My "new" independent doubles setup

[Open Ocean Diver]

Really? I can't say I've heard of such a thing. I'd love to see your source for this. (Not doubting you, I'd just like to understand where you're getting this information.)

And I agree about the Mk5/109 regs. I have a bucket of them that I no longer use, but they were always solid regulators.

I found it in the technical manual.

 

[Stoo]

I stand corrected. Thank you!

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I also quoted the Scubapro manual about this a few posts up. I have used it, and it seems best for extreme deep diving where you want the highest air reservoir going into the second stage. By receiving air from two different first stages, you are also increasing the potential CFM output of the second stage, which is highly desirable in high demand, deep depth situations. Which is why the U.S. Navy gave Scubapro a plaque for their 1800 foot dive.

Now I have a question for you, Stoo? If I showed up with a double hose, twin first stage setup, on my Pilot or A.I.R. I, with an octopus coming off one, and a computer/SPG, would you really throw me off the boat?

SeaRat

 

[Gone for diving]

One reason I don't like charters.


I have a vested interest in any of the gear I dive... I don't want to die!!!!
but if I want to dive my vintage triples with a double hose reg and spg and homemade tire tube wing so be it.
I need to think what I am doing,
which is lost on 90% of divers because they are following rules and not thinking what the rule is there for... (not looking ahead or anticipating problems)
We have dumbed down diving in alot of ways.... I don't know if I could pass the swimming tests that they have in the old dive manuals....

 

[AfterDark]

Why a Pilot or Air-1 with two hoses fed by two independent first stages is considered "unorthodox gear configuration"?
It was a standard setup officially endorsed by the manufacturer; when these regs were in production, and at the time I had seen this setup in use.
Or do you refer to the usage of "vintage" regs? I think that MK5 and 109 are not really vintage, as they are still in normal use for a lot of divers (me included).

Because for a lot of these lads history starts about the time they were born. What is accepted today always was and always will be.

 

[AfterDark]

I used the AIR 1 on this dive with the LP connected to the left port of the 2nd stage. Works fine no difference.

Dive 2103 8-16-2021 Green Bridge Newport, RI solo

Did a very nice dive at GB 20'+ vis in the cove and 15' outside, no surge or white caps. Small rollers breaking over the rocks. Snorkeled out to the mouth of the cove and with the bottom visible I descended into 15' of water and headed S towards the eastern rock formation. When the water got about 25-30FSW deep I turned W and toured the south side of the rocks until I hit 1500psi when I turned N and headed back to cove. After I entered the cove I stayed under until I passed the first big rock at the north end of the cove where I spotted Mrs.AD snorkeling around. I stalked her using my snorkel for 5 minutes before she spotted me. Good thing I wasn't something else!

No kids no redundancy on this dive which is often the case.

 

[AfterDark]

So I pointed out that this setup is patently absurd. And arguably dangerous.

While I lack the decades of experience of the person who invented this batty nonsense... I do have decades of experience. And, I'd safely venture, many more dives and bottom time despite my comparatively shorter age. Some of those dives spent pulling people wearing nonsense out of trouble as a buddy and some as a professional.

And my post got deleted.

I suppose saying, "Don't dive nonsense" is too negative?

Hey @yao your post did not get deleted because of me!! I don't you or anyone else to think it did. I'm a thick skinned old man. If you still have it send it to me I'll post it. You are entitled to your opinion and nonsense in any form doesn't bother me one bit.

I missed this part the 1st read.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I have no idea, but don’t think it would be interchangeable. I think that only applied to the A.I.R. I. The D400 is several models downstream of that. I don’t think you should change out the Pilot innards either, as that is a fantastic regulator, one which has probably yet to be equaled in any second stage.

SeaRat

PS, it is not the poppet that is interchangeable Pilot to A.I.R. I; it is the entire internal mechanism. The Pilot has no poppet, as such, but rather a pilot valve mechanism.

Reading Regulator Savvy chapter on the Pilot it has a nice explanation on how the Pilot works. I’m going to keep it original… quite the interesting valve.

I wonder if a conversion table exist of the needed O-rings and O-ring soft seats to rebuild the Pilot to original?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Reading Regulator Savvy chapter on the Pilot it has a nice explanation on how the Pilot works. I’m going to keep it original… quite the interesting valve.

I wonder if a conversion table exist of the needed O-rings and O-ring soft seats to rebuild the Pilot to original?

The Scubapro Pilot Repair Manual details which O-ring goes where.

Fig 8 Pilot 2nd Stage by John Ratliff, on Flickr
This is a drawing of the Pilot from the patent. patents.google.com/patent/US4076041A/en?oq=4076041

You can download it from here, a page at a time. You'll have to scroll down to get to the repair manual for the Pilot.
https://vintagescuba.proboards.com/thread/4963/scubapro-pilot-regulator-came

'Hope this helps.

SeaRat

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

The Scubapro Pilot Repair Manual details which O-ring goes where.
View attachment 677151Fig 8 Pilot 2nd Stage by John Ratliff, on Flickr
This is a drawing of the Pilot from the patent. patents.google.com/patent/US4076041A/en?oq=4076041

You can download it from here, a page at a time. You'll have to scroll down to get to the repair manual for the Pilot.
https://vintagescuba.proboards.com/thread/4963/scubapro-pilot-regulator-came

'Hope this helps.

SeaRat

Thanks John, I appreciate it.

O-ring part number in the manual don’t correspond to anything on the Scubapro O-ring chart. So I don’t know materials, size or SH to cross them over. I thought I saw someone trying to make a chart for the Pilot on SB but can’t find it now.