User regulator advice for new OW divers

[halocline]

Thanks All for the advice and links - I have been lurking for a while and suspected that the HOG's were probably my best answer, but its always better to ask and get a few options. .

I would get a MK5 or MK10 and 109 (metal case) or balanced/adjustable 2nd stages. There are readily available aftermarket (and scubapro OEM) seats available and the other parts are simply o-rings, of which you can get a lifetime supply for about $25.

The way to save the most money in owning scuba regulators:
1. Buy used
2. Do your own service
3. Avoid rebuild kits, which are insanely marked up.
4. Buy good quality standard o-rings and individual seats, and avoid regulators that need proprietary parts (like special bushings) for service.

Here's an example. I can find a good MK5/109 for under $100, maybe under $50. I spent about $100 on tools and the Vance Harlow book. I spent another $25 on several years worth of o-rings, maybe about $2/year cost. The seats are the hardest part of the equation, but you could get lucky as I did and find a dive shop with a whole drawer of extra MK5/10 seats that they were willing to sell me for about a dollar each. The SP kits come with three seats, and you only use one. Or you can get aftermarket seats from the trident catalog. For 2nd stage seats, I have a go-getter friend who, outraged at the possibility of blowing his pension on expensive 2nd stage seats, stamped a few decades worth out of a sheet of EPDM for less than one cent/seat. Toss in a tube of PTFE grease ($30) and you have a very nice high performance regulator you can own for decades for under $300 total cost. It's pretty tough to beat that.

 

[tbone1004]

Halocline raises a good point. My most recent regulator acquisition. Had all of the parts and tools, but as another option

Pair of Poseidon Jetstreams, shipped for $50
Poseidon first stage, $45
Service kits for the three including new condoms for the Jetstreams, $70
27mm wrench to grind down, Jetstream adjustment tool, metric allen keys, adjustable wrench. $60
Hose adapters to use normal hoses $30
OPV because the adapters don't have them anymore, $3
PTFE grease, free if you ask Corning nicely for a sample

Poseidon service kits are actually quite inexpensive for the first stages, and the second stages don't actually have anything in them other than o-rings, but didn't have time to go measure them all. First stage kits you kind of need due to the diaphragms, but they aren't that expensive, cheaper than the Hogs that's for sure. If you wanted to go cheaper on the first stage kits you could use an old scubapro first stage, for the Jetstreams it doesn't matter, they use an IP much lower than normal second stages actually at 125psi vs 145psi, so as long as there is an OPV on the first stage or you're using Poseidon hoses with the OPV built in you can put it on anything you want.

Right around $300 for a fully setup single tank rig that I can service myself. Granted Poseidons aren't for everyone, they are a little finicky to tune the second stages, and look a little funny, but I love them

New you're in for a minimum of $400, but that isn't that bad if having new gives you warm fuzzies

 

[Fishpie]

The absolute easiest reg to service requiring no specalized hand tools is the AquaLung / US Divers SEA.
It also has readily available service parts that anyone can buy without a special handshake.
Tools needed are 12' adjustable, 6" adjustable, large flathead screwdriver and bent pin.
It would be possible to buy a full set with octo and guages, buy the sercice parts, tools and intermediate pressure gauge for under $200.

....it also happens to be a very good reg, albeit a bit heavy.

 

[redacted]

the problem with the scubapro metal 2nds (109/156) is the original poppet had an integral LP seat and that is what you will find in most used offerings. Even if you could find a new old-style replacement, that rubber is 20+ years old. Scubapro did a poppet upgrade in the mid '90's that takes a replaceable and generically available seat, but you will have to find the new style poppet to use it. Raftingtigger and Zung have reported old poppet modifications to use replaceable seats but it will take a bit of work to pull it off. That said, the new poppets do show up on ebay with some regularity.

 

[ams511]

The absolute easiest reg to service requiring no specalized hand tools is the AquaLung / US Divers SEA.
It also has readily available service parts that anyone can buy without a special handshake.
Tools needed are 12' adjustable, 6" adjustable, large flathead screwdriver and bent pin.
It would be possible to buy a full set with octo and guages, buy the sercice parts, tools and intermediate pressure gauge for under $200.

....it also happens to be a very good reg, albeit a bit heavy.

You may want to elaborate on which version to purchase. From what I remember different versions have different port sizes requiring adapters or non-standard hoses. That was one of the drawbacks of older US Divers regulators.

 

[tbone1004]

Piranha and Dive Gear Express stock most of those port adapters btw if you need them

 

[ams511]

Piranha and Dive Gear Express stock most of those port adapters btw if you need them

Those are good references. In my opinion, it is better to pay a few extra dollars upfront to purchase the correct model than to deal with adapters or non-standard hoses.

 

[Fishpie]

......aii SEA's have 2 HP ports and 4 LP ports one of which is 1/2"
The later AquaLung Cousteau is identical except it will need an Allen key to get inside rather than a screwdriver.
The Mares MR16 / 22 / 32 (and the Dacor equilivents) use a different size Allen key but are just as easy to service and use the same internal parts.

 

[ams511]

Thanks for the info Fishpie. I was not sure if the SEA is like the SE or Conshelf where the ports changed size over time.

 

[redacted]

Servicing your old regs is fine, but be sure that you do it from manuals and are very very careful. There are some parts on some regs that can look like "they go here" but can be put in upside down which can result in, for example, the reg failing closed at 60 ft.

Can you provide any specifics on such an event (model, part(s), assembly error)? My experience is misassembled regulators do not operate properly and are fairly obvious. You pretty much have to try to get one to totally shut down, and it is not a depth dependent failure.