MKII with SPEC Cap - R190 1st generation

[axxel57]

Just found a MKII with a 1st generation R190 (not the very 1st generation, since it has already a red pin in the diaphragm cover), that without adjustable Venturi Assist from around 1990.

I know from my SP Catalogs that the R190 didn’t come on the US market before 1992 (in the 2nd or 3rd generation), so probably many here are not so familiar with that model.

The regulator set looked like it had hardly been used, so I guess that’s the original configuration.

Not only had I never seen a MKII with that type of SPEC Cap, but a R190 with a metal orifice is also a first for me.

The most irritating feature is the original SP mouth piece with that strange plastic grid inside.

Does anybody of you guys has any idea what for that could be?

The only guess I can come up with would be that SP wanted avoid force feeding the divers with the notorious strong Venturi Assist, since at that time the R190 could not be Venturi adjusted as in later models. If that should be the case, I have never heard of it, and it would be a strange feature, so I’m not sure.

Does here somebody has another explanation, or knows more about that particular mouth piece (maybe the plastic piece had been offered by another company extra for whatever reason)?

Also the SPEC filling of the 1st stage doesn’t make any sense to me.

I have little experience with those SPEC fillings of 1st stages, but I don’t see how that could work in greater depths with that little Silicone. Any thoughts?

BTW, I like the depth gauge………

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

That almost has to be a way to de-tune the reg. I suppose if you are the end-user and that's your primary, take it out and max the flow. For an octo or a rental, leave it in.

A proto-venturi vane set-up.

 

[rsingler]

Glad it wasn't dived much with that ridiculous SPEC "fill". There's so little of it that maybe it might not have trapped sea water, but mid-spring like that I can't see how it could have served as a lube reservoir for the piston head.

 

[Couv]

Re the SPEC: It looks like the some of the grease flowed out of the holes and the remainder is left behind. Most MK10s that I've seen that were even halfway packed correctly with silicone grease were pretty well spotless on the inside.

I've never seen that mouthpiece device before.

Edit: Could it be part of a "mouthpiece plug" (not meant to be left in while diving?) See item 4 in the attachment.

 

[axxel57]

Re the SPEC: It looks like the some of the grease flowed out of the holes and the remainder is left behind. Most MK10s that I've seen that were even halfway packed correctly with silicone grease were pretty well spotless on the inside.

I've never seen that mouthpiece device before.

Edit: Could it be part of a "mouthpiece plug" (not meant to be left in while diving?) See item 4 in the attachment.

To me it seems more like the residues come from a 'whitish' silicone that was used sometimes in the 80ties here in Europe or little water entered the main spring chamber. After Ultrasound cleaning the spring was spotless.
Concerning the mouth piece, I know that type of mouth piece plug from your schematics (thanks), it's very different.
I think Rusty had a very good idea, probably it's really for the 2nd you are not supposed to use like the octopus to prevent the possibly quite strong Venturi.......

 

[axxel57]

Recently I bought a heap of diving stuff from a retired Scuba Instructor from the 80s and 90s in my City.
Among the interesting things I acquired was one R190 of the very first generation from '87 ( the one without the security pin and the venturi vane, but the Demand Valve Body of the 080 HP and metal orifice) and a separate1st, which looks like a MK2, but with a SPEC Cap I have never seen before. I have already a couple of elder MK2 models, but this SPEC Cap is so new to me, that I have doubts that is an original SP MK2. It might be a clone ( also the rim of the filter seems to be thicker than those of the usual SP ones).
Since I found it in the same heap of diving stuff as the R190 and no other MK2, I was wondering if in '87 maybe for short time in Europe this type of 'MK2' might have been sold.
Unfortunately I have for the years '85 to '89 only the US Scubapro Catalogs, so I cannot check that for Europe.
I was wondering if maybe somebody here has ever seen this SPEC Cap and knows about its origin or has a '87 - '89 SP Catalog for Europe, so I could clarify that.
Anyway, thanks in advance.......

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

Look at all these beautiful pictures of shiny things we hold in our hands and nurture and breathe ahhhhh!!!

 

[halocline]

Are the DIN connectors on those MK2s 200 or 300 bar? I would like to find a 200 bar DIN connector for my MK2.

Great job on those regs! But I might be missing something. On your first photo the Mk2 looks like it has big ambient chamber holes, and in the last photo I see really small ones. It must be a different one?

 

[p_kos]

Are the DIN connectors on those MK2s 200 or 300 bar? I would like to find a 200 bar DIN connector for my MK2.

Great job on those regs! But I might be missing something. On your first photo the Mk2 looks like it has big ambient chamber holes, and in the last photo I see really small ones. It must be a different one?

They look to be 200 bar. I have a couple on MK10s and found that oddly enough they don’t seal at all with Thermo convertible 200 bar valves (significant leak when screwed in all the way) but seal perfectly with DGX convertible valves. Not sure if anyone else has had that problem. I like the tiny reg second from right in the group pic (maybe MK3?). With that skinny DIN wheel it looks super compact.

 

[lexvil]

They look to be 200 bar. I have a couple on MK10s and found that oddly enough they don’t seal at all with Thermo convertible 200 bar valves (significant leak when screwed in all the way) but seal perfectly with DGX convertible valves. Not sure if anyone else has had that problem. I like the tiny reg second from right in the group pic (maybe MK3?). With that skinny DIN wheel it looks super compact.

Some have a larger diameter filter retainer and won’t fit into some valves, I can take a few pics later.