Sportsways Sea-Vue Gauge

[Art Challacombe]

I recently purchased a 60’s USD Calypso regulator with a Sportsways Sea-Vue spg. I successfully rebuilt the regulator, but the spg is not functioning due to a missing over pressure blow out plug. While I seriously doubt I’d ever use this gauge in the water, I’d like to get it functional again as a showcase item and for surface use. I took it apart and it looks almost new inside. I’m guessing it was working well when the previous owner put it a high pressure tank the spg was not designed to handle and blew out the plug.

My question is, are blow out plugs commercially available? If not, can I fabricate something that will function like a plug. I’m thinking about a piece cut from a properly sized o-ring glued in with marine epoxy. Any other ideas?

 

[happy-diver]

Does the gauge work or not, punch out a rubber plug bigger than the hole and poke it in
The plug blows if the mechanism is leaking or someone poked it out what are you saying

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

I recently purchased a 60’s USD Calypso regulator with a Sportsways Sea-Vue spg. I successfully rebuilt the regulator, but the spg is not functioning due to a missing over pressure blow out plug. While I seriously doubt I’d ever use this gauge in the water, I’d like to get it functional again as a showcase item and for surface use. I took it apart and it looks almost new inside. I’m guessing it was working well when the previous owner put it a high pressure tank the spg was not designed to handle and blew out the plug.

My question is, are blow out plugs commercially available? If not, can I fabricate something that will function like a plug. I’m thinking about a piece cut from a properly sized o-ring glued in with marine epoxy. Any other ideas?

I have, and regularly dive with, several Sea-Vu Gauges. As I recall they all use a -030 o-ring in the front and a -011 in the back. The plug can be made out of most anything. It just serves to keep water out of the housing and acts as a pressure outlet should your internals decide to let go. I've used cut o-rings and shaved-down second stage LP seats to plug that hole with a drop of super glue. YMMV. My 2 psi. Good luck!

 

[Art Challacombe]

I have, and regularly dive with, several Sea-Vu Gauges. As I recall they all use a -030 o-ring in the front and a -011 in the back. The plug can be made out of most anything. It just serves to keep water out of the housing and acts as a pressure outlet should your internals decide to let go. I've used cut o-rings and shaved-down second stage LP seats to plug that hole with a drop of super glue. YMMV. My 2 psi. Good luck!

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Thanks Scuba Lawyer, you’ve been extremely helpful. In fact, you have inspired me to snatch up some more of these gauges to restore and use on my vintage gear. I found some really cheap gauges on eBay and proceeded to take them apart, clean them up, install new o-rings and recalibrate them.