worked. Almost... because they seal well against the bladder, but without the screw on top. When I put the screw on, the elbow doesn't have enough clearance to center. This approach will not work, a dead end.



However, after installing 3 layers of bicycle tube, the diameter gap is now resolved. The catch is that I need to press the hose all the way over the elbow hose ridge, just to make sure I can install 2 zip ties and keep it secure.



I was planning not to have the steel cord inside the tube, but with this scrapwork, I may well install it, just to have a peace of mind and another layer of insurance that I don't accidentally pull the entire hose off the wing.



Let's see how it holds. Off to Seychelles next week.

By the way: still no response from Mares!

======
UPDATE: Aaaaaaand... NO. A slightly stronger pull managed to take the hose off the elbow even with the zip tie on. I will have to wait until the right corrugated hose comes in.
Until then, it stays with the original thick hose.