Reg thats easy for parts and self repair yet good performer?

[84CJ7]

Something I have been wondering, is the titan 1st stage sold new the same titan listed in the kit for the 14 on the double hose site? Or was there an older version of the titan that is different. Assuming I can't find 14 DIN kits (or 1st stages already done) at any price I would feel more comfortable just using titan din firsts with 14 metal seconds than trying to use the titan din kit on a 14 first stage.
I would be willing to pay a fair premium to find one of those blasted 14 din kits (or a reg with the parts in really good shape) simply because there is a bit of a love of functional vintage in me.

 

[buddhasummer]

The older barrel shaped Titan kit can be used on a Conshelf, I use them. As for the later "T" shaped Titan I'm not sure. I'd imagine they are more similar than not but would guess the kits are not the same, different O rings, filter etc.

 

[84CJ7]

That ebay set showed up, its a "14" with 2 new style seconds.
Interesting thing, a LDS is an aqualung dealer with a somewhat slow turnover of stuff (has lots of odd stuff that hangs around) and he has 2 brand new yoke conshelf "14" supreme firsts sitting loose in his case still for $225 each. Too expensive for me either way but if anyone wants them (maybe get a deal if you buy both) its Inland diver supply in chippewa falls WI. He would probably ship them.

I kinda went all in on the aqualung shift. Picked up a loose new style titan with DIN 1st that I plan to combine with an additional new style 14 second for a pony reg. I found northeast scuba supply store is importing aftermarket aqualung rebuild kits (including the one for the titan '10) with all the parts of the original plus I already bought 2 factory kits I found on ebay.

The 14 with the 2 seconds looks good, I will still take it apart and go through it though as its from the coast and is green with other than envy in a few places though not pitted (green wiped off) looks like new overall though for the most part.
EDIT: after flushing them while pressurized with hot water in the kitchen sink sprayer they look brand new and really no green left (wasnt hardly any tinge to start with) and both 2nd breathe nice with the 1st holding 135 IP so I think I will just dive them as is and fiddle with them in the off season.

 

[KeithG]

I will throw in a different idea. Buy some old beat up Sherwoods? They are affordable on eBay...

Service kits are available online and no special tools are required to service either stage.

On a recent trip a midweek IP check revealed my reg was high (180+ but it still breathed just fine). I removed 2 spring shims with no change, so not a spring issue (this result caused some small amount of confusion for a minute or 2). I then defaulted to blaming an extremely very very fast creep. So it must be the seat! Yep it was scared badly by the piston.

I did have to scrounge around a bit and beg for a paper clip so I could remove and flip the seat. It locked up at 140 afterwards (with the existing spring shims back inplace).

The only tool required for this "service" was a straightened paper clip as I could dissemble the piston side of the first stage with just my hands.

I do want to come up with some sort of mark on the reg so that I will remember if the seat has already been flipped. Otherwise I may need to borrow a nail file from my divebuddy the next time this happens...

Hmm, Paperclip, Nail file - I also use triangle cosmetic sponges for my camera. Seems like I need to frequent the beauty section a little more often...

 

[ams511]

I will throw in a different idea. Buy some old beat up Sherwoods?

Sherwoods don't get a lot of love on Scubaboard. They have a reputation of being hard breathers. Personally, I believe the reputation is undeserved. A well-tuned Sherwood (I had a mid-80s vintage Magnum) breathes just as well as a Conshelf.

I think the problem is with the dry-seal valve that was placed on piston of early Sherwoods. If touched or if some stray lube gets on it the piston needs to be replaced. If it doesn't then the first stage will not adjust properly to ambient pressure and you get hard breathing. Consequently, I could not recommend any of the old Sherwoods with the filter in the piston. Especially, being Sherwood discontinued making the part a few years back. I don't think anyone was totally successful bring a piston with a clogged filter back to life.There is a thread on this somewhere on SB.

I would recommend looking for a newer vintage with the a replaceable filter on the body. I think these are the ones with the oval second stages. But you are right the older first stages with the flat seat (not sure if they were changed) are easy to work on and get parts for. From what I remember, Sherwood was not cryptic with the size and durometer of the o-rings and the seat is similar (if not identical) to what is found on a Scubapro Mk-2. You can buy the seat from VDH or NESS and the match the o-rings .

 

[halocline]

IMO it's very hard to beat a MK5 or MK10 and 109 2nd stage for great performance, easy service, and value. I'm not the huge conshelf fan that many others are on this board; I have one and I will never use it because the hose routing is so bad. They are very well made and super reliable. I just can't abide by the hose routing.

 

[ams511]

IMO it's very hard to beat a MK5 or MK10 and 109 2nd stage for great performance, easy service, and value. I'm not the huge conshelf fan that many others are on this board; I have one and I will never use it because the hose routing is so bad. They are very well made and super reliable. I just can't abide by the hose routing.

I feel the same way about the routing, it is not the best. However, my Conshelfs were setup by the dive shop for standard
open water diving. I am not sure if the routing would be better if I used proper length hoses and set it up Dive Rite style. You could also use the first stage that came with the Micra and Sea series regulators (I think it is called the Cousteau). They are pretty cheap on eBay and from what I hear are even easier to repair than a standard Conshelf first.

BTW, I have been off SB for a while. Have you guys found a source for the cheap Trident seats for the MK-5 and MK-10?

 

[tbone1004]

@OWIC647 has them inside of the service kits, not sure if he can/will sell them separately

 

[fmerkel]

Sherwoods don't get a lot of love on Scubaboard. They have a reputation of being hard breathers. Personally, I believe the reputation is undeserved. A well-tuned Sherwood (I had a mid-80s vintage Magnum) breathes just as well as a Conshelf.

I think the problem is with the dry-seal valve that was placed on piston of early Sherwoods. If touched or if some stray lube gets on it the piston needs to be replaced. If it doesn't then the first stage will not adjust properly to ambient pressure and you get hard breathing. Consequently, I could not recommend any of the old Sherwoods with the filter in the piston. Especially, being Sherwood discontinued making the part a few years back. I don't think anyone was totally successful bring a piston with a clogged filter back to life.There is a thread on this somewhere on SB.

I would recommend looking for a newer vintage with the a replaceable filter on the body. I think these are the ones with the oval second stages. But you are right the older first stages with the flat seat (not sure if they were changed) are easy to work on and get parts for. From what I remember, Sherwood was not cryptic with the size and durometer of the o-rings and the seat is similar (if not identical) to what is found on a Scubapro Mk-2. You can buy the seat from VDH or NESS and the match the o-rings .

Agree with this perspective. My wife used one. It performed very badly on a deep stressful current dive. She got a Scubapro. Years later I thought I'd clean it up and possibly use or sell it. Found a LOT of saltwater in the ambient chamber. No big deal, clean it up and put it to work. That's when I learned about the piston bleed plug contamination. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN ONCE CONTAMINATED. I tried EVERYTHING. Replacement is your only option, and though the pistons look very similar across the model lines, they are not identical.They are easy to work on.

When they work right, they work fine. When I finally got the piston replaced I took it on a middling challenging current dive > worked fine. Personally I suspect the poor reputation may be based on contaminated pistons. They still breathe, just not nearly as well.

 

[ams511]

@OWIC647 has them inside of the service kits, not sure if he can/will sell them separately

He did it once I think for a Black Friday deal. After that I never seen them offered separately in the store.