R109 to R156

[stefusa]

Hi all,

quick question, is that possible to upgrade a MarkV (R109) second stage in a balanced adjustable (R156) ?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Wayward Son]

mine was.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yes.

It requires the G250/S600 annual service kit (it uses the same balanced poppet, a G250 balance chamber and a new G250 spring. The annual service kit is around $15.00, the spring and balance chamber are about $1.00 each. So cost si
wise the upgrade should cost maybe $20 plus the labor for an annual service on your second stage. Be careful here though as I have seen some dealers charge as much as $75 for parts and labor for the upgrade.

In some cases with a really old (late 60's early 70's) R109 you may need a new lever. A new G250 lever is then needed and costs about $5.00.

The result of the update is a second stage that breathes as good as the current G250 HP or S600.

 

[divinginn]

just had mine converted this spring,i love it,its not that great of difference from before but it does breathe a little sweeter,now if i could find a mk 10 1st stage.

 

[mahjong]

Been diving for the last 9 months in Hong Kong and put around 80 dives on my MK10/R156 (balanced adjustable) setup. It's great--the R156 is not quite as easy and smooth as my D400 (with the same MK10), but it breaths moister (or so it seems to me) and saves a bit more air.

 

[coldstroke]

just had mine converted this spring,i love it,its not that great of difference from before but it does breathe a little sweeter,now if i could find a mk 10 1st stage.

I have a MK 10 for sale with a D300. PM me if interested.

 

[mictrik]

Yes.

In some cases with a really old (late 60's early 70's) R109 you may need a new lever. A new G250 lever is then needed and costs about $5.00.

The result of the update is a second stage that breathes as good as the current G250 HP or S600.

I too have an R109 and don’t know the age of the unit. I had been hearing conflicting information about having to change the lever or not; a Scubapro representative told me to get a new 250HP lever but he did not know the age of my reg so he may have just said it to be safe. Anyway, to test I upgraded the 109 with new poppet, spring plus balancing cap and it seemed to work very well, a definite improvement though air delivery is not as strong as my G250 or G200b with the venturi Knob on Max. Does this mean that I don’t need a new lever? Is there a definitive way to tell, assuming the lever on older models will not engage the new balanced poppets?

Rgds/Mick

 

[DA Aquamaster]

If is working with the new 109/G200 poppet it shoudl work with the G250/S600 S-wing poppet.