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Post by james1979 on Jul 27, 2021 9:02:24 GMT -8
In theory, the silicone shouldn't harden like the old rubber ones did... so I don't think that will be an issue (cracking/tearing around the holes). On the exhaust diaphragm, I put 3 standoffs on the wagon wheel portion to maintain clearance from the can.... hopefully tomorrow I can pool test.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 14, 2021 8:05:19 GMT -8
I have James' silicone diaphragm and have placed it into my Dacor R-3 Dial-a-Breath regulator. I'll use it there, and it seems to have improved its breathing. I'll try to make (re-make actually) my home-made water manometer and get some tests done too.
John
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Post by james1979 on Aug 16, 2021 16:15:35 GMT -8
John,
I'm glad to here it behaved well (in your solo diving thread). I'll be pouring an exhaust diaphragm next week, and hope to get it out to you then.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 16, 2021 16:34:40 GMT -8
James, I just this afternoon finished this dive, and the diaphragm worked very, very well. This was on the Dacor R-3, not the Clipper or Dacor R-4 (their latest double hose regulators). The R-3 had the older diaphragm in it, and the silicone seemed to be much more responsive than that older one, which is somewhere around 50 years old. It made the R-3 breathe pretty well, not nearly like the Calypso-J that I used later in the dive (see the J-valve thread). But it breathed well enough that even in fairly heavy current it gave me all the air I needed. I did something I should not have, as one of the screws lacked its nut to tighten it down. As I was changing regulators, I noted that it leaked air out of that area. Normally, I would be rather strict that everything should be completely correct to dive, but I did a negative leak check, and found it good. So the air coming out probably did not mean that there was water going in (I'll check that later tonight). But the main thing is that you diaphragm worked very, very well even with the very primative double lever system of the Dacor R-3 regulator. IMG_1458 by John Ratliff, on Flickr John
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 16, 2021 21:48:45 GMT -8
Okay, I just pulled James’ diaphragm from my Dacor R-3 regulator that I used today. I found the inner chamber dry, but when I separated the demand diaphragm from the exhaust diaphragm, I found that there was about 3 ounces of water inside the exhaust chamber. Dacor, in their manufacturing wisdom, decided that they double hose regulators could be serviced with just a screwdriver, a wrench, and a C-clip pliers. That means that taking the chambers apart is easy, and drying it out is also easy. That James’ silicone diaphragm is now in my Dacor Clipper regulator, and is scheduled to be dived this Friday. This is a much better breathing regulator, and at first I was skeptical that Jame’s diaphragm made of silicone could be better that the original diaphragm, as that diaphragm is really thin, and pretty sensitive. But after taking it out, I do see a “set” which could cause an increase in breathing resistance. Here’s the Clipper lever system: IMG_8525 by John Ratliff, on Flickr IMG_8524 by John Ratliff, on Flickr fullsizeoutput_290f by John Ratliff, on Flickr This is the original Dacor diaphragm. I don’t yet have a photo of Jame’s silicone diaphragm, but I am hopeful of its performance. John
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Post by vance on Aug 18, 2021 9:09:41 GMT -8
John, I have some 6-32 stainless nuts I can send you if you need any. They are the correct small ones.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 18, 2021 11:16:01 GMT -8
John, I have some 6-32 stainless nuts I can send you if you need any. They are the correct small ones. Thanks, I may take you up on that. But first, I need to look further in my shed. One "disappeared" when I was taking my R-3 apart to replace the diaphragm, and it may still be there. John
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Post by vance on Aug 20, 2021 12:50:12 GMT -8
.... hopefully tomorrow I can pool test. Did you get a chance to pool test? I have not yet tried one out, but will before the pools get closed up.
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Post by james1979 on Aug 20, 2021 14:14:07 GMT -8
.... hopefully tomorrow I can pool test. Did you get a chance to pool test? I have not yet tried one out, but will before the pools get closed up. I put the reg together, and found out it was free flowing. I need to tinker and figure out if it's high/runaway IP or just the second stage not sealing. I'm out of town til next week, but hopefully I can tinker with it then.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 20, 2021 17:05:43 GMT -8
Did you get a chance to pool test? I have not yet tried one out, but will before the pools get closed up. I put the reg together, and found out it was free flowing. I need to tinker and figure out if it's high/runaway IP or just the second stage not sealing. I'm out of town til next week, but hopefully I can tinker with it then. A lot of time with the Dacor double hose regulators it is the linkage being too high and impacting the diaphragm, and not a case of a high/runaway IP. The way to check is to take it apart and see if it leaks before the diaphragm/exhaust body is tightened down. If it doesn't, look to the hight of the linkage. My dive with the Dacor R-3 and the new silicone diaphragm went very well. It was in open water too. John
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Post by vance on Aug 20, 2021 19:12:50 GMT -8
The R-3 second stage is a pain to seat. Try stretching the spring.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 26, 2021 21:21:52 GMT -8
The R-3 second stage is a pain to seat. Try stretching the spring. So far, mine is doing fine. It seats well and breathes pretty well too. Dagburnit, today I was set to dive solo at High Rocks, and it was drizzling, and there were no lifeguards. Instead, there was a sign saying “Swim at your own risk, no lifeguards posted.” I think because of the Delta version of the COVID-19 virus, the filling up of hospitals, and our Governor’s orders to mask up, even outdoors, that American Medical Resources River Rescue crews have been pulled early. They usually are there from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but they were not there today when they usually are setting up. This puts crimps in my solo diving, as I have agreed to stay with the lifeguards overhead while solo diving. I had planned to dive with a new buddy today too, but that I put on hold because he’s not yet vaccinated (he will be by October, he says). So my diving is curtailed, for a second summer. I had planned to dive my Dacor Clipper today with the new diaphragm of silicone by James. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Frustrating…! John
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Post by Jim Perdway on Aug 27, 2021 8:55:00 GMT -8
So James is making them for the R-4 and C-3 as well (and do these use same diaphragm?)
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Post by vance on Aug 27, 2021 9:25:02 GMT -8
So James is making them for the R-4 and C-3 as well (and do these use same diaphragm?) There are a couple of styles (perhaps more). They can be interchanged with some small adjustment, but the early ones aren't as flexible as the later version. The early version is domed, without pleats, and came in the early 2500s (R-1,2,3). James' reproductions are domed like these. There's a later version which is pleated. I've seen some that are less accordion pleated than others, but it might be that they are simply more stretched out? A set of intake and exhaust diaphragms should be alike (except for the obvious difference of an exhaust mushroom and standoffs on the exh diaphragm). There are different versions of the 2500 exhaust diaphragm, one being "upside down". The dome goes inward instead of upward. You can see the different types if you study the photos found above on this thread. John's exhaust hole comparison photo shows two different styles of exhaust diaphragm (note the dome vs the pleats). I posted a photo of the "upside-down" domed exhaust diaphragm. In John's Clipper photos, you can see an example of a sorta domed, sorta pleated diaphragm.
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Post by james1979 on Aug 27, 2021 9:26:51 GMT -8
So James is making them for the R-4 and C-3 as well (and do these use same diaphragm?) As I understand, all the Dacor DH regs use the same main diaphragm, and some use a secondary diaphragm with the exhaust valve in it. I have the main diaphragms pretty well sorted (silicone with ABS friction plate) and am still fiddling with the exhaust diaphragms. Respectfully, James
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