you need the shorter balance chamber...
Scubapro S109 BA conversion not going well
- Thread starter davehicks
- Start date
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OP
davehicks
Contributor
Ok, any idea which one is required?
But I am skeptical about that. The Balance chamber is 19mm long, the stem of the poppet it sits on is 18mm. Not going to make a difference. The assemble is about 5mm too long as is.
runsongas
Contributor
it doesn't look like it should be longer once assembled with the spring between the balance chamber and the poppet?
OP
davehicks
Contributor
OMG, I missed it being put together wrong.... I had to go back and look at the picture again...
Too funny.
Too funny.
OP
davehicks
Contributor
It works properly once assembled properly. I got it to about 1.5" on the magnehelic without much effort.
As for my mistake, the S109 build pattern has the spring behind the poppet. But you are basically converting to a G250, where the spring goes between the poppet and added balance chamber. I just kept on the S109 pattern and should have double checked the G250 schematic.
The first regulator is working really well now, but I did hit one other issue. One of two small bolts that hold the chromed rims together snapped when I started screwing it down. It should not be so easy to break a steel bolt, so I don't really trust the rest of these 50+ year old parts.
The exhaust valves were fossilized and crumbled, but I have some Conshelf parts that I was able to substitute.
I'll need to find some replacement bolts. I'll try a local store before ordering a bag of 50 from McMaster-Carr.
As for my mistake, the S109 build pattern has the spring behind the poppet. But you are basically converting to a G250, where the spring goes between the poppet and added balance chamber. I just kept on the S109 pattern and should have double checked the G250 schematic.
The first regulator is working really well now, but I did hit one other issue. One of two small bolts that hold the chromed rims together snapped when I started screwing it down. It should not be so easy to break a steel bolt, so I don't really trust the rest of these 50+ year old parts.
The exhaust valves were fossilized and crumbled, but I have some Conshelf parts that I was able to substitute.
I'll need to find some replacement bolts. I'll try a local store before ordering a bag of 50 from McMaster-Carr.
Be aware that the clamp screws come in a few variations.
The drive can be slotted, hex, & phillips head but most important is that there are both metric and American threaded versions of the clamps and so the screws are not universal fit.
johndiver999
Contributor
I've wired the clamps together with SS safety wire. Not that you should do anything like that, but it worked for a long time.
Well that is pretty dumb. However I dove for at least 10 dives with a second stage that had intermittent performance problems and finally took it apart and found 2/3 of a pencil eraser in the orifice that would shift positions and cause flow restrictions. I had used a pencil to push out the orifice I think and never noticed I broke the eraser off in there when reassembled.
OP
davehicks
Contributor
The lesson is that stupidity knows no bounds!
runsongas
Contributor
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