Calypso Depth Gauges

[duckbill]

Somewhere I read about the difference between the red-faced and black-faced Calypso depth gauges made by U.S. Divers.
Both units read to 200 ft, so I think the difference was in the internal pressure sensing mechanism.
Any information?

Also, I have a red-faced Calypso with the no-decompression-limit marked bezel. My bezel rotates. Is it supposed to? I can't figure out what purpose changing the settings would make. I tried to see if it could be set to compensate for residual nitrogen on repetitive dives, but that didn't work for all depths. And altitude diving has far too many variables to allow a simple re-indexing of the markings. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[nemrod]

I think there is a difference. I have a black dial USD guage I bought in the late 60s and I think it had sat in the store for quite a few years because it only went to 100 feet and I think therefore nobody wanted the little thing. I thnk it cost about 15 dollars. There was another black model that read to 200 feet I think. I also aquired from ebay an orage dial USD 200 foot guage. The black guage is very similar to the orange one but if you look on the side of the black one you should see a small hole for water to enter the bourdon tube. The orange model should not have such an opening if I am right. Take the orange one, assuming you see no such hole and forcefully squeeze it between your fingers, one finger on the lens and the other behind the case and just when your eyes start to bulge out you should see the guage move. The orange ones are also seem to be oil filled and the black one is not--best I can tell. Neither are especially accurate. The orange one sometimes sticks until over 20 feet. The black one works fine but I would not use it for serious diving--then or now--though I did!
Store all bordon tube types in a jar of distilled water or at least rinse them very well.
During that time I aquired a green cased Taylor unit with a compass, it is a bourdon tube type and the opening is under thr strap on the back. Taylor also made these for Voit in black with and without the built in compass. These are my favorite vintage guage because it actually works--0-140 feet and is reasonably accurate and the little compass sorta works to for general direction.
Of course, the helium 0-500 ScubaPro is my best vintage guage and it is very accurate. My most accurate is a Tekna 0-230 but it is not vintage. I also have a large 0-200 Voit with a metal case, diaphram type, and it too is decently accurate and it comes from around 1970.
For decompression purposes I prefer the Tekna, it has a large, bright expanded scale with a following needle, the ScubaPro which is nearly as accurate and also has an expanded shallow scale, does not have the following needle so you must call your max depth at some point in the dive. I got the ScubaPro off of ebay for I think 12 dollars, realy cheap anyways and it is NEW. Old guages are hit or miss, just never know what your getting.
James

[duckbill]

Mine is the orange-faced (I called it red) and it DOES have the bourdon tube hole.
Thanks for reminding me of the water storage tip.
I have recently seen a black-face to 200 feet, so I guess they made both types.
Mine doesn't appear to be oil filled. So now I wonder just how many variations there were:
black/orange
oil/air
open bourdon/sealed bourdon
100 ft./200 ft.
bezel/no bezel
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm still wondering if the no-decompression bezel is supposed to rotate, and if so, why?

Thanks for all the information you stated, James.

[nemrod]

Hmmm, there must have been numerous variations. I wonder who actually made these. neither of mine have any indication as to actual origin. Does yours function?
James

[duckbill]

Hi James,
Mine functions, but I have not really tested it for accuracy yet.
It also says, "Aqua-Lung" and "U.S.Divers", but other than that, no country of origin.

[mossback]

I've two orange ones that have leaked the majority of their oil...........can that be fixed or should they be put for for show and tell........I-AM-SPAM//