Scubapro R109 B/A Question

[mahjong]

Hi.

I just purchased a somewhat unique Scubapro metal R109 balanced adjustable on ebay. It is in near new condition (a few fresh water dives only). What is unique about it is the fact that the face is white in color--and the "Balanced Adjustable" lettering is the base chrome/non-painted.

Does anyone know anything about the white-faced B/A R109s--esp when they were manufactured? I am a minor Scubapro collector and I have seen many B/A R109s (and own four other ones)--but never a white-faced one.

Thanks.
Mahjong

 

[DA Aquamaster]

White or a shot blasted chrome finish? The last production BA's used a matte chrome finish to match the matte chrome finish on the Mk 10 Plus.

 

[mahjong]

You are correct--matte/brushed chrome finish. Many thanks.

Is the matte chrome finish on the MK10 plus only on the rear cap? I have a brand new MK10 plus and it has a textured chrome-finished rear/seat cap--the rest of the unit is smooth chrome.

Thanks

 

[DA Aquamaster]

SP cataloged and produced Mk 10 Pluses with the matte chrome finish for the last year or two of production. I think 1990 or 1991 was the last year I saw the Balanced Adjustable in the US catalog and the Mk 10 Plus sold with the G200B, G250 and D400 second stages was not around for too many years after that.

The upgrade kits to bring Mk 10's to Mk 10 plus standard all had the matte chrome seat retainers so all the upgraded Mk 10's have shiny chrome bodies and matte chrome seat retainers. What I do not know for sure is how many shiny chrome Mk 10's were upgraded to Mk 10 Plus status by SP before being shipped, or were upgraded in the shop by dealers to Mk 10 Plus status before being sold. It was overall a pretty cheap upgrade requiring only a new seat retainer, seat, and piston - less than $20 in parts at the time and not much more than that now.

SP was selling the Mk 10 Plus concurrent with the Mk 15 and the Mk 20 was in the works, so they were interested in moving excess Mk 10 inventory. Dealers were in a similar situation so if they could upgrade an old stock MK 10 to a MK 10 Plus and sell it for more money, the upgrade incentive was definitely there for them as well. If it is a dealer or customer upgrade, the Mk 10 Plus sticker on the yoke knob most likely was applied over the old Mk 10 sticker and the Mk 10 sticker will be almost flush with the lip on the yoke knob while if it were factory done, only one sticker usually would have been applied and the sticker will still appear to be slightly recessed in the yoke knob.

I know if you order a 109 case, purge cover or clamps SP will ship you one in matte chrome finish. I have never ordered a Mk 10 first stage body, turret or swivel cap so I am not sure whether those parts also arrive in matte chrome finish.

 

[Poseidon8118]

Hi.

I just purchased a somewhat unique Scubapro metal R109 balanced adjustable on ebay. It is in near new condition (a few fresh water dives only). What is unique about it is the fact that the face is white in color--and the "Balanced Adjustable" lettering is the base chrome/non-painted.

Does anyone know anything about the white-faced B/A R109s--esp when they were manufactured? I am a minor Scubapro collector and I have seen many B/A R109s (and own four other ones)--but never a white-faced one.

Thanks.
Mahjong

I was watching that one on ebay because of how unique it was...it's good to see someone on the board won it.

 

[scubapro50]

A Mk10 regulator is a good "nuts and bolts" regulator. It is a rock solid design and there are a lot of them still in use.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

A Mk10 regulator is a good "nuts and bolts" regulator. It is a rock solid design and there are a lot of them still in use.

One could argue that regulator design has been downhill since the Mk 10. The newer Mk 15, 20 and 25 offer more brute performance in terms of flow rate but the Mk 10 already had enough for even deep tech diving and the Mk 10 Plus improved on that substantially.

The newer models do offer higher service pressures up to 300 bar/4350 psi but I have never actually ran into anyone who actually used 300 bar tanks. The replaceable bushings also ensure that the first stage body will never wear out but out of a half dozen or so Mk 10's I own and numerous others I have worked on, I have only encountered one where that was a problem.

So in my opinion the Mk 10 has a lot going for it as a simple and reliable but high performance first stage with no real compromises and a very hard to beat overall design.

 

[pcosens]

So in my opinion the Mk 10 has a lot going for it as a simple and reliable but high performance first stage with no real compromises and a very hard to beat overall design.

I'll second that - 4 MK10+s in service for 10+ years. Great reg, idiot proof, simple design!

Oh - all are polished chrome w/ brush chrome HP cap.
Paul

 

[mahjong]

Many thanks, Aquamaster! That's very detailed.

I now have the R109 B/A and MK 10 in my possession (I wrote my initial message after I bought it but before I received it--I was anxious to learn about it in advance). You are correct--the face of the R109 B/A is a gray matte finish, with matte black lettering. The gray matte finish is IDENTICAL to the finish on my MK15 (it seems they would make a good pair, aesthetically at any rate). This R109 is MINT--could easily pass as factory new--not a spot of corrosion or pitting, even behind the exhaust tee and inside the casing.

The MK10 is also MINT--looks factory new. Yes, this is my favorite 1st stage (I already have 2 of them in use)--but I go with my MK20 in very cold water (have a MK25 too, but haven't dove it yet). This MK10 came with a new tube of the Scubapro SPEC silicone as well as directions as to how to apply the SPEC--but I think I would rather go with the TIS rather than SPEC in cold water.

As for my new MK10 Plus--which has the rough/textured HP cap--the plastic yoke cap (that says "MK10 Plus") is VERY slightly recessed (about the same as my MK15 and MK20 yoke caps--my MK25 yoke cap, however, protrudes slightly above the sides). I haven't dove the MK10 Plus--probably won't, as this thing is new in the box and I think I will enjoy it this way, at least for now.

In any case, I will have this gray-matte-faced R109 B/A serviced and likely make it my new primary (as long as it breathes like my other upgraded-to-B/A R109 adjustables (don't see why it wouldn't). I have been using an upgraded R109 adjustable and love it (better than my G250)--something smoother about the R109, and the exhaust tee disperses bubbles better (with the G250 I sometimes get mesmerized by the bubbles banging against my mask). The R109 is of course heavier, but with a Seacure mouthpiece, I never have jaw fatigue.

Many thanks for all the info!

Mahjong

SP cataloged and produced Mk 10 Pluses with the matte chrome finish for the last year or two of production. I think 1990 or 1991 was the last year I saw the Balanced Adjustable in the US catalog and the Mk 10 Plus sold with the G200B, G250 and D400 second stages was not around for too many years after that.

The upgrade kits to bring Mk 10's to Mk 10 plus standard all had the matte chrome seat retainers so all the upgraded Mk 10's have shiny chrome bodies and matte chrome seat retainers. What I do not know for sure is how many shiny chrome Mk 10's were upgraded to Mk 10 Plus status by SP before being shipped, or were upgraded in the shop by dealers to Mk 10 Plus status before being sold. It was overall a pretty cheap upgrade requiring only a new seat retainer, seat, and piston - less than $20 in parts at the time and not much more than that now.

SP was selling the Mk 10 Plus concurrent with the Mk 15 and the Mk 20 was in the works, so they were interested in moving excess Mk 10 inventory. Dealers were in a similar situation so if they could upgrade an old stock MK 10 to a MK 10 Plus and sell it for more money, the upgrade incentive was definitely there for them as well. If it is a dealer or customer upgrade, the Mk 10 Plus sticker on the yoke knob most likely was applied over the old Mk 10 sticker and the Mk 10 sticker will be almost flush with the lip on the yoke knob while if it were factory done, only one sticker usually would have been applied and the sticker will still appear to be slightly recessed in the yoke knob.

I know if you order a 109 case, purge cover or clamps SP will ship you one in matte chrome finish. I have never ordered a Mk 10 first stage body, turret or swivel cap so I am not sure whether those parts also arrive in matte chrome finish.