OLD U.S. Divers Reg. and gauges set: serviceable?

[Gilldiver]

Did the shop say you couldn't get service parts or did they say they couldn't get service parts?

I have yet to find an Aqualung single hose reg from 1972 to the present that can't be serviced. For instance, Service Kit PN-900001 is the first stage kit for the following regs:
Conshelf XII (Introduced in 1972)
Conshelf XIV
Conshelf 20
Conshelf 21
Conshelf 22
Conshelf SE
Conshelf SE2
Conshelf SE3
Titan

So the same kit will do the Aqualung Conshelf/Titan 1st stages from 1972 up to today. I have never got into your 1st stage, but it may use the Aquarius kit, The 2nd stages look to be standard USD seconds and don't have any parts that are truly custom. As for the crack, that was common for regs like the SE/SE2 etc. and may, or may not, mean that the case needs to be replaced.

 

[eelpout]

As the previous posters have mentioned, your regulators can be rebuilt with the present kits, if not the kits the individual parts are still avaialable. I just worked on the Pro Diver S with a SE2 2nd stage not too long ago. The first stage is a pain in the neck to work on because of the porrt configuration. We used to call them "Gemini Space Capsule" 1st stages. US Divers (Aqualung presently) had a major problem with their intial run of composite (Plastoc) 2nd stages. Most of them cracked where the box (lower half of the body of the 2nd stage) met the inlet fitting from the hose. I had a box of these replacement parts for years and finally got rid of all of them. It is a shame they don't ahve any of these bodies left. They were pretty simple to work on.

Good luck,
Jim

 

[moosicman]

I sent Aqua Lung an inquiry and I post there response in the event that it helps someone else:

Robert,

Ok, you have the Conshelf 21 regulator. The good news is that they can be serviced. The bad news is that it will require ordering multiple service kits as well as additional parts. This will be costly and time consuming for the shop that services the reg. In addition, the parts might not be available a year or two from now.

When you factor in $250 initial cost, plus probably $200 for parts and labor, there isn’t that great of savings over buying something new.

Richard Vaughn
Aqua Lung
Customer Service
Toll Free:

[COLOR=#49535A !important] 877-252-3483 ​

​

ext 6343
Fax: 760-597-5080
rvaughn@aqualung.com
Skype: richard.vaughn.aqa.csr

[/COLOR]

 

[herman]

If the guy is asking $250 for the reg, that's too much, $25 is more like it. Now as to service, I don't necessarily agree. The biggest part cost would be the lower body which may not be available. To have it done $200 is likely about right but that assumes you can find a shop willing to do it...most don't have the skill or want to bother. If done yourself, you could to the job for between $25 and $50 depending on the condition of some of the parts. Hoses and a lower body would run the cost up more. With the exception of the second stage housings, the rest of the service parts will be available for many more years to come....assuming you are willing to source them and not depend on an all inclusive kit.

 

[Gilldiver]

Get a Conshelf XIV or a SE/SE2 off of ebay and be done with it

 

[cmburch]

There was a recall on the housings. Hairline cracks where the hose threads. I had all of ours replaced. They are all serviceable and housing can be replaced.

 

[scubafanatic]

I sent Aqua Lung an inquiry and I post there response in the event that it helps someone else:

Robert,

Ok, you have the Conshelf 21 regulator. The good news is that they can be serviced. The bad news is that it will require ordering multiple service kits as well as additional parts. This will be costly and time consuming for the shop that services the reg. In addition, the parts might not be available a year or two from now.

When you factor in $250 initial cost, plus probably $200 for parts and labor, there isn’t that great of savings over buying something new.

Richard Vaughn
Aqua Lung
Customer Service
Toll Free:

[COLOR=#49535A !important] 877-252-3483 ​

ext 6343
Fax: 760-597-5080
rvaughn@aqualung.com
Skype: richard.vaughn.aqa.csr

[/COLOR]

wait, it gets worse.... odds are all the soft parts (rubber) are crap (diaphragms/reg hoses) as such soft parts deteriorate with time/heat/cold/ozone (if not stored in a climate controlled environment), also, what is the $ value of all your labor hours that you have already invested (and will continue to invest) in ressurrecting the dead ? I've got nothing against used gear, but used scuba gear, like used cars, has an age range beyond which I won't touch it with a 10 ft. pole. When I shop for vehicles, I'm looking for something about 3 yrs old, the vehicle will be 50% of the new vehicle price, but have 80% of it's useful life left. Also, I don't buy 'fixer uppers' when it's fairly easy to get great deals on E-Bay/Scubaboard for NIB or barely used modern gear. I'm sorry to say it, but you grossly overpaid if you paid $ 250 for that reg set. honestly, I wouldn't take that reg set for 'free' due to the pointless excessive effort one would have to go through to bring it up to a safe/usable standard, then have to worry about all the gymnastics I'd have to look forward to arrange parts/service for it later.