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Post by SeaRat on Mar 17, 2017 12:32:33 GMT -8
Thanks guys, I was hoping that my question hadn't been asked before and thoroughly discussed, therefore annoying everyone with a "stupid" question. I had a Healthways Scuba reg 15 yrs ago, but sold it. Right now I wish I still had it. As Jaybird as I'd, there are no stupid questions here. John
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 17, 2017 13:43:36 GMT -8
Amen to that my friend: the only stoopid question is only stoopid cuz ya didn't ask it, then you get it answered at depth, and then ya feel reaaaaaaaallllly stooopid, cuz yer buddy has to rescue you Dead men tell no tales... JB
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Post by vance on Mar 30, 2017 16:11:18 GMT -8
So, here's a couple pics of my latest evolution of the Scuba exhaust. Nothing new, really, just an experiment with a swim cap exhaust diaphragm and my home made duckbill GLUED IN. Wotcha!
All the black gunk is leftover from whoever messed with this one last. I didn't want to scratch or screw up the chrome, so I heated it and wiped out as much as I could get off. I hear WD40 will work? I'll clean it better on its next go-round. Notice I filed out the HP block hole so I could turn the assembly to aim down the intake. The thing was nearly rounded out anyway, due to negligent tightening of the block at some time or another. I've found this to be pretty common with Healthways regs. It does change the original can permanently, but the body can always be positioned back in its stock configuration, if you want. We'll see if this helps at all.... Phil
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 30, 2017 16:30:14 GMT -8
Phil, really looking forward to hearing about your results! JB
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 30, 2017 16:34:18 GMT -8
Phil,
Just one little comment on turning the HP block so as to aim it down the intake. The air comes out the sides, not the end. Put it on a tank and depress the levers with your fingers beside the levers, and you'll see what I mean.
So far as the diaphragm and the duckbill, they look great!
John
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Post by vance on Mar 30, 2017 16:48:50 GMT -8
Thanks John! I'll check it out. Now that the HP body is free to turn anywhichway, I can experiment with best position. It'll probably turn out to be where the HW engineers put it in the first place! I'm waiting for my local pools to open for my experiments. Not just yet!
I do want to experiment with a venturi. It shouldn't be hard to braze one in to a Scuba or Deluxe body.
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Post by vance on Mar 30, 2017 17:50:48 GMT -8
So, yeah. I see how the lp air comes out of the body on the sides. The bevel directs it out from under the lever assembly at a 90 degree angle on both sides of the "channel" of the lever assembly. Duh-OH!
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 30, 2017 18:04:54 GMT -8
Phil, before ya do, try making a snorkel: I sent that one to DD, but the one's I made later, go all the way to the air horn... an' l'me tell ya, they work rill gud! JB
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Post by vance on Mar 30, 2017 21:39:42 GMT -8
So, now I see why the engineers designed the body to sit where it does: the two sides where air escapes are positioned so that the air will be deflected around the perimeter of the can to the air horn. It's not equidistant but it avoids obstacles like the exhaust diaphragm flange. I'm trying it with the HP body positioned so one side shoots right at the horn. It's probably not going to do much.
Jay's snorkel is probably the kind of thing to do, or a venturi. I suspect a cap with a venturi sticking out into the horn could be made to fit over the HP body, which is basically what Jay's device does.
I wonder if it's worth the bother?
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 31, 2017 7:53:26 GMT -8
Phil, if you're looking for a better performance: yes absolutely! I didn't have them at any real depth, but at ten feet, the Goldie was just a bit better, and I was having a hard time distinguishing the two... JB EDIT: OK, here you can see what I did better: think of a stock Scuba as a naturally aspirated carburetor, and with my snorkel-jet, it's like fuel-injection...
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 31, 2017 10:48:26 GMT -8
I was wondering why they had such similar performances? My thinking is that if the Goldie's venturi blast was sent in a linear-path, it would no doubt be stronger; but it doesn't. Instead it's sent on a dynamic path: it has to make its way around bends in the hose, as well as being disrupted by the convolutions in the hose.
I hope to make a new wagon-wheel for a Hope-Page, so that my Goldie can become a hose-within-a-hose regulator, very much the same way as the USD's DX was. I'm also trying to figure out how to stuff some new gizzards into the valve body to make it a balanced reg. BTW, none of this will be a permanent mod. Why do this? As Phil likes to point out, you can only dive them one at a time, and with three Scubas, so why the heck not, eh?
JB
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 31, 2017 13:40:49 GMT -8
Jaybird, It is interesting that you comment on the Gold Label Healthways SCUBA regulator's venturi. I did a bit of research on that, and found a few interesting things. First, that long tube with the venturi hole is not straight, but takes two paths. When it comes out, it looks like it is oriented toward the top of the inlet hose, but it actually takes a slightly different pathway due to the drilling not being on-center. This would place the venturi flow more toward the center of the hose, rather than to the uppor portion. You can check that by putting a drill bit into the hole, and seeing the orientation from there. Also, you'll see that this hole does not go down the center, as the drill bit will stop before getting more that about half-way down the metal tube. 'Just thought I'd throw that one out to you. Concerning putting a hose-within-a-hose concept into the Goldie with a Hope-Page mouthpiece, that is a definite possibility. For those who don't know it, this was used by U.S. Divers Company with their first single stage regulator, the Overpressure Breathing regulator, which later became the DW Mistral. I still have, and dive, my DX overpressure Breathing regulator, and it performs very, very well. At the time, people felt it breathed "too easily," causing them to "waste air" when compared to the original two-stage Aqualung regulator (a notoriously hard-breathing regulator) which later became the Aquamaster (with a venturi). The original DX Overpressure Breathing regulator had the hose attaching to a metal tube inside the mouthpiece with three or four (I'll have to check) holes drilled into the tube, oriented straight down the mouthpiece. This led to one of the complaints, in that if some water got into the interior tube, it came out as a fine mist and was inhaled. In a brand new version, I've thought about (but not acted upon) putting a plastic tube inside the mouthpiece and having a cut-out the same size and shape as the Scubapro 109 second stage's metal opening for air. That way, we would not have to re-do all the calculations that went into engineering that opening by Scubapro, and simply use it on the new double hose mouthpiece. The original DX Overpressure Breathing schematic. The metal mouthpiece for the DX Overpressure Breathing regulator. John
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Post by vance on Apr 5, 2017 10:46:51 GMT -8
For those who are interested in 1" hoses in various colors, Jeff has finished his 1" mold and will be providing some samples when he's able to get to it. He told me he has been making some custom parts for the "Series of Unfortunate Events" Netflix series, and is busy with that at the moment. I'll keep you posted!
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Post by vance on Apr 11, 2017 8:05:27 GMT -8
Here's Jeff's first blue hose. Please comment on how the color compares to the Scuba blue! I'm gonna get me a pair!
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Post by nikeajax on Apr 11, 2017 8:52:08 GMT -8
Say, I really like the color--A LOT! It's a bit lighter than what HW had, Mark has some of their hoses, but Jeff's color is much prettier. What is he asking for them? Just lovely JB
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