Project Argonaut, totally new, vintage style DH regulator

[Nemrod]

Just because somebody does not speak English fluently does not mean they are slow in the head and should be coddled. It is not valid, an opinion is that, but validity, nah. But your story Sam only furthers, my opinion, that for the most part early, and a lot of current dive gear, is to use the word of the day, trumped up. In comparison to what the Argonaut is, can anybody seriously think one bit of engineering and testing went into the New Mistral or the Trieste? Yeah, marketing research, engineering, no. I am not at liberty to say much more, but parts and pieces of the Argonaut have been lab tested as well as continuing tests in real dives by several very "experienced" divers (not me) as I understand it.

The Argonaut, if and when it is produced, is not a modified anything. It is a brand new complete regulator. It does not reuse or cannibalize any parts. The prototype test units of course are not, that is why they are called test units. The Phoenix nozzle does install into existing regulators, DA/RAM/Navy, the Argonaut is intended, best I know, to stand alone.

I think what is going on is that the regulator hoarders have realized, that for those who actually dive and not simply collect, they will no longer desire them or the parts hoarded up and thus the value of the old junk will dry up. Already we have seen this, banjo fittings were hoarded up and massive price gouging, now they are cheap and plentiful, hoses, same thing, main diagrams, same thing, on and on. There is probably a bunch of PO's collectors out there who thought all that pile of old duckbills and hoses they ran the price up on was going to be like gold and now it is worthless.

As a diver, I need things that work and upon which I can count, not old, moldy crap down in a basement, sign me up for a trumped up Argonaut because, you know, I am an experienced diver and almost photographer enthusiast who occasionally tech dives and has been known to go kinda deep and wrestle bull sharks for fun. Oh, and the only thing I collect, memories.

N

 

[Couv]

.....that was a manatee-not a bull shark. But well said anyway.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Couv, you brought a smile to my face.

SeaRat

 

[elmer fudd]

I think the other thing to bear in mind is that Luis is now working with well established technology intended for developed diving techniques. That wasn't true 60 years ago and a lot of the designs from back then show it. There were a lot of ideas from that era that didn't pan out or were less than optimal, like hoses within hoses or tiny mouthpieces or banjo adapters or the early Healthways exhaust systems. The Dial-a-Breath regulator was based on the idea that hard breathing regs saved air for Christs sake. He also has the benefit of modern production equipment like CNC mills and lathes.

All in all I'd much rather trust my life to a new production Argonaut than say a Northill Air Lung or a DivAir.

 

[Luis H]

The Dial-a-Breath regulator was based on the idea that hard breathing regs saved air for Christs sake.

Thanks for all the positive comments.

Yes, I have the advantage of studying many previous designs and I have the advantage of many modern tools that were not even available when I started my engineering career.
I am a strong believer on studying history and all the designs from the past; learn what is good and try to learn from the mistakes other designers might have made. I started servicing regulators in a dive shop 42 years ago.

Before any metal was cut, the Argonaut was already modeled in 3D and fitted with all its matting parts. We didn't have that capability in any of my early jobs working for large corporations with the most advance CAD systems at the time.

 

[trapezus]

Dr. Sam Miller wrote:
Trapezus, As a friend I would suggest that you might want to be the first in your country of Turkey to own and dive one

Dr. Miller, we will invite you for the first vintage Turkish diving. Came to honor us. Great pride to all who meet you in Istanbul. During the day will go diving in one of the islands of a Prince Islands.. Bring your regulator and used mask .We will give you the other equipments. Istanbul is cheap and very nice city.
This offer is valid for anyone who wants to come and read this site especially John J Ratliff and from other site scubasteve59 . Welcome also will see the unique beauty of Boshphorus.​

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Trapezus, thank you for the offer. I am pretty committed for this year, but my wife and I have never been to Europe or Central Asia. We have concentrated on our relatives in Hong Kong for our travel. I looked on Google Maps, and your area looks intriguing.

Elmer and Luis, For the Dacor Dial-a-Breath, the interesting thing is that the "dial" was actually a vane which could partially or totally block the venturi effect of the regulator. When that regulator has made, the spring tension was such that the interstage pressure was fairly high. This allowed a powerful venturi. It was powerful enough that the regulator would continue to flow if you inhaled and pulled the mouthpiece out of our mouth. However, this regulator had no way to adjust the interstage pressure, none at all. Over the years, the high pressure spring in the first stage apparently lost some of its tension, and the interstage pressure went down. I know this as mine responded better when I used a screwdriver to mechanically spread the last coil on each side of the spring. When I put the regulator back together, it breathed better, but not quite how I thought it did in the 1960s when I first saw it. In the U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit trails, the Navy divers usually turned the dial so that the regulator would not free flow. It competed well against the U.S. Divers Company DA Aqualung (the Broxton green label). But it never achieved the breathing rates of the DA Aquamaster. But it was the most robust regulator ever developed, I think.

SeaRat

Trapezus, teklif için teşekkür ederim. Ben oldukça bu yıl için taahhüt ediyorum, ama eşim ve ben Avrupa ve Orta Asya'dan hiç bulunmadım. Biz bizim seyahat için Hong Kong bizim akrabaları üzerinde yoğunlaşmıştır. Google Maps baktı ve bölgenizdeki ilginç görünüyor.


Elmer ve Luis, Dacor Dial-a-Breath için, ilginç bir şey "arama" aslında kısmen veya tamamen regülatör venturi etkisini bloke olabilecek bir kanatlı olmasıdır. Bu regülatör verdiğinde, yay gerginliği katlararası basıncı oldukça yüksek olduğu gibi oldu. Bu güçlü bir venturi izin verdi. Bu regülatör Eğer inhale ve ağzından ağızlık çekti eğer akmaya devam edeceğini yeterince güçlüydü. Ancak, bu regülatör tüm katlararası basıncı, hiçbiri ayarlamak için hiçbir yolu yoktu.Yıllar boyunca, ilk aşamada yüksek basınç yayı görünüşte onun gerginliği bazı kayıp ve katlararası basıncı aşağı gitti. Ben mekanik bahar her iki tarafındaki son bobin yaymak için bir tornavida kullanıldığında benimki daha iyi yanıt olarak bunu biliyorum. Ben tekrar bir araya regülatörü koymak, daha iyi nefes, ama ilk gördüğümde düşündüm değil oldukça nasıl 1960 yılında yaptım.ABD Donanması Deneysel Dalış Birimi parkurları yılında Donanma dalgıçlar genellikle arama döndü böylece regülatörü serbest akışı olmaz ki. Bu, U.S. Divers Şirket DA Aqualung (Broxton yeşil etiket) karşı iyi yarıştı. Ama DA Aquamaster ve solunum oranları elde asla. Ama şimdiye kadar üretilmiş en sağlam regülatör sanırım.


SeaRat

 

[trapezus]

We would be honored if you arrive .We believe participate in small number of divers, diving ,barbecue and boat free for you.Thanks for your interests.

 

[Luis H]

Here is something I posted in another thread were someone else is playing with Rob’s plastics cans:


Rob's plastic cans have a lot of potential uses (at thescubamuseum.com). I have been experimenting with Rob’s plastic cans and the Argonaut.
Note: I have used Rob's cans before for several other experimental regulators (the Pegasus, the Unicorn I and Unicorn II, etc.), but this is the first time I designed an adapter plate to convert the centered position can to the offset used in many two stage regulators.

Let me make it very clear: I am only using Rob’s cans as a test platform. Before anyone ask: the Argonaut will not be offered with modified Rob’s cans. The cans for the Argonauts will be a new design.

I have been experimenting with the geometry and the induced venturi flow. Let me just say that there are several variable that will affect venturi flow: flow geometry, flow velocity, gas density, etc. And stopping/ controlling the venturi flow is as important as initiating it.

When I have some time I will share some my observations.

For now I will probably continue more experiments using an old Phoenix in the modified Rob’s can. The US Divers type two stage regulators (Aqua Master, Royal Aqua Master, Phoenix RAM, and nor the Argonaut) are designed to be offset form the center by 0.3 inches.

I will have more information later.

 

[Luis H]

We got back from Cozumel just a few days ago.

We did 26 dives with the Argonaut in its new case. I am extremely pleased with the performance and functionality of the regulator in the new housing. I tested the design, using a printed 3D prototype, several months ago, but this is now a true injection molded case.

When I designed the case, the intention was to have a lower profile and to allow space for a tank mounted BC (wing type or similar). The shape of the case should also work well with more backpacks and back-plates. So far it has met or exceeded my expectations.

The exhaust has also tested as the lowest resistance I have measured.

The reduced weight of the plastic can also makes the regulator balance very well and saves some weight on my carry-on luggage.


This link has a lot more information and pictures:
http://vintagedoublehose.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=7287

Here are also pictures of the Cozumel trip:
http://vintagedoublehose.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7298


We didn’t get the cans until we arrived in Cozumel, so we had to swap cans in the patio. You can see us assembling the regulators in these pictures. The pictures are from Herman.

Here is a picture of my rig.