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Post by crabbyjim on Feb 24, 2018 9:07:39 GMT -8
I just won a Voit-MR12, hybrid I think, on eBait: I've read where it was the first single hose regulator adopted by the US Navy: so what of the Waterlung Navy-Unit? I've also heard that they are outstanding regs so long as you don't try to use them in extra-cold water, as they are prone to freezing, and then free-flow--YIKES! I say it's a hybrid because it has a Titan-II second stage, yet the only Titan-II images I've seen look like a lot like the Dacor Olympic: Come to think of it, the MR12 first stage looks an awful lot like a Navy-Unit, sans J-valve: what gives, eh? I'm guessing the T2 has a much larger exhaust, so I'm not complaining. I also found an original MR12 second stage that I'll be using as an octo, which also has a very good label: this is a rare find so I've heard... More info please... Jaybird JB, I have an MR-12 just like the one in your first picture. The serial number is 766. It breathed really well until yesterday when part of the exhaust valve fell out. It is a two sided mushroom valve. If I can find a replacement, how is it installed?
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Post by nikeajax on Feb 24, 2018 10:53:36 GMT -8
CJ, there's a goofy little insert you can just pop out. You can dip the second stage in hot water to get the tee off easier, then while it's still hot, just pull the little dingus out. Try a needle nose pliers to get a better hold of it. All that you need is one diaphragm, an' it's a 32mm. You don't need the insert BTW! JB
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Post by SeaRat on Feb 27, 2018 21:23:56 GMT -8
Jaybird, First, about the U.S. Navy approval of the MR12, I cannot find it in The Rubicon Research Repository. I did find the approval for the MR-12 II though. You can look at the search results here: dspace.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/search?scope=123456789/1&order=DESC&rpp=10&sort_by=0&page=1&query=Regulator&etal=0But I am pretty sure that the MR12 was approved before the U.S. Divers Company single hose regulators. We in the USAF ignored the Navy approval process, and bought USD regulators anyway before 1973. Now, the Sportsways Navy regulator never did have a Navy approval. I don't think the Navy approved any tilt valve regulators, and even disapproved the early Healthways downstream regulators. 'Hope this helps. John
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Post by crabbyjim on Feb 28, 2018 7:23:49 GMT -8
Here is a quote from, and citation to, Greg Barlow's article on the MR-12 in Historical Diver. I don't know if it clears up any question of Navy approval but it helps answer my question about the decline of double hose regulators. "With much trepidation, Jack attached the reg under the watchful eyes of the naval operators and turned on the machine. As the breathing simulator increased the number of cycles and the depth rating, the results were read. The new design had passed with flying colors! The careful engineering and Yankee ingenuity had paid off. The prototype was then sent to Voit's production facility in Santa Ana and the plans were drawn up for full production. The MR12 name was chosen to be the title of the first U.S. Navy approved single-hose regulator, the MR standing for "Military Regulator" and the "1" being single-hose; the "2" stood for the two-stage design. Full production of the MR12 commenced in late 1970, and the diving world was soon to be changed forever. Voit sold the MR12's as quickly as they could manufacture them and soon their competitors were retooling in an attempt to match the performance of the new standard. The death knell was sounded for the two-hosed regulator, and sadly just one decade later Voit/Swimaster disappeared from the market. Its legacy, the MR12 still lives on in Mares late incarnations." aquaticcommons.org/15012/1/Historical_Diver_24_2000.pdf
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Post by nikeajax on Feb 28, 2018 9:36:07 GMT -8
OK, got it: calling it a Navy Unit was wishful thinking, like naming a lumbering recreation vehicle, Cheetah JB
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 5, 2018 22:02:31 GMT -8
Jaybird,
I hear you had a very interesting weekend with the MR-12. Want to tell us about it?
John
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Post by vance on Mar 6, 2018 8:51:22 GMT -8
Jaybird, I hear you had a very interesting weekend with the MR-12. Want to tell us about it? John Well, interesting afternoon with some, anyways. Jay and I spent a lot more time in the car than working on MR12s. We met up with CJ at our favorite Russian Louisiana-style BBQ restaurant and had lunch, then went to the Breakwater to look at the water and take some regs apart on the tailgate of CJs Tacoma. Not optimal, but not the worst place I've service a regulator. I took one of mine apart and inspected it under the very watchful eye of JB, and Jim went to school on me. I attacked the dreaded o-ring with a bit of trepidation, but got the little sucker in without too much bad language. It got put back together, hooked up, and IP set. Works. I should probably replace the seats. CJs reg then got the teardown. His was more corroded than mine, and needs a dip in the vinegar. It went home in a body bag. Here's Jim's:
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 6, 2018 9:53:32 GMT -8
Phil got to my place a little after 10:00, seems his GPS didn't like my street name While driving up, he told me two stories, the first one made me guffaw, and I have his permission to use as fodder in one of my stories. He got so into his second story, that he went on auto-pilot. I glanced out my window and began wracking my brain because I couldn't for the life of me remember where in southern Santa Clara or Monterrey Counties they have radio telescopes... "Uh, Phil we're heading north on I-280..." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, look, there's a sign for Page Mill Road, that's Stanford..." There and back the two of us had some really great conversations, so needless to say we were an hour and some change late, and found a rather frustrated CJ, but it didn’t take him long to regain his humor again. After lunch we headed over to the Breakwater, where we all learned that we have a good appreciation for colorful language, not in a bad way mind you, just as modifiers to brighten the descriptions all things, “sailor talk” if you will. After looking at all the swell gear they brought, I didn’t bring any; we dove into MR-12 mechanics on the tailgate of CJ’s truck. Phil jumped in first: he was pretty hesitant to replace the tiny o-ring in the HP-module, but I finally convinced him that since he’d gone this far, just to do it so that he’d never have to think about it again. After reassembly, we hooked it up to his very convenient pony-tank: nice and quiet. Then came CJ’s, which was kind of a mess: it was free-flowing pretty good! It took us a while to get the cover off of the second stage as we were trying not to damage it, and as Phil stated earlier, not ideal work conditions. Even after backing off both the first and second stage-adjusters, it wouldn’t stop flowing. Insert chuckles and colorful language here! These were both late model MR-12’s, and haven’t had any of their seats and push pins changed. As I suspected CJ’s HP-seat was junk, and made from that infamous black substance that becomes super brittle over time. I was very surprised that the second stage poppet seat was made from a variation of said garbage and was not intended to be replaced, but I will make new soft seats for them. JB
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Post by crabbyjim on Mar 6, 2018 15:51:16 GMT -8
Jaybird, I hear you had a very interesting weekend with the MR-12. Want to tell us about it? John Well, interesting afternoon with some, anyways. Jay and I spent a lot more time in the car than working on MR12s. We met up with CJ at our favorite Russian Louisiana-style BBQ restaurant and had lunch, then went to the Breakwater to look at the water and take some regs apart on the tailgate of CJs Tacoma. Not optimal, but not the worst place I've service a regulator. I took one of mine apart and inspected it under the very watchful eye of JB, and Jim went to school on me. I attacked the dreaded o-ring with a bit of trepidation, but got the little sucker in without too much bad language. It got put back together, hooked up, and IP set. Works. I should probably replace the seats. CJs reg then got the teardown. His was more corroded than mine, and needs a dip in the vinegar. It went home in a body bag. Here's Jim's:
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Post by crabbyjim on Mar 6, 2018 15:55:28 GMT -8
There certainly are are a lot of little parts there. Jay and Phil did the work while I watched. I have ordered the parts and John sent me schematics but remember that I possess the close motor skills of a chicken. Fun afternoon. Tomorrow will be funner if I find someone to dive with.
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Post by tomcatpc on Mar 6, 2018 20:25:52 GMT -8
So, I'm not the only person who has a MR-12 that really enjoys free-flowing like a motha@#@#? Mark
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Post by crabbyjim on Mar 7, 2018 6:59:52 GMT -8
So, I'm not the only person who has a MR-12 that really enjoys free-flowing like a motha@#@#? Mark Phil is going to join me for a dive today. I had to remind him to keep the sun over his left shoulder on the way down here because apparently, neither he nor Jay have access to GPS devices.
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Post by cnotthoff on Mar 7, 2018 10:18:55 GMT -8
I'm coming down tomorrow, but have no dive plans. I've got a couple of projects to finish and more wedding planning (oldest son in July).
Is there somewhere I can drop off a couple of steel bushings?
Good Dives, Charlie
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Post by vance on Mar 7, 2018 15:11:58 GMT -8
So, I'm not the only person who has a MR-12 that really enjoys free-flowing like a motha@#@#? Mark Phil is going to join me for a dive today. I had to remind him to keep the sun over his left shoulder on the way down here because apparently, neither he nor Jay have access to GPS devices. Where is the "not like" button? I made it there w/o problems cause JB wasn't distracting me! Excellent conditions today. Aside from a really really too short bc inflator hose, everything was great! CJ dove a Phoenixed-up DA, but I still went with him. I had the HyroTwin II so the uncoolness of the DA was canceled out a bit with Sportsways elan and flair.
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 7, 2018 17:01:38 GMT -8
I had the HyroTwin II so the uncoolness of the DA was canceled out a bit with Sportsways elan and flair. Dah'zam straight boyeee, tha's what I'm talkin' 'bout dog! JB
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