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bbarnett51

Contributor
Messages
504
Reaction score
133
Location
Little Rock, Ar
# of dives
500 - 999
Which model is this? My dad dove them for many years. He passed away in 1999 and I have been using them off and on. Workhorse for sure!

2012-07-28_19-02-36_39.jpg


2012-07-28_19-02-53_975.jpg
 
I'm no expert but it looks like a unbalanced adjustable 109 to me. I believe you could upgrade them to be balanced.


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I'm no expert but it looks like a unbalanced adjustable 109 to me. I believe you could upgrade them to be balanced.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Now that you say it I think you are right. My dad had several and swore by them. I keep it as my safe second just to remember him. We dove together up until he died. In a weird way it reminds me of him on every dive.
 
Its def a 109. Now wheather converting it to a balanced 156 is a good idea is debatatable at best. The gain is slight and the downside of more parts is not worth it to me.
 
Since they are so easy to upgrade and since the upgrade kits have been available since the mid 1980s it could be either an "Adjustable" or a "Balanced Adjustable''. It's pretty much impossible to tell from the outside once the screened lettering wears off the metal purge cover.

As noted above, the Adjustable can be upgraded with just a G250 balance chamber, spring and annual service kit. Internally, the Balanced Adjustable is essentially a metal cased G250 without the adjustable flow vane, and if properly serviced and in good condition, they breathe extremely well.

Also as noted above, the benefits are dubious, and if you are using it on a balanced first stage, I'd say "don't bother".
 
Hi BBarnett51,
Yes you have an original 109 adjustable, and yes a workhorse for sure. Many divers have preferred to keep them and annually service them since parts are available. It is a bit heavier due to all the brass than many current second stages on the market. Some years later, they 'balanced' this particular model and called it the Balanced Adjustable. You can upgrade your model with a new poppet, balance chamber, spring and intake lever to enhance the performance. I have done this to many of mine and they are stupendous breathers; just a bit heavy.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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