ScubaPro regulators questions D300 and a 109, not so vintage
- Thread starter Ms.Miya5
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halocline
Contributor
The D300 is one of my favorite regulators, and aside from a bit of difficulty in getting parts (other than rebuild kits) it is very easy to work on once you get familiar with it. The rubber purge cover just pulls off. Start working it over one side of the plastic cage that holds the diaphragm and then ease it off. Search old posts by DA aquamaster on the regulator forum for more information about these regs. Awap and myself have also posted info about rebuilding them, as have others.
The main difficulty is in getting the dive/pre-dive lever correctly oriented in position. Spend some time and take some notes and/or photos of the set up as it is. You only need to worry about it if you are completely dismantling the reg. Getting the new square o-ring (is that a contradiction?) in place on the dive/pre-dive switch can be a bit of a tug but with some patience and a few well-timed profanities, it fits.
I put together several rebuild kits for this reg and the earlier air1 for vintagedoublehose a few years ago. I'm not sure if he still has any. The only thing you really need is the poppet assembly; everything else is a standard o-ring, and you can re use the lever adjusting screw with a bit of nail polish to help keep it in place. I've reused many of them and have never had one move out of adjustment.
Don't paint the 109 cover. Just live with it, or if you really care about its appearance, get the whole reg re-chromed. It will look perfect, vdh has new rubber parts, it will be like a brand new metal case regulator.
Once again, your dive shop's characterization of the D300 as "junk" proves the woeful ignorance that's rampant in the dive gear industry. My cave set is a pair of MK10s, a D300 primary and a 109 alternate.
The main difficulty is in getting the dive/pre-dive lever correctly oriented in position. Spend some time and take some notes and/or photos of the set up as it is. You only need to worry about it if you are completely dismantling the reg. Getting the new square o-ring (is that a contradiction?) in place on the dive/pre-dive switch can be a bit of a tug but with some patience and a few well-timed profanities, it fits.
I put together several rebuild kits for this reg and the earlier air1 for vintagedoublehose a few years ago. I'm not sure if he still has any. The only thing you really need is the poppet assembly; everything else is a standard o-ring, and you can re use the lever adjusting screw with a bit of nail polish to help keep it in place. I've reused many of them and have never had one move out of adjustment.
Don't paint the 109 cover. Just live with it, or if you really care about its appearance, get the whole reg re-chromed. It will look perfect, vdh has new rubber parts, it will be like a brand new metal case regulator.
Once again, your dive shop's characterization of the D300 as "junk" proves the woeful ignorance that's rampant in the dive gear industry. My cave set is a pair of MK10s, a D300 primary and a 109 alternate.
paint it? heck no! The battle scars are a status symbol. One of mine is even dented, and functions as good as new.
I still have my A.I.R. I, which I think is about as easy a breathing regulator as is possible to make. To get spare parts, I purchased a second A.I.R. I second stage off E-Bay, and it works too. So I am still diving it, and using a 109 I got from a friend as a safe second.
SeaRat
SeaRat
axxel57
Contributor
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
You had a question about how to tell a 108 from a 109. The 108 was an economy model with no tuning knob plus the hose comes in at a slight angle into the case for a little more ergonomics, since it's an unbalanced poppet there doesn't need to be a straight barrel all the way through to support all the guts of a balanced 2nd plus the tuning knob.
I disagree with "economy model" stated above as the 108 predated the 109.
Between 1963 and 1969 someone came up with the externally adjustable idea.
form the SP site:
The 108 is the first SCUBAPRO second stage regulator wholly produced by SCUBAPRO. They were made of chrome-plated brass with a black rubber exhaust tee and were available to the public from 1963 - 1988. The simple valve design is so efficient that this basic design is still being used today. In later models the static orifice was upgraded to an adjustable type and the exhaust port was enlarged. This version was designated the 080 HP (High Performance) and was sold in combination with the MK2 first stage. The combo was indicated as "Mark2" in the catalogues.
The Adjustable 109 is chrome-plated brass with a black rubber exhaust tee and was introduced in 1969. It was on the market until 1985. It is the first regulator to offer the consumer a means to adjust the inhalation effort of the regulator. The regulator breathed so easily that if you were headed into a strong current you could adjust it to prevent a free flow.
Between 1963 and 1969 someone came up with the externally adjustable idea.
form the SP site:
The 108 is the first SCUBAPRO second stage regulator wholly produced by SCUBAPRO. They were made of chrome-plated brass with a black rubber exhaust tee and were available to the public from 1963 - 1988. The simple valve design is so efficient that this basic design is still being used today. In later models the static orifice was upgraded to an adjustable type and the exhaust port was enlarged. This version was designated the 080 HP (High Performance) and was sold in combination with the MK2 first stage. The combo was indicated as "Mark2" in the catalogues.
The Adjustable 109 is chrome-plated brass with a black rubber exhaust tee and was introduced in 1969. It was on the market until 1985. It is the first regulator to offer the consumer a means to adjust the inhalation effort of the regulator. The regulator breathed so easily that if you were headed into a strong current you could adjust it to prevent a free flow.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Yeah the 108 came before the 109, but the 109 became the premium model. The 108 was usually paired first with a MK3 then a MK2, both entry level unbalanced pistons. The 108 was less money with less features than a 109/156 paired with MK5 or MK10, so regardless whether it was considered "economy" in the beginning it ended up that way.
The current cross over would be a MK2/R190 which BTW I wouldn't hesitate to make my primary go to set up for everyday diving.
george_austin
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I love my Mk5's and 108's and 9's - Freaking bulletproof and rock solid dependable. That is chrome plated marine brass and I'd sooner jump off a cliff than apply paint to anything on them. As the guy above said - STATUS
DA Aquamaster wrote a piece a short time ago praising the design, simplicity, reliability, and ease of service of the 108, and summarized that it would be his choice of a second stage if he could only have one.
I've always been a 109/156 fan, and have a bunch, as well as the similar styled firsts (G200B, S600, G250, G250v, HOG Classic, etc), but recently obtained a near-perfect 080 HP as I wanted one that was this style....
I've always been a 109/156 fan, and have a bunch, as well as the similar styled firsts (G200B, S600, G250, G250v, HOG Classic, etc), but recently obtained a near-perfect 080 HP as I wanted one that was this style....
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