Rebuild a Conshelf XIV

[James79]

Just tried to order that “reasonably priced exhaust T from Amron. Apparently a small order isn’t a good idea… the UPS shipping charge for the T was twice the cost of the T itself.
oh well, it was a good idea while it lasted!

Sounds about right, lol. Kinda like McMaster Carr. They will have damn near anything, and get it to you right now.... but they don't even ask about shipping price, they send it and bill you!

 

[PartFish]

Silent Explorers Maple Grove Minnesot United States Online SCUBA

Silent Explorers, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States, online sales vintage Aqua Lung Double Hose Regualtor parts, Poseidon Rebreathers Regulators, Professional CCR Regulator Service, Shearwater Dive Computers

www.silentexplorers.com

Note that the clear one is your least expensive option.

That clear one looks identical to the Kirby Morgan exhaust valve. The ridges in it are unique.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Everyone balks about the price of a new Connie 14
from commercial/military suppliers, but realize these regs are still made here in the USA in a stand alone factory that is tooled especially just to make these all metal labor intensive regs. They are a union factory paying a livable wage with benefits and retirement. What kind of a price are you expecting?
We are spoiled like hell with cheap prices from over seas for so long. If the current animosity continues with overseas trading and we start making more stuff here, expect high prices to be the new normal.
If I needed a new reg and had the money I would buy a new Conshelf if it was available to me. A grand isn’t that absurd anymore when you start looking at some of these other brands and their new fangled imported plastic crap out with all the bells and whistles. The Connie’s will outlast all of them.
I think Aqualung needs to open up sales of this reg to the general public. I think the sales would surprise them.

 

[scrane]

I think Aqualung needs to open up sales of this reg to the general public. I think the sales would surprise them.

I sometimes find myself fantasizing about a titanium Conshelf 22 first stage.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I sometimes find myself fantasizing about a titanium Conshelf 22 first stage.

Why titanium? For travel weight or just because of the idea of a semi precious metal?

 

[scrane]

Why titanium? For travel weight or just because of the idea of a semi precious metal?

Primarily because it's lightweight impervious to corrosion. And very pretty.

 

[Green Frog]

scrane, it would still be subject to scrapes scratches and dents if you’d be actually using it, and even compared to the jaw dropping prices USD/AL is getting for their Mil/Pro Con 14s, just material cost alone would make them so expensive as to be available only to the idle rich ~ which I’ll never be!

 

[PartFish]

I've found a suitable replacement for the Aqualung exhaust valve. I ordered an OEM Aqualung Conshelf XIV/21 second stage service kit (pn 1085-92 $19.01) so I had known good parts to compare to.

The brand new yellow Aqualung exhaust valve (Included in kit listed above. Stand alone part number 1051-39 $16.38) and the Kirby Morgan (pn 510-552 $4.90) valve are pictured here. As accurately as I can measure this soft silicone, they appear to be dimensionally identical with the Kirby Morgan being ever so slightly more supple. Both stems measure out to 2.74mm in the mounting area, and the height of the mounting areas are the same, right at 1mm as far as i can tell, but its quite difficult to measure. It seems to me that this Kirby Morgan exhaust valve is a slam dunk replacement for the Aqualung.

 

[Green Frog]

This thread continues to slog on, so I’ll report that my new best friend in California emailed today that the 2nd stage for my Aquarius (same old 1085 box) which will become my octopus is on his bench and looks good.
also, I’m proud to announce I have been chosen by James79 to be a beta tester for his newly designed replacement exhaust T.
It does an old frog’s little 3 chamber heart good to see a plan start to come together.

 

[PartFish]

I've got one more part to check against the service kit I bought, and I'll have a list of second stage service parts that mere mortals like myself can regularly obtain.