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Post by nikeajax on Aug 18, 2016 8:25:35 GMT -8
John, that's a cryin' shame about Eddie Electro and his Flying Scuba Tanks, I mean, um about the eddy testing... and thank you for explaining the way it works too! So Sheriffdiver, this is a friendly nagging, please keep the time those tanks are filled to capacity to a minimum: that alloy is prone to stress load cracking as I'm sure you're aware! What you have is wonderful and and I want you to keep that thing working and in the water as long as possible. Our friend Diver Don has a Dacor Nautilus that he dives with a blue Dacor AL tank too, bravo to both of you for keeping them in the water  OK DD, share the footage! JB |
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Post by technidiver on Aug 18, 2016 8:47:29 GMT -8
Is there anywhere that you can get tanks like this? Could a manufacturer create some, for a price? It's a shame that these tanks are prone to the stress cracking... I wish I could make it to Fortune pond to see this beauty! If anyone likes cold water vintage diving, you're always welcome to come up North. Isn't it true that most DH regs are actually better in cold water than the modern regs?
TD
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 18, 2016 9:14:00 GMT -8
Is there anywhere that you can get tanks like this? Could a manufacturer create some, for a price? It's a shame that these tanks are prone to the stress cracking... I wish I could make it to Fortune pond to see this beauty! If anyone likes cold water vintage diving, you're always welcome to come up North. Isn't it true that most DH regs are actually better in cold water than the modern regs? TD Technidiver, The USD Royal Aquamaster was used in South Pole expeditions for many, many years. The Dacor R-4, in their print ad, says they were "used by Divers at both North and South Poles and proven efficiency in tests to 83 degrees below Zero." This is because the second stage stays dry in these double hose regulators. There were recent reports of USD Royal Aquamasters freezing up, but that was because they were very old, beat up, and did not seal anymore. The UDS-1 is a very well-designed breathing machine, probably the best ever design from a strictly breathing standpoint. Incorporating the first stage into the triple-tank valving was quite a feat. I read that this was designed in France for U.S. Divers Company, and the cylinders were specially made for USD. By the way, I'm pretty sure these cylinders are 35 cubic feet capacity, not 30 ft3. John |
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Post by surflung on Aug 18, 2016 12:04:30 GMT -8
- I went over to the Vintage Double Hose site Manuals and Catalogs collection to see if they had a catalog with the UDS-1 in it. Sure enough, the 1975 US Divers Catalog has photos and complete description. And yes... The triple tanks are 35 cf each for a total of 105 cf when full.
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Post by sheriffdiver on Aug 23, 2016 14:30:15 GMT -8
I do have some spare parts for my UDS-1. This is another UDS-1 I have. I might try to get this one in working order too.... If not, I'll have a few spare parts for mine.  |
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Post by sheriffdiver on Aug 23, 2016 14:41:53 GMT -8
Ok, Here's a special video for you all. Here are the US Divers UDS-1 triple tank system and the Dacor Nautilus Constant Volume System being dove side by side at a vintage dive at Fortune Pond Michigan. Can you say 1975 is here again? DiverDon is shown along with SwimJim at the end of the video.
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Post by sheriffdiver on Aug 23, 2016 14:57:13 GMT -8
- I went over to the Vintage Double Hose site Manuals and Catalogs collection to see if they had a catalog with the UDS-1 in it. Sure enough, the 1975 US Divers Catalog has photos and complete description. And yes... The triple tanks are 35 cf each for a total of 105 cf when full. The UDS-1 system is also listed in the 1974 US Divers catalog. |
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Post by sheriffdiver on Aug 23, 2016 15:01:36 GMT -8
So what regulator do you have on that thing: Connie, or Calypso? I really like both: as I have mentioned several times the reg I trust with my wife's life is the Conshelf-XIV one of the best regs ever made! Since I'm such a PITA, I love my Dacor Olympic. I see you have an SPG but not a console, do you use wrist gauges then: I think wrist gauges look totally boss  When I've gone to the pool to test out my regs I usually get more than one jaw hitting the ground, "Dang, you look totally awesome..." Sometimes I get people asking if it's dangerous using gear that's so old, and more than a bit of incredulity when I inform them their gear is revamped 50-year old stuff  JB Jaybird, The UDS-1 has the first stage built into the valve. It is a modified Conshelf design; modified in that there is no diaphragm, but instead a very different piston. The "piston" is a disc with an enlarged O-ring. So the second stage is labeled with "UDS-1" and is the same as an all metal Conshelf or Calypso. While the UDS-1 was never used by the Cousteau divers, it does represent quite a breakthrough in scuba design. The enlarged openings, including the huge cylinder opening and absolutely huge valve openings with three cylinders feeding the valve/first stage allow the UDS-1 to be breathed to zero on the gauge without feeling breathing resistance. I have breathed mine to 0 psig and had about three breaths left. Tripping the J-reserve, which is set at just under 1000 psig (950 psig, I think--I'll check that), distributes the air from the reserve cylinder to the other two cylinders, with the noise associated with this equalization. I have in the past used my Scubapro A.I.R. I on my UDS-1, which really maximizes the first and second stage performances. There are two design problems. The harness design is a combination of USA specs for a waist strap and the European design, which ties the crotch strap into the weight belt. This unit is best used with the European design, without the waist strap. If the waist strap is used, it is too low, or the shoulder straps must be too tight for comfort. The other design problem is that the valve at the bottom allows the top of the unit to float off the diver's back and "catch" a lot of water, defeating the unit's streamlining. This is overcom by placing about six pounds of weights at the top of the unit. Sheriff diver, I think you may have the only operational, divable UDS-1 unit is the world right now. Mine have been rejected for hydrostatic testing due to the lack of an Eddie-testing fixture for the over-sized cylinder valve openings. I also have an issue with my filling hose, so yours currently, to my knowledge, is the only one being dived in the world. Congratulations!  U.S. Divers Company diagram of the UDS-1.  This photo shows the problem of the weight distribution in the UDS-1. By weighting the top of the unit, this problem is easily overcome.  Me diving the UDS-1, using a modified harness incorporated into my Para-Sea BC design, at Edmonds Underwater Park, around 2008. John John, I have modified the shoulder straps so it will fit me. No way the original straps would fit me. WAY TOO TIGHT. I had 4 pounds of weight inside the housing on my 2nd dive. No additional weight worn and I was wearing a 3 mm wetsuit. Perfect buoyancy at 60 feet. A little on the light side above 20 feet. |
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Post by nikeajax on Aug 23, 2016 15:11:42 GMT -8
Ok, Here's a special video for you all. Here are the US Divers UDS-1 triple tank system and the Dacor Nautilus Constant Volume System being dove side by side at a vintage dive at Fortune Pond Michigan. Can you say 1975 is here again? DiverDon is shown along with SwimJim at the end of the video. WOW-I'm really liking the big burst of bubbles coming out of DD's Olympic, very dramatic! Both of you guys look great, like all that yellow SD--thanks for sharing with us  JB |
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Post by luis on Aug 23, 2016 17:00:51 GMT -8
I like collecting interesting pieces of scuba gear, especially those pieces that have a story. A lot of the gear I like to collect, study, and sometimes dive has an interesting history and I particularly like some of the failures. We can often learn as much from the failed gear as we can from successes. The failures were sometimes in the technical design, but it was often poor marketing, poor support, it was just introduced at the wrong time, or it might have had some features that made it impractical or not desirable.
I have own a Dacor Nautilus for many years and would love to own a UDS-1 if I could find one at a reasonable price. It is definitely an interesting piece of gear, but I wanted to make sure that the true history was understood.
The UDS-1 is of particular interest to me since we had two of them at Divers Service Canter in Puerto Rico. I tried selling them for years, but I never had any takers. We actually took one of them diving in a pool once. I don’t know what ever happen to them when I went away to college. I am sure Alberto (the dive shop owner) made some kind of deal.
No one liked the idea of what they called having a “hostage regulator” in the UDS-1. The argument was that they could not use the regulator on other tanks when the tanks were empty or use the tanks with another regulator, if the regulator malfunction, etc. Most divers in PR did two dives when they went out diving so having two sets of tanks was typical.
I tried to sell it as having enough air for two dives, but it was hard to compare 105cuft against two steel 72. The UDS-1 was also a clumsy setup for boat diving as compared the a single tank.
It is still an interesting piece of gear.
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Post by surflung on Aug 25, 2016 9:29:28 GMT -8
Snap Shots from our Dive Weekend...- In spite of the rainy weather and last minute no-shows, we had a heck of a good time diving Fortune Pond last weekend. SwimJim, DiverDon, SheriffDiver, myself(SurfLung), and my wife Jill were all there. Jill took these snapshots.  - DiverDon had some shorty Twin Tanks (even shorter than my yellow 38s)  - DiverDon and SheriffDiver with their Dacor Nautilus and Aqualung UDS-1 Systems  - The 2016 Kraken Owner's Group: SwimJim and I sporting two of the first "Red Hose" editions and I think SheriffDiver ordered the last one of the Red Hose models. Note that Jim and I have our new DSV mouthpieces installed. Ron had color coordinated twin tanks and horsecollar BC.   - SheriffDivers Sportsways Twin 72s look good with the Kraken. On the right is my Kraken with DSV.   - SheriffDiver with 1974-75 era UDS-1 diving system by Aqualung... Looking good man!   - SheriffDiver's 1975 gear and SurfLung's 1961 gear... Neat Contrast.
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Post by nikeajax on Aug 25, 2016 9:38:06 GMT -8
DD, just how big are those tanks--WOW! Those look super fun: I'm hopefully gunna have a set of 20-CF twins, 40-CF in all... Now that I remember how big you are, those might just be twin-50's  JB |
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Post by diverdon on Aug 25, 2016 10:00:26 GMT -8
DD, just how big are those tanks--WOW! Those look super fun: I'm hopefully gunna have a set of 20-CF twins, 40-CF in all... Now that I remember how big you are, those might just be twin-50's JB We grow bigger up north. I'm not 100% sure but I believe these to be 38s as well. Eben's are 1800 while mine are 2250. I have yet to see another set. The tanks measure about 17 inches tall. Here they are compared to my 72's.  |
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Post by surflung on Aug 25, 2016 12:11:42 GMT -8
Some Underwater Snapshots... - SurfLung and SwimJim with DSV equipped Argonaut Kraken regs!  - Our history making vintage Dacor Nautilus vs. Aqualung UDS-1 video session w/SwimJim adding some light.  - Amazing visibility in spite of heavy overcast skies above and diminished light below... 75 ft depth.  - DiverDon w/Dacor Nautilus (left) and SheriffDiver w/AquaLung UDS-1 (right)
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Post by sheriffdiver on Aug 25, 2016 15:26:05 GMT -8
I didn't realize Surflung how nice that Kraken looks with the red Sportsways tanks!!
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OK DD, share the footage!
