I was cleaning up my old faithfull SP MK2 today after a dive and is was wondering, are new regulators that much more reliable than mine? Ive never had a problem with it but it does have a lot of dive time on it (with regular service).
Regulator reliability?
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They really do not come any more reliable than a MK 2.
It is a very simple design with 1 moving part and only 2 dynamic o-rings both of which are only subject to intermdiate pressure air. The TIS system also works extremely well in the Mk2 and it makes a great ice diving reg.
The design also has evolutionary roots going back to the mid 60's so any bugs have long since been worked out of the design.
There is not much to go wrong on a Mk 2 and with proper care and regular service it should last a minimum of 20-30 years even with a lot of dives on it. Worst case you'll have to replace the cap on it or perhaps the main body if enough wear occurs to compromise the seal of the dynamic o-rings that travel in those areas. But given that only IP air is involved, that is rarely ever an issue.
Personally, I don't think regulator design has advanced much at all since the mid-80s in terms of flow capacity and inhalation resistance. Plastic cases have become standard, but the main advantage with them has been lower producton cost. The weight advantage is minor and secondary to mouthpiece design and LP hose lenght in terms of the effect on comfort. They are less durable and cracked cases were never an issue with brass second stages but are rather common with plastic cases.
First stages have gotten lighter and titanium is used a lot, but it has created more problems than it has solved interms of nitrox compatibility. And the weight savings is just not worth the money.
So the main advantages of modern regs tend to be marketing hype for the most part and most don not really do the job any better than many quality regs made 10-20 years ago.
It is a very simple design with 1 moving part and only 2 dynamic o-rings both of which are only subject to intermdiate pressure air. The TIS system also works extremely well in the Mk2 and it makes a great ice diving reg.
The design also has evolutionary roots going back to the mid 60's so any bugs have long since been worked out of the design.
There is not much to go wrong on a Mk 2 and with proper care and regular service it should last a minimum of 20-30 years even with a lot of dives on it. Worst case you'll have to replace the cap on it or perhaps the main body if enough wear occurs to compromise the seal of the dynamic o-rings that travel in those areas. But given that only IP air is involved, that is rarely ever an issue.
Personally, I don't think regulator design has advanced much at all since the mid-80s in terms of flow capacity and inhalation resistance. Plastic cases have become standard, but the main advantage with them has been lower producton cost. The weight advantage is minor and secondary to mouthpiece design and LP hose lenght in terms of the effect on comfort. They are less durable and cracked cases were never an issue with brass second stages but are rather common with plastic cases.
First stages have gotten lighter and titanium is used a lot, but it has created more problems than it has solved interms of nitrox compatibility. And the weight savings is just not worth the money.
So the main advantages of modern regs tend to be marketing hype for the most part and most don not really do the job any better than many quality regs made 10-20 years ago.
rescuediver009
Contributor
Older reliable regs are kind of like cars. The new ones just have newer innovations on them that enhance the performance and logevety of them, but the old ones are still just as reliable.
ChrisA
Contributor
Wildcard:
How could anyting be more reliable than "Ive never had a problem with it"?
Sounds like you have a perfect record. Hard to improve on that.
The people that services my stuff say if you want an ultra reliable reg go with one that is environmentally sealed 1st stage and has a simple unbalanced 2nd stange. He likes the Aqualung "titan" as (I'm told) the diaphram 1st stage is as good as sealed.
The neat thing about the "Tiatan" is that the 2nd stage cover comes off with no
tools as does the the large 2" diapram and you can clean sand out of it with no
tools and just a bucket of water. Very few moving parts.
I've got an Apeks ATX50 that I like. about 60 dives on it now.
scubapro50
Contributor
MK2 is one of those regulators you could run over with a Mack truck and it would still work. It's a classic that time has not improved that much. The 1st stage is just about as bullet proof as it gets . The only think I would change might be an up grade to a better 2nd stage.
The scuba companies come out with all this new stuff to make you think you need to upgrade, or to make you think you're outdated, and therefore upgrade. It's all a ploy to get your $$$. If your reg works then I'd stick with it until it doesn't, or you try something else that you feel is more comfortable/breathes better.
Tyler
Tyler
fmw625
Guest
I am very pleased with the performance of my titan regulator and secondary.
scubapro50:
The second stage was never mentioned specifically but I assume it is most likely an R190.
The R190 is larger than the R380 or R390 but then it also has a larger diaphragm that gives it a performance edge as the internals are otherwise identical.
I have found that a well tuned R190 can breathe very well and provide stable operation with inhlation efforts around 1.2 inches of water. But given that both first and second stages are unbalanced, inhalation resistance will rise slightly toward the end of the dive as tank pressure falls. However that can also be considered an asset as you have to be especially clueless then to run out of air. So the R190 trades some breathing performance at the end of the dive for extreme simplicity in design, but if we are talking relaibility, it's classic and simple downstream dual adjustment design is hard to beat.
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