MK15/D400 for deco?

[David P]

The other day I had a customer drop of a couple "hand me down" (as he called them)regulators to be serviced. He then called me yesterday and told me not to bother servicing them as he bought a new set. When I asked what he was going to do with them he said throw them out. So now I have a Scubapro MK15/D400... I am going to have it serviced but Im considering having it cleaned and seting it up on a deco bottle. Any problems with this reg for O2 service?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The word "moron" comes to mind given that what ever new reg set he bought will almost certainly not breathe as well as a Mk 15 D400. Why don't idiots like that ever find me?

There should be no issue with using a Mk 15 D400 for deco as long as it is O2 cleaned and serviced with new EPDM o-rings. Some of the older annual service kits are still out there however so the potential to use older nitrile o-rings does exist. Be sure who ever is servicing it knows what you plan to do with it.

Another option is to use a third party viton o-ring replacement kit. These should still be available for Mk 5's Mk 10 and Mk 15's and they include all the o-rings in the reg, which makes the process a little easier.

 

[David P]

hmm third party? I've heard the D400s are good so I was quite happy to hear he bought something else. I am actually in the midst of ordering the tools for setting up our own service station in shop. I recently attended the Scubapro tech class and am planning on cramming in as many classes as possible in Nov at DEMA. I only know of buying parts kits from OEM. At the class the SP rep said that they are not really doing any O2 clean kits. If you could give me some info on third party kits Id be gratefull. This last week I received 4 sets of Conshelf regs. I am not an authorized Aqua Lung dealer so Im trying to learn where I will be ordering my parts kits from... any help would be greately appreciated.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I obtained a bunch of kits several years ago for use in my personal regs from a company in MA, that sold them for the Mk 5, Mk 10, and Mk 15, but I can't find their address. Let me look some more and see if I can find it.

Otherwise welcome to the the wonderful world where scubapro techdom meets O2 compatibility. SP made a nitrox kit for the Mk 20 that was approved for use with 100% O2 at 3500 psi. when used in a brass bodied Mk 20 but never really said anything about high perentage O2 compatibility after that. It kinda leaves all their techs in the dark at a time when O2 mixes greater than 40% are becoming more and more common.

My understanding at my last tech semniar was that SP has switched to EPDM o-rings for all their regs a few years ago, so with proper O2 cleaning and current o-rings, they should be ready to go with up to 100% O2. The problem is getting replacements for all of the o-rings in the reg that are not normally included in the annual service kit. I'd call SP's tech support and tell them what you need (a completely new set of EPDM o-rings for a Mk 15) but not neccessarily why you need it as, for I suspect liability reasons, SP is more or less avoiding giving official approval that their regs work with 100% O2.

I do want to ask that question at my next semniar, but the planned December and April ates were postponed and the next anticipated date is August 8th.