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Post by SeaRat on Jan 3, 2022 10:27:13 GMT -8
I would highly recommend replacing the valve-seat/1st stage poppet if it is the original one: the material used becomes brittle and shatters/disintegrates due to the high pressure exerted upon its surface. Also, get some model airplane paint to touch up your label too JB JB, I think that situation applies to the J-valve that Voit came out with, rather than that HP seat. IMG_1043 by John Ratliff, on Flickr IMG_1044 by John Ratliff, on Flickr You can see that the one on the right is gone, whereas the one on the left (made of different materials, and off the black aluminum valve of the same design) is intact. John
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Post by nikeajax on Jan 3, 2022 11:02:24 GMT -8
JB, I think that situation applies to the J-valve that Voit came out with, rather than that HP seat... John Then it applies to both, sounds like it was the same material. I tried to resurface mine, which looked OK when I was done, but as soon as I added air it had the worst free-flow I've ever seen/heard! When I took it apart again for inspection the material had blown to pieces and there was a crater about 2mm deep. Just for grins I used a pick on it and it came out like it was made from an old crayon... JB
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Post by vance on Jan 3, 2022 11:19:51 GMT -8
This can also happen with NOS seats. I had a NOS one crater while testing in a pool. Get the new ones!
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Post by nikeajax on Jan 3, 2022 11:42:57 GMT -8
I remember someone on this board telling me I was being overly melodramatic when I said that these type of seats could quite literally blow themselves apart Speed on brother, hell ain't half full! JB
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Post by technidiver on Jan 3, 2022 14:26:24 GMT -8
This can also happen with NOS seats. I had a NOS one crater while testing in a pool. Get the new ones! I can attest to this as well. That’s the main reason why my MR-12 is in the scrap brass pile. Crappy seat that literally exploded when I turned it on. Be safe and get a new conshelf seat and trim a pin to the correct length! TD
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Post by spirou on Jan 4, 2022 19:41:40 GMT -8
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Post by antique diver on Jan 6, 2022 11:00:02 GMT -8
This can also happen with NOS seats. I had a NOS one crater while testing in a pool. Get the new ones! I can attest to this as well. That’s the main reason why my MR-12 is in the scrap brass pile. Crappy seat that literally exploded when I turned it on. Be safe and get a new conshelf seat and trim a pin to the correct length! TD The newest Conshelf seat is shown on the left in photo below, and I have found them to be an excellent replacement for the original crummy rubber seats from USD and also from Mares. The green lighter colored seat on the right was an earlier replacement from Aqualung, and must be avoided if you run into any. I don't know what year those were made but I had 8 or 10 from unremembered source. Whatever the material is that was bonded to the metal poppet is prone to delamination and/or distortion that can block airlfow. See second photo of one that distorted and plugged up the hp orifice on my RAM in 2014. Airflow started quickly getting less and less, and was very difficult to breathe by the time I was up to about 15' depth from 60 - 80' dive. Got a decent safety stop and had minimal air available when I reached the boat directly above. A few minutes later we were unable to purge any of the pressure to remove reg from the tank valve. I resorted to unscrewing the hp hose enough to blow the oring for relief of pressure. Back at the resort I pulled the seat and found this: DO NOT USE ANY OF THESE SEATS!
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Post by SeaRat on Jan 6, 2022 14:57:06 GMT -8
Wow, now I think I have a new project soon.
John
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Post by snark3 on Jan 29, 2022 3:01:20 GMT -8
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Post by nikeajax on Jan 29, 2022 10:50:16 GMT -8
Skip, very fun! I have a Seacraft, harness/pack? I have most of it, but have zero idea as to how to make the quick release: Anyone have one of these, and could you share some images? JB
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Post by antique diver on Jan 29, 2022 14:34:25 GMT -8
Skip, very fun! I have a Seacraft, harness/pack? I have most of it, but have zero idea as to how to make the quick release: Anyone have one of these, and could you share some images? JB A very timely photo... I have been planning on making a Hawaiian pac real soon. The metal work on this one may beyond my capabilities, but photos of various ones will help give me ideas. Hoping some more photos will show up. Thanks!
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Post by nikeajax on Jan 29, 2022 16:55:05 GMT -8
DAMNIT BILL! I was totally counting on you personally... You were supposed to say, "Why, yes, I have one of those, let me take some pictures for you JB..." Jaybird EDIT: Seacraft made yellow ones for Healthways, which is why I got it.
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Post by SeaRat on Jan 29, 2022 18:30:22 GMT -8
Why yes, I have one of those. Let me take some pictures for you...And I do. My Hawaiian Pack is not as fancy as this one, but I'll get some photos so Bill can see what mine looks like. It will be much easier than JB's.
John
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Post by antique diver on Jan 29, 2022 18:44:30 GMT -8
DAMNIT BILL! I was totally counting on you personally... You were supposed to say, "Why, yes, I have one of those, let me take some pictures for you JB..." Jaybird EDIT: Seacraft made yellow ones for Healthways, which is why I got it. JB, Are you wanting to attach nylon tank bands to the frame, or maybe modified SS bands? Generally either of those would be passed through a frame, but with this setup it may be best to cut the bands and rivet or screw to frame at each side. Maybe some other suggestions will crop up from the rich resources gathered here.
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Post by SeaRat on Jan 29, 2022 22:51:55 GMT -8
Here is one of my Hawaiian Pack style backpacks. This is the MarVel Pack, which incorporates a backpack, with plastic hooks. It also incorporates two weight chutes, which has I think 5 2-pound weights inside each chute (each side). Unfortunataly, one of the stainless steel bands, which are thin on this setup, broke. So I cannot put it onto a tank at this point. Subtidal Clambed Survey006 by John Ratliff, on Flickr This photo was taken when I was experimenting with different BCD designs. This one is a BC built into the back of my wetsuit, in the form of an inverted "U" shape. Photo from about 1975 (I still had hair, for instance). Note also the full-face USD mask with a double hose regulator attached. This was taken at the Siletz River, toward the Oregon coast. I have one more of the Hawaiian Packs, but it is a much different design. I'll have to get a photo of it soon. John
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