rebuilding a DA Aqua Master

[Sitkadiver]

Jacked_72,

Is your Delhi a French made reg? Just curious. I have a Delhi with Made in France stamped on the air horn, and I''m rebuilding my buddies Delhi, it has no stamp or sticker, but it does NOT say made in U.S.A. on the label.

Looks good so far, looking forward to seeing the completed reg.

Have you ordered a body ring tool form Herman? I was using a spanner wrench for a while, bit the body ring tool that Herman makes is huge improvement.

 

[jacked_72]

I'm presuming it is French made as it fits in that serial number range. I'm curious about the whole French made thing, the strike and the years that the Delhi name plate was actually sold. I'm betting they were selling the Delhi name plate rags for a few years after the US plant moved to its new address as I understand they were there for only one year -- they probably had a bunch of plates printed up with the old address or the regs were already in the distribution network. I'm also wondering if the components were not shipped to California at some point and assembled there so that the "Made in France" label was never put on them. Mine has the crown sticker still on it, so I don't know why the "Made in France" label wouldn't have survived, unless the owner just didn't like it.

I've read that the strike was not against US Divers, but with the company that supplied the cans. If that were the case, I don't see why the whole production would have been shipped to France (unless there was an existing French plant that was making the regulators too -- which I think there might have been). It seems like it would have been easier to ship the cans from France rather than the parts to France then ship the completed regs to the US. Maybe that would have caused a strike at the US Diver's plant for using scab parts.

I saw the pictures of the body ring tool on the double hose website. That looks like a handy little wrench. My little makeshift tool worked OK, but it was still very difficult to turn the ring. If there was any corrosion, I would have been buying one. I have his tool for installing the seat, crown and spring assembly and it sure makes things easy. I wish I had a mill, the room for a mill and the knowledge of how to operate a mill.

 

[jacked_72]

I've got my new parts installed and the IP set to 110+/- but after cycling it through a number of times, I'm seeing significant (20-30 psi) IP creep. I've got the new VDH seat and rebuild kit. This reg does not have a balance chamber, so no fear of scratches in that. What is a likely suspect for the IP creep?

 

[Sitkadiver]

How far did the tank drop? Others have told me that the IP can vary 20 or so psi between a full tank and a tank with 300psi in it. If you set the IP with a full tank and then tested it on a nearly empty tank, that is what I would suspect.

 

[jacked_72]

This upward creep in the intermediate pressure is on one tank -- with about 2600 psi. I have not tried it on a tank with less pressure. Other than the new seat not seating properly, is there another possible cause that that the IP will not lock up?

 

[captain]

This upward creep in the intermediate pressure is on one tank -- with about 2600 psi. I have not tried it on a tank with less pressure. Other than the new seat not seating properly, is there another possible cause that that the IP will not lock up?

Does it creep up and then lock or does it keep going up. The best way to set IP on a DA is a 300 psi tank and set the IP between 130 and 135. Do this with the horseshoe off.

If it keeps climbing inspect the volcano orifice in the first stage with a magnifier for roughness or scratches on the seating surface.

 

[jacked_72]

It keeps going. I pulled it apart again. When I put the new seat in the chamber, it did not feel like it was riding free, but possibly binding on the corners. I had sanded them down slightly, but maybe not enough. So I sanded a little more and the IP creep is better, about 5 pounds or so before it locks up. Its either the volcano orifice as mentioned, or maybe the assembly holding the seat, spring and filter isn't sealing completely? I can't see that any other part would be involved.

 

[captain]

A 5 psi creep before lock up isn't that unusual and sometimes will get better with more time and cycles to set the seat. When rebuild a regulator I usually stretch it out over several days and cycle it every time I walk by it before calling it good. New soft parts like seats and HP diaphragm take a while to get fully set.