Regulator Geeks 3: Reg Performance at Max Safe Gas Density

[rsingler]

Hi Rob, will this be posted on your you Tube site? https://www.youtube.com/@robertsingler7258/videos

That's where it will live, though I'll tuck a direct link in this thread, too.
It reminds me that I need to clean that area up a bit. Too many snippets of dumb stuff I was sharing with a few folks in days gone by.

 

[-JD-]

Rob, thanks for such an informative and thought provoking presentation! I think we (at least me, anyway) were just a little bit stunned by the breadth of information and implications, and needed to digest.

A few possibilities come to mind for future testing ...

• A-B comparison with the "star" and dual-well exhaust-cover plates using the same reg to see if/how that changes the high-flow exhaust performance.
• Old Co. vs. New Co. version comparison would be interesting as well. Happy to send you a NIB current version of the Old Co. for use.
• D400 tuned with a bit more aggressive venturi setting up to the limit of stability you discussed. Since the dive switch gives you an instant increase in cracking pressure, it would be interesting to see if can support the higher flow smoothly and not be impossibly twitchy when "off".

Question on tested equipment:
What were the mouthpiece choices for the regs? Given your notes on (ETA: "mouthpiece-")barrel size vs. mouthpiece orifices, it raises a bit of a question in my mind if there was some sort of interaction with high-flow stability in your testing, but also what the performance implications might be for end-user mouthpiece selection vs. factory standard.

Musing about design revisions:
Given that several regs seemed to be hampered by relatively poor exhaust performance, I wonder how much model updates could improve edge performance with larger/multiple exhaust valves at relatively low cost. Also, might exhaust ducting/venturi be something to consider?

 

[lowwall]

I'd like to put in a plea for Mares' seconds to be included at some point. The bypass tube is different enough that I think it's worth exploring. The downstream Abyss and the new balanced (barrel style) Dual ADJ would be the obvious candidates, although I'd love to see how my metal Proton stacks up as well. I'd be happy to supply Protons, metal or plastic, for any tests.

I know the spec IP is a little higher than for your other regs, but they can be tuned for the standard IP range so you can do a head to head. Mares has even recommended a lower IP in the past for very cold water diving.

One bonus is there are ANSTI diagrams available for these regs so you'll have more data points for comparing your flow diagrams versus ANSTI.

 

[RobPNW]

Working late, will have to check out youtube. Damnit, every time I think I'm getting a little smarter, I figure out how much I don't know.

 

[Shabaday]

I think I have an old Poseidon Triton your welcome to use for the tests. Although I dont think anyone cares about that reg anymore

 

[Bigbella]

I think I have an old Poseidon Triton your welcome to use for the tests. Although I don't think anyone cares about that reg anymore

Ironically, it is still somewhat popular (sadly, along with skinny jeans on men) in some areas of the EU and Japan, where parts can be obtained . . .

 

[rsingler]

With the various adjustments regulator geeks make to their gear, I thought I would showcase the brilliant performance of the Deep6 Signature with just a hint of tweaking.

a) Scubapro uses a mouthpiece restriction; the Signature doesn't. We compare below. (Red vs. Yel)
b) Geeks often tune their gear hot. We compare below. (Red vs. Green)
c) We pointed out with the runaway C350, the effect of a slight reduction in the Venturi vane. We compare below. (Red vs. Purple)

I ran the rotameter past the stop on top. My vacuum source was screaming, so I'll bet I was hitting 25 SCFM at the end. I blew through half a tank after just a few tests.

The stability with the minimal Venturi tweak was mind-blowing!

 

[RyanT]

Hi Rob:
Thanks again for this. I'm sorry I had to duck out at the QA session (east coast work issues!). I love my Deep6 regs and I've breathed them hard, swimming in current at 165'. They worked like a champ. One of the things I've noticed is that Chris designed the air barrel to make the flow less turbulent (e.g. more laminar). This probably has no effect on actual gas flow, but it does "feel" different. I notice it compared to my SP G260 and I like it.

 

[L13]

With the various adjustments regulator geeks make to their gear, I thought I would showcase the brilliant performance of the Deep6 Signature with just a hint of tweaking.

a) Scubapro uses a mouthpiece restriction; the Signature doesn't. We compare below.
b) Geeks often tune their gear hot. We compare below.
c) We pointed out with the runaway C350, the effect of a slight reduction in the Venturi vane. We compare below.

I ran the rotameter past the stop on top. My vacuum source was screaming, so I'll bet I was hitting 25 SCFM at the end. I blew through half a tank after just a few tests.

The stability with the minimal Venturi tweak was mind-blowing!
View attachment 757707

Have you identified what you think is the ideal curve for the Dynamic Flow Test?

 

[RobPNW]

Hey Rob, for someone without 1,000+ dives, am I going to even be able to perceive the difference between a tweaked reg and one out of the box from a reputable vendor? Or is the answer contextual- for a newer diver living within recreational limits vs someone operating outside my current boundaries. Either way, still cool to think about how this stuff works.