Most "reliable" regulator first and second stage

[Bob DBF]

I have found that the older 2nd stage Sherwoods plastic cracks pretty easy. Not a plastics guy, but the older ones remind me of bakelite, while I believe the newer ones are ABS.

I haven't had a problem with them cracking, but I do keep close track of them to avoid it, actually I try to keep all my gear from getting damaged. I have a new plastic second and I think it would be easier to damage than the old ones. In any event, for the same force that would kill a plastic second, a metal one might get scratched or dented. I think the '70's Sherwood 2000 was the only Sherwood metal reg.



Bob

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I just put together a minimalist regulator for my new pony bottle. I converted an old MK5 to MK1 with a 200 BAR DIN connector (thanks axxel57). I like the low profile and the fact that the MK5 has seen decades of reliable service. Finding the parts for this regulator makes it not a practical option for most, but it would be pretty easy to put together a MK9 DIN that would be almost as compact.

View attachment 221238

We use Mk 9s and Mk 8s as our O2 decompression regulators. The Mk 9s are smaller than the Mk 8s unless you use the Mk 1 cap, on them, and they come into their own as very simple and elegant designs.

It's almost as bullet proof as a Mk 3, Mk 200 or Mk 2.

a touch bulky on a pony, and then there is that whole DSV (or some form of a plug) need since it isn't in your mouth....

DA - do you really feel the 108hp is better than the 109/156? I like that I can also crank the adjustment on it to keep it stable, yet back it off when i need it....

The 108 HP, or the older single adjustment (fixed orifice) 080 second stages have the edge in size and weight, but it really depends on how you use your pony bottle.

If it is carried on a primary tank with the valve on, the Adjustable or Balanced Adjustable second stages have an advantage in terms of being able to tighten the adjustment screw down to increase the cracking effort and prevent unintentional gas loss. If you're carrying the pony as a slung bottle, with the valve off, then the HP makes more sense.

On the other hand, if you want both small size and an adjustment knob, the C300 or C350 are very hard to beat, and the design is very simple yet offers very good performance. Sadly, I doubt it will ever catch on much in the US, particularly with the back seat marketing treatment it gets in the US from Scubapro.

The same use issue comes into play with the Sherwood first stages, using an air bleed system to keep the ambient chamber dry. If you're carrying your pony reg with the valve on, you'll be bleeding gas each and every dive. The breath or two that adds up to with a AL 80 sized tank isn't a big deal, but on a pony bottle it can force you to top of the tank every couple of dives.

 

[USdiver1]

My US Divers Trade Mark Green Label Broxton is still going strong at age 63 (1952 Mfg.). Now that is reliability defined!

 

[halocline]

Thanks for all of your advice everyone, at first I was leaning towards the sherwood Brut, but after reading everyone's response I decided to go with the SP Mk2/R195 combo.

Thanks again

Consider one of the old SP metal case 2nd stages, my favorite would be the 109, and it's widely available.

 

[ams511]

I just put together a minimalist regulator for my new pony bottle. I converted an old MK5 to MK1 with a 200 BAR DIN connector (thanks axxel57). I like the low profile and the fact that the MK5 has seen decades of reliable service. Finding the parts for this regulator makes it not a practical option for most, but it would be pretty easy to put together a MK9 DIN that would be almost as compact.

View attachment 221238

That first stage looks brand new.

---------- Post added December 18th, 2015 at 05:14 PM ----------

Thanks for all of your advice everyone, at first I was leaning towards the sherwood Brut, but after reading everyone's response I decided to go with the SP Mk2/R195 combo.

Thanks again

Not to confuse the issue but sometimes you can find the Subgear version at a substantial discount.

 

[kr2y5]

IMHO, in determining which reg is most reliable, one has to consider the % of time the reg will spend in 3 stages: (a) having no symptoms, (b) having mild symptoms we choose to ignore because whey seem benign, we have a dive tomorrow, we don't have a spare, and overhaul costs time/money, (c) out for repairs. I went with HOG regs because I figured, if I am able and willing to fix my regs, they will spend 99.9% time in (a), and the probabilities will work in my favor. YMMV.

 

[halocline]

IMHO, in determining which reg is most reliable, one has to consider the % of time the reg will spend in 3 stages....

To me reliability is best determined by performance over long periods of time. The MK2 has basically been unchanged for decades, and the 109 2nd stage could be the most successful 2nd stage in history, in terms of longevity and influence on other regulators.

 

[Rich Keller]

I vote for Scubapro MK2/R190
Dirt simple, absolute work horse.

I agree but I would also be ok using this as my main reg. Or a MK5/R109 main and a MK3/R108HP pony. I like simple, rugged, reliable and easy to work on.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I agree but I would also be ok using this as my main reg. Or a MK5/R109 main and a MK3/R108HP pony. I like simple, rugged, reliable and easy to work on.

Dan Volker used to use MK2's down to 300 feet, I don't know what 2nd was on those, but the point is they worked fine.
I have a friend who was given a MK3/108 in 1973 an was told it needed to be serviced before he used it. He never got it serviced then and used it all the way up into the 1980's and never serviced it one time. He used to take it to 200 feet in FL to spear groupers back in the day. I finally got it and put a kit in it and had another perfectly working regulator.

I know these are extreme cases but the point is to anybody reading this is that those Scubapro unbalanced piston's aren't fancy and they aren't balanced but sometimes you don't need that. If I knew then what I know now I could have saved a butt load of money and just bought a MK2/and whatever 2nd came with it then, and been a happy diver. But of course the dive shop over sold me.
MK2's are considered the Kalashnikov's of the regulator world, drag them through the mud, beat down a mugger with them, then hook them up and go diving.
If I was only allowed to have one 1st stage regulator for the rest of my life (stranded on an island) it would be a MK2, and either one of my 109's/156 or G200B, the R190 is fine too.

 

[stevensamler]

My pony is rigged with a Scubapro Mk-5 and a Scubapro S-600 never any problems.