The Perfect Regulator

[Paladin]

I now have what is, for me, the perfect single hose regulator. :glad:

I am a lifelong US Divers/Aqualung fan and my favorite regulators are from the Conshelf series. A couple of years ago, I found a brand new Conshelf 14, still in the box. I had wanted Conshelf 14 for a long time and I was very happy to find a new, never used one from military overstock. I loved the way it breathed and, in the water, it was perfect except for one thing:

For some reason, US Divers designed the first stage of the Conshelf 14 so that all the LP ports were oriented to point down, unless the SPG is routed to the diver's right and the octo is routed to the left. The primary and inflator hose then sprout at angles out of the top of the reg.

Last week, I bought a never used, NIB Conshelf 21. It has one HP port and four LP ports on the first stage, all in a nice, convenient pattern. Unfortunately, the second stage is made of plastic and I prefer metal.

So, I swapped all my stuff (SPG, octo, metal second stage and inflator hose) from my Conshelf 14 over to the Conshelf 21 first stage. The Conshelf 21 second stage is now mated to the Conshelf 14 first stage to be used as a backup set.

I set the IP on the Conshelf 21 first to 145 PSI. Since, internally, the two first stages are identical, I now have exactly what I want in a regulator setup.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Good for you.

I've been diving the same U.S. Divers Conshelf since 1989. Still works great.

 

[Paladin]

Good for you.

I've been diving the same U.S. Divers Conshelf since 1989. Still works great.

Does yours have the metal or plastic second stage?

 

[Fishpie]

The Conshelf 22 is also the same 1st stage as the 21.....same size and orientation of the ports.

 

[Paladin]

The Conshelf 22 is also the same 1st stage as the 21.....same size and orientation of the ports.

Yep. My oldest son has a Conshelf 22 (with a Conshelf 11 second) that he was diving until he got his Edge Epic. I tried to get the 22 first stage off him after he got the Edge, but he won't part with it. So, now I have one just like it!

 

[OldNSalty]

Truly a good reg. I had my conshelf seconds hooked up to an SE first stage which looks like a 14 first except the ports radiate out all around the barrel of the thing. Kinda forms a star pattern I guess.

Then I found I wanted 2 HP ports so I now use a first stage off of a SEA4 with the Conshelf 14 seconds.

(SEA4 second is now my avatar)

 

[Paladin]

That's the thing about the Conshelf series. With all the variants available to mix and match, you can build a reg set to meet virtually any requirement. Tough, dependable and easy to service, it's little wonder they have such a devoted following.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Does yours have the metal or plastic second stage?

All the externals are plastic. Primary is black with black exhaust cover, Octo is black with yellow exhaust cover.

 

[Paladin]

Plastic regs are lighter and corrosion is virtually non-existent. The modern polymers are tough, too. But they give me drymouth. That's the primary reason I prefer metal seconds. My mouth and throat don't get as dry with metal as with plastic. If it wasn't for the drymouth thing, I would go with plastic for less jaw fatigue.

My octo is a plastic Sea Elite SX40. Inexpensive and it has generic innards, so it's easy to service.

 

[Six2Life]

I would say it's close to perfect. Now you just need to find a conshelf supreme endcap and env seal. It is too bad aqualung didn't use the removable crown like in some of the SE3's on the 21 and 22. Now that would be perfect.

A conshelf 21 I have has a little bit of missing chrome on the endcap and spring adjuster. If I ever run across a supreme endcap I will replace mine and then I'll have a perfect regulator too. (Well 1st stage at least)