Sportsways SPG - still usable? serviceable?

[crzyfish]

I was going through my dive locker (big 'ol Pelican case) and was looking at some of my Craigslist finds from the past. The finds included a ScubaPro capillary depth gauge, Voit SwimMaster 2nd Stage and 1st Stage (?), Dacor depth gauge, two Dacor backpacks, and a Sportsways SPG.

I'm asking about the Sportsways SPG. It looks okay and I tried it on a tank using the 1st Stage that came along with it. It works. I took off the HP hose to check the spool. It's brass and has oxidation. I can only surmise there's oxidation inside, too. Can this be cleaned up and used on a pony? The HP hose is going to be replaced with a newer one.

 

[northernone]

In my experience regarding SPGs, If it works it works. No maintenance internally.

 

[crzyfish]

Good to know. I'll clean up the oxidation with a toothbrush and change the oring. Can I use isopropyl alcohol to wipe down the spool or is there a better method?

 

[JamesBon92007]

I was going through my dive locker (big 'ol Pelican case) and was looking at some of my Craigslist finds from the past. The finds included a ScubaPro capillary depth gauge, Voit SwimMaster 2nd Stage and 1st Stage (?), Dacor depth gauge, two Dacor backpacks, and a Sportsways SPG.

I'm asking about the Sportsways SPG. It looks okay and I tried it on a tank using the 1st Stage that came along with it. It works. I took off the HP hose to check the spool. It's brass and has oxidation. I can only surmise there's oxidation inside, too. Can this be cleaned up and used on a pony? The HP hose is going to be replace with a newer one.

I'd clean off the oxidation by soaking it in some vinegar (gauge upwards) and see how it looks (don't tell anyone but sometimes if I think it's probably wasted anyway I'll use muriatic acid but only for a few seconds). Clean it out real good with some Q-Tips soaked in vinegar and rinse. If there is no apparent pitting then I'd rinse and lube it real well, change the O-Rings, and see if it leaks.

I'm still using what may be the first US Divers SPG. It started leaking at the swivel connector so I did what I described above and it works fine.

Does the Dacor depth gauge read zero?

Why the question mark on the Voit 1st stage?

BTW the images aren't showing up on my puter so maybe they explain what you mean...

 

[Akimbo]

Is this one of the rear-port or bottom port SPGs? I found the rear ports lousy to dive with since the hose had to bend another 90°. Great on a collector's shelf though... which explains why they aren't on the market anymore.

Edit: The images in the OP didn't show up when I wrote the above for some reason.

 

[crzyfish]

I screwed up on the pics.

Does the Dacor depth gauge read zero?

Why the question mark on the Voit 1st stage?

No markings on the 1st Stage so I can't tell. The 2nd stage is a AMF Swimaster Polaris II.

Is this one of the rear-port or bottom port SPGs? I found the rear ports lousy to dive with since the hose had to bend another 90°. Great on a collector's shelf though... which explains why they aren't on the market anymore.

Yes. Rear Port/Bottom Port SPG.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I've always admired the simplicity of the capillary depth gauge. I'm actually trying to make one that doesn't get bubbles in it and is easy to read (mainly for my own amusement). It's easy to calculate the depth markings at 1, 2, 3, or 4 ATMs but as you can see 1/4 of the column is not 16.5 feet so I'm at a loss as to how to predetermine the in-between depths. Whoever made the first one was either really good at math or took it down and marked it with a pencil

As much as I like the "cool" factor of using some vintage stuff I always end up using a nice console with everything on it. Some of the modern stuff is way better than the old stuff, but not all of it. In any case I like to keep it all in ready-to-dive condition. Ya never know when a bunch of people might show up and want to go diving.

 

[Luis H]

Is this one of the rear-port or bottom port SPGs? I found the rear ports lousy to dive with since the hose had to bend another 90°. Great on a collector's shelf though... which explains why they aren't on the market anymore.

Edit: The images in the OP didn't show up when I wrote the above for some reason.

Interesting, I personally wish they still made some SPG with rear port. I have several vintage SPG with rear ports, but they only go up to 3000 or 3500 psi. A pressure gauge should not be used close to the pressure limit so those are not good with the newer high pressure tanks.

The 3500 psi gauge shown above can be used with a 3000 psi cylinder, but I would not use it with higher pressure cylinders, at least not on a regular basis. Also, the accuracy is normally best in the middle third of the scale.

The reason why I really like the rear port is because I can clip it to my shoulder “D” ring and I can read it just by looking down. I can clip it so they it stays tight against my shoulder strap and I can look at it without touching it (hands free). Obviously, I can only do this because my modern frameless mask has such a wide field of view that I can see my sternum strap by just looking down.

The bottom port SPG works, but not as well. I can’t tuck it tight against my shoulder strap.

I have thought about using the small button gauges, but they are too small and they are often only marked in 500psi increments.

 

[Luis H]

I screwed up on the pics.


No markings on the 1st Stage so I can't tell. The 2nd stage is a AMF Swimaster Polaris II.

That first stage is the correct first stage for the Polaris II. It is a non-balanced flow by piston first stage. It is very simple and should be very reliable, similar to a modern Scubapro Mk-2 or modern Aqua Lung Calypso.

 

[Akimbo]

I have several vintage SPG with rear ports, but they only go up to 3000 or 3500 psi. A pressure gauge should not be used close to the pressure limit so those are not good with the newer high pressure tanks.

True. The rule of thumb is that Bourdon Tube gauges are most accurate in the center third of their range. Helicoid pressure sensing mechanisms have a much broader range for rated accuracy. Oceanic made Helicoid gauges in the 1980s and probably later. I have an image of one cut open if anyone is interested.