Which second stages to use.

[Lobzilla]

My impression is that a G250(V) with the cracking pressure screw all the way in and the VIVA in surface position is way more free flow resistant than a R190 adjusted to specs. There is no difference in clearing them. IMO the only reason to prefer a R190 would be cost (purchase and maintenance) and I like to separate financial concerns from risk assessment. Even as I have a serviced R190 sitting in a drawer I cannot convince myself that it should replace the G250 currently on my necklace.

Please convince me otherwise. This would save me from having to buy another G250(V) for stage or deco bottles. (The prices of used G250s have gone crazy).

Edit: Maybe my R190 should go on the O2 bottle and the G250 stay on the necklace. What do you think?

 

[redacted]

Sure. I own around 12 g250/v/hps. They require significantly more maintenance than my r190/r395s that I use as backup regs.

For a backup, I prefer a simple, highly reliable reg that will work every single time and not give me any hassles at all.

I am having a hard time making good sense of this. Sure, there are a few more o-rings, including the dynamic o-rings in the balance chamber, in a G250 than in an R190; but all o-rings are quite reliable and require little maintenance if properly installed. Just what maintenance are your 250s requiring that your 190 does not? Both have mfgr recommended annual service but both can usually go for many year of satisfactory, reliable performance before that "annual" service is really required. The lighter spring tension on the G250 should reduce seat engraving but if your 2nds are stored with that spring tension relieved, seat engraving can be almost totally avoided. So what exactly seems to be the problem?