USD Calypso 1st Stage
- Thread starter Green Frog
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The interface between the knife edge and seat changes every time you rebuild it. Since you are eventually getting lockup at a reasonable pressure, the knife edge should be OK. Which means the problem is with the seat. I'd purge it a bunch of times (50-100?) and see if you can wear away whatever is causing the false lock at 110. If that doesn't work then try again with a fresh seating surface (new seat, flipped seat, resurfaced seat?) but without messing with the edge.
Hi all.
I've was given an old Calypso IV and a friend of mine and buddy has also a Calypso IV. Mine is working ok, but has no Recall Installed. Seat seems almost new and it's almost pristine both in and out. It's an early version, as it has no rotary cap.
I've only replaced the mouth piece, removing the lace.
Calypso IV is the same as Calypso J but the IV has no J mechanics inside. Instead a blind cap was installed. The space inside is empty.
The one of my friend was in a bad state. He sent it to re-chrome. He gave me all the parts that he removed from the inside so I could reassemble. The HP seat was too deteriorated, but is pretty different from the seat of mine.
It had the recall piece inside.
Here is the problem I'm facing.
Among the pieces that my friend gave me that were inside his IV, there was a 1 mm pertinax washer that was behind the seat (#11). This is, making the seat a little longer. The seat is 6 mm long (8 mm diameter), while mine (the almost new one) is 7 mm long. The bronze crown of the Recall is 5 mm long. The threaded part of the nut (#12) is 8 mm long. Putting all this together (1 mm + 6 mm + 5 mm + 8 mm = 20 mm); the set is longer that the lenght of the place where all this goes (18 mm). As there is an o-ring in the nut (#9), the o-ring is left in the air. If I torque the nut as mentioned in the VDH video, I could destroy the seat.
If I remove the added pertinax washer, the bronze crown could fit, pressing enormously the seat, even leaving marks. However IP goes to almost 15 bar. This is the piston needs to compress the spring (#16) too much to reach the seat, raising the IP.
Any idea ?
I've was given an old Calypso IV and a friend of mine and buddy has also a Calypso IV. Mine is working ok, but has no Recall Installed. Seat seems almost new and it's almost pristine both in and out. It's an early version, as it has no rotary cap.
I've only replaced the mouth piece, removing the lace.
Calypso IV is the same as Calypso J but the IV has no J mechanics inside. Instead a blind cap was installed. The space inside is empty.
The one of my friend was in a bad state. He sent it to re-chrome. He gave me all the parts that he removed from the inside so I could reassemble. The HP seat was too deteriorated, but is pretty different from the seat of mine.
It had the recall piece inside.
Here is the problem I'm facing.
Among the pieces that my friend gave me that were inside his IV, there was a 1 mm pertinax washer that was behind the seat (#11). This is, making the seat a little longer. The seat is 6 mm long (8 mm diameter), while mine (the almost new one) is 7 mm long. The bronze crown of the Recall is 5 mm long. The threaded part of the nut (#12) is 8 mm long. Putting all this together (1 mm + 6 mm + 5 mm + 8 mm = 20 mm); the set is longer that the lenght of the place where all this goes (18 mm). As there is an o-ring in the nut (#9), the o-ring is left in the air. If I torque the nut as mentioned in the VDH video, I could destroy the seat.
If I remove the added pertinax washer, the bronze crown could fit, pressing enormously the seat, even leaving marks. However IP goes to almost 15 bar. This is the piston needs to compress the spring (#16) too much to reach the seat, raising the IP.
Any idea ?
Further more, I've tried making a new seat with grilon (polyamide) without the hole and without the o-ring. The seat worked OK, but I could verify the problem reported that led to the recall. This is, the seat moves forward, as HP air filters behing the seat pushing it towards the piston (in this point I understood why the HP seat has a hole and an o-ring). If I add the bronze crown, the seat remains in its place, but I still has the high IP problem. If I make a new seat 7 mm high to reduce the IP, I need to reformulate the bronze crown. Additionaly, the bronze crown just goes where the HP air comes in, reducing the air flow.
I was comparing this balanced piston first stage both with modern and old ones.
I have an old TUSA TR-200. This is the drawing I made of it :
The HP seat is encased, so it cannot move. No hole, no o-ring. Simpler. Of course, here there is no J mechanism.
Further more, the piston skirt is part of the main body of the first stage (both TUSA and Calypso). This needs to add an o-ring to the cap.
New balanced piston firsts, the piston skirt is with the cap, so no o-ring is needed.
In this last case, there is only a seal to reduce debris coming into the thread.
I was comparing this balanced piston first stage both with modern and old ones.
I have an old TUSA TR-200. This is the drawing I made of it :
The HP seat is encased, so it cannot move. No hole, no o-ring. Simpler. Of course, here there is no J mechanism.
Further more, the piston skirt is part of the main body of the first stage (both TUSA and Calypso). This needs to add an o-ring to the cap.
New balanced piston firsts, the piston skirt is with the cap, so no o-ring is needed.
In this last case, there is only a seal to reduce debris coming into the thread.
OP
Green Frog
Contributor
I’ll simply observe that I’m glad to not be the only one chasing Aqua Lung rabbits! 
My goal was to assemble the best (for me) “classic” Aqua Lung reg rig I could, using what I deemed to be the most flexible and useful (for myself, at least) parts from AL’s long and storied history. I looked at the Calypso series and soon encountered problems with parts availability (which I thought I could overcome) and hose arrangement, which I found to be too awkward for my application.
Next I looked at an Aquarius first I had laying around in my parts box, and it will probably get rebuilt eventually for pool use, etc. It probably isn’t durable enough for the hard use I plan for it but it stands out as one of the simplest AL 1st stages and uses the same 2nd stages as my favorite, the Conshelf series.
I finally landed firmly in the Conshelf camp, where I started in the first place. Give me a 1085 second stage with the large exhaust valve and easy breathing exhaust T and put it on a 1st stage with 1 HP port and 4 LP ports, and I’m happy... the best of all worlds... for me!
I wish you all the best with your Calypso project. I’m not sure I would put forth the effort you have ahead of you, but you be you and be happy.
Best regards,
Froggie
PS looking again at the hose/plug layout on yours, I may have to give the late Calypso a second look. I’ll be following this thread closely!
My goal was to assemble the best (for me) “classic” Aqua Lung reg rig I could, using what I deemed to be the most flexible and useful (for myself, at least) parts from AL’s long and storied history. I looked at the Calypso series and soon encountered problems with parts availability (which I thought I could overcome) and hose arrangement, which I found to be too awkward for my application.
Next I looked at an Aquarius first I had laying around in my parts box, and it will probably get rebuilt eventually for pool use, etc. It probably isn’t durable enough for the hard use I plan for it but it stands out as one of the simplest AL 1st stages and uses the same 2nd stages as my favorite, the Conshelf series.
I finally landed firmly in the Conshelf camp, where I started in the first place. Give me a 1085 second stage with the large exhaust valve and easy breathing exhaust T and put it on a 1st stage with 1 HP port and 4 LP ports, and I’m happy... the best of all worlds... for me!
I wish you all the best with your Calypso project. I’m not sure I would put forth the effort you have ahead of you, but you be you and be happy.
Best regards,
Froggie
PS looking again at the hose/plug layout on yours, I may have to give the late Calypso a second look. I’ll be following this thread closely!
My Calypso IV, as it's an early version, has only one LP port and one HP port, both 3/8". While I do have an AA50 adapter (7/16 female - 3/8 male HP) the HP port faces down. On subsequent versions of the IV the HP port was modified and angled, so the HP hose goes to the left and not straight down. I should get an angled HP adaptor to send the HP hose to the left.and hose arrangement, which I found to be too awkward for my application.
This 1st stage gives poor help !!!
OP
Green Frog
Contributor
I feel your pain. I’m not sure that project would stir any enthusiasm or interest on my part. For one thing, I’d have to add an adaptor to gain more LP ports. At the very least, you will want hoses to a second stage and your C inflator, and probably a other to an octopus. By the time you’ve done all that, your “original “ AL Calypso will be almost unrecognizable. I don’t know what your dive store and parts availability are like there in Argentina, but I’m beginning to wonder whether you’ve reached a point of diminishing returns.
Buena suerte, amigo!
La Rana Azul
Buena suerte, amigo!
La Rana Azul
My main regulator is a SP MK25 + A700 + R095. Besides this I own 2 Dacor 900 with Pacers seconds, all in working order. Also the mentioned TUSA was in the trash bin. I've recovered and made it work. That TUSA teached me a lot !
This Calypso is so pristine that I wanted to use in the pool, just for fun, not during scuba lessons.
This Calypso is so pristine that I wanted to use in the pool, just for fun, not during scuba lessons.
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