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Post by duckbill on Feb 20, 2007 11:37:19 GMT -8
Many modern valves are very thick, a heavy yoke and the standard USD style banjo are a challenge..............when you travel you will find aluminum 80s with Thermo brand/clone valves. In this case, you may or may not be able to install the banjo. James Hmmm. Are long yokes any better for fit with the standard USD style banjos on these valves?
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Post by Broxton Carol on Feb 20, 2007 14:43:54 GMT -8
A true vintage diver dosent use dorky 80 ft tanks, and oddball modern cloned made in china or some other non original place valves with computers in them. Did you ever see Mike Nelson use an 80 cu ft tank with cloned valves? There wernt any clones around then anyway. Vintage divers use gear contemporary with the "vintage era". The correct heavy late yoke that was on a round label was designed to cover the transition to the NEW 3000 psi aluminum tanks being featured at that time. The early thin long yokes will work okay too. USD did it right, and their gear reflects thought, practicality, and mechanical integrity. I have pumped many tanks to 3200PSI with my little compressor, and it had the thin short early usd yoke on it. Never did stretch, crack or blow up!
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Post by duckbill on Feb 20, 2007 17:02:09 GMT -8
My question is more for air travelers. Not all rental facitilties have good ol' 72s. If these "Thermo" valves are popular, it would be good to know if the long yoke/USD banjo would work with them. It would be a bummer to find out the hard way if they don't. It isn't the pressure I'm wondering about- just the fit. I think the heavy yoke is more tapered at the screw end than the long yoke is, but I could be wrong on that.
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Post by Broxton Carol on Feb 20, 2007 18:27:42 GMT -8
A couple months ago I sold "Deep Dorothy" of Wisconsin, a heavy yoke late ROYAL round label regulator. I also sold her a banjo fitting at that time. She remarked this past week that it was a snug fit to get it together on a new thick type valve boss. I would suggest just stay away from these particular valves, if they are the trouble. Its too bad that when something works so well people come along and screw it up by modifying it. Years ago I recall that it was an interferance fit with some healthways valves when mounting a usd reg on a healthways tank. It could be healthways wanted you to use only their regs on their tanks. I pulled the valves, and installed usd valves, and now no problemmo! Those old HEALTHWAYS tanks are some of the nicest Ive seen. and their back packs are the most comfortable there are.
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Post by duckbill on Feb 20, 2007 19:23:18 GMT -8
Years ago I recall that it was an interferance fit with some healthways valves when mounting a usd reg on a healthways tank. It could be healthways wanted you to use one of their regs on their tanks. I discovered the exact same phenomenon. The Healthways valve was the old post K-valve with the handle on top (some like to call them "I" valves), like the USD valve. My Mistral wouldn't fit on it.
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Post by nemrod on Feb 21, 2007 1:33:42 GMT -8
The standard duty long yoke will work with the banjo adapters on the Thermo brand and clone valves. It is just the heavy yokes that seem to have a problem sometimes because the opening in the yoke is slightly less than with the long standard yoke.
The other problem you might encounter when traveling is that some valves use a screw in yoke adapter in what is actually a DIN valve. These are quite wide and thick. Not sure how these would work out. The banjo itself will likely not lay down flush as the machined surface on the valve side is insufficient to extend beyond the valve.
I have yet to find an air carrier that will allow carry on 72's. In most of the world, aluminum 80s are the norm for rental and the valves you often find on them are the Thermo type clones.
James
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Post by duckbill on Feb 21, 2007 9:10:33 GMT -8
Thanks, James.
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Post by jamiep3 on Feb 21, 2007 15:16:58 GMT -8
I have a couple of the convertabile(DIN/Yoke) thermo valves. I've not been able to get my round label Aquamaster to fit on them with the banjo, haven't tried my new heavy yoke Royal yet. My Banjo is from the first batch of reproductions.
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Post by Broxton Carol on Feb 21, 2007 21:55:14 GMT -8
The specs on the first run of banjos was stock. The second run was just opened up .003 or so in the nozzle area where the reg sits in there on the o ring. There was a minimal variance in the production tolerance of the original nozzles installed on the regulators. The later banjos were slightly larger there. Again, your trying to fit these original items onto modern valves that never existed in the days they were originally available.
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Post by nemrod on Feb 22, 2007 1:50:30 GMT -8
The banjos have no fault, it is not a problem in any way with the banjo--first, middle or last batch. No adapter could be made to work with all of the valves around these days made with no thought of such a thing--if any ever where. There is an adapter that will work and I have already named it--lol. Here is a new Faber LP 85 with a Thermo brand valve with an actual vintage heavy yoke. While it appears that is a DA that is actually a vintage round label RAM with factory heavy yoke. It is part of a basket case I mixed into my parts bin DA. Note the Chuck Broxton banjo fits just fine and works perfect. A generic Thermo clone--again, perfect fit. Standard USD long yoke on my DW Mistral with Broxton Chuck banjo on USD valve on steel 72. Quote Phoenix RAM-- "I don't need no stink'n banjo." Aluminum 80 with Thermo brand valve. Hope these help. James
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Post by Broxton Carol on Feb 22, 2007 4:07:45 GMT -8
I was told they are a close fit. Since you have photo proof they fit, thats great. The new shipment of banjos are here, and after filling the orders we took prior to production, there will be enough to go around. Those of you who need a superior banjo for your long yoke original usd reg. contact me with a private message and Ill see you get one. Many thanks, Chuck
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dj793
Senior Diver
Posts: 67
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Post by dj793 on Feb 22, 2007 12:49:27 GMT -8
As Chuck said, the RAM I bought from him has the long yoke however I have the Thermo brand DIN valves on 8 of our tanks they all have a screw in adapter for yokes, the banjo will not fit on these at least not the ones I have. It is soooo close to fitting. Luckly I also have a couple 72's. I may look into some different brands of DIN valves. We'll see if the yoke on my Mistral which is on it's way from Broxton Chuck will fit, maybe there is just the slightest difference in yoke length. The RAM is so close to fitting you feel like you could WILL it to slip on. Dot
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Post by RMannix on Feb 26, 2007 7:06:27 GMT -8
My rubber tire long yokes fits all of my valves with the older Chuck Banjo (doesn't fit my old Mistral) including DIN with yoke plugs. My late model Royal with the conshelf type yoke also fits, but on some valves only a few threads are engaged.
Not a big deal for me, I won't need it with my puh-hone-icks or my sherwood double manifolds, or h valve. If I really want to dive my Mistral on a 72 I can just go j-valve and pony up.
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