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Post by scubalawyer on Mar 6, 2023 20:55:43 GMT -8
In this "trick shot":  Vintage SPG's by Gray Pine, on Flickr it's the same two gauges, you can see that the bezel comes off, you need to replace the o-ring, and make sure you grease it up! If it's frozen, you can use penetrating oil, but use something like a syringe, small nail, to apply it only to the threads, try to keep it away from plastic as it is readily absorbed by non-metals-- STINK!   JB Thanks JB, that must've been in it! In all honesty it never occurred to me that there would be an O-ring underneath the glass — I figured the air coming through would handle any potential intrusion! Out of curiosity, do you know what size that O-ring is? I've got something like three or four of these that I'd sorely like to not wreck. Now if I could just get that one unstuck . . . Jacob I have a few extra 030 orings if you need one. M |
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 7, 2023 9:53:37 GMT -8
Just keep putting a little bit of something like Liquid Wrench on it, again, very precisely: do this for about a week, but you can try to unscrew it everyday. Wrap the outer bezel in masking tape, as well as the jaws of a channellocks, be generous with it too. If you look at my image, you can see where you can put a wrench on the back of the gauge, you can also put it in a vice to hold it steady, but anyway, lock it down and see if yo can get the torque to remove the bezel  JB |
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Post by Tusker on Mar 7, 2023 15:32:59 GMT -8
Thanks all, I ordered some early today that should be here tomorrow. I'd like to test this regulator in the water over the weekend.
I got my tanks filled earlier and it makes a sound on inhalation which sounds like a chamber filling with air. Is this normal for the Aquarius? I can understand why it does this based on the schematics, but I haven't experienced it with my other piston first stages.
Jacob
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Post by Tusker on Mar 9, 2023 7:18:35 GMT -8
The O-ring I pulled out looked to be in good shape but I went ahead and swapped in a new one and greased the spool while I was at it. I’m thinking I’m going to stop by my LDS to see if I can’t just replace it though. Trying to not flood this one.
The regulator breathes well through the 1085 seconds I got for free from another dive shop (I think they had even seen a fresh service, they had newer silicon diaphragms, and the seats were in good condition). I’m chalking the sound of what seems to be a chamber filling with air to be that of the regulator functioning as normal.
Jacob
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Post by starkfish on Mar 11, 2023 8:48:29 GMT -8
Also, re: the gauge — I had another early Sea-Vue (the kind that doesn't use a spindle) condensate that I've not been able to remove from the hose. Any recommendations on repairing that and avoiding it going forward? Jacob In this "trick shot": Vintage SPG's by Gray Pine, on Flickr it's the same two gauges, you can see that the bezel comes off, you need to replace the o-ring, and make sure you grease it up! If it's frozen, you can use penetrating oil, but use something like a syringe, small nail, to apply it only to the threads, try to keep it away from plastic as it is readily absorbed by non-metals-- STINK! JB |
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Post by starkfish on Mar 11, 2023 9:02:48 GMT -8
I was going to write that I found that same Healthways gauge in my box of old regulator parts. Haven't used it in a while so I paired it up with my Aquarius first stage and 1085 second and plan to test it for leaks in a bucket of fresh water before taking it on a dive in the Spring. Salt water is brutal on the gear but these old timers seem to really hold up to the abuse
N
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 11, 2023 9:48:52 GMT -8
Oh, just in case you somehow didn't know, you can polish out the lenses with toothpaste; if they're really bad, use a scrubbing powder like Ajax, then the toothpaste. To really get them to gleam, do a last polishing with a piece of suede/leather.
JB
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Post by starkfish on Mar 11, 2023 10:01:06 GMT -8
That's a great tip, might try it on the handsets of my Meg RB. They're a little tough to read on the surface but underwater the scratches don't show
N
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Post by vance on Mar 11, 2023 12:57:13 GMT -8
Toothpaste will take the scratches and haze out of your head lights, too. I've used it to lap metal parts as well. It is very fine, but it works where you don't want to use something too harsh. It also leaves parts minty fresh!
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 11, 2023 14:17:08 GMT -8
Oh, make sure it's a cheaper toothpaste like Crest, they're more abrasive because they use silica: the foo-foo TP's are way less gritty JB |
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 11, 2023 14:36:10 GMT -8
Oh, make sure it's a cheaper toothpaste like Crest, they're more abrasive because they use silica: the foo-foo TP's are way less gritty JB JB, I just want to clarify with everyone that this is “hydrated silica,” and not crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is really bad on the lungs, whereas hydrated silica is not, and its use is in a form cannot be breathed. Here’s an explanation: www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/natural-products/hydrated-silica-toothpaste-whats-its-functionJohn |
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 11, 2023 14:54:39 GMT -8
Oh, make sure it's a cheaper toothpaste like Crest, they're more abrasive because they use silica: the foo-foo TP's are way less gritty JB JB, I just want to clarify with everyone that this is “hydrated silica,” and not crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is really bad on the lungs, whereas hydrated silica is not, and its use is in a form cannot be breathed. Here’s an explanation: www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/natural-products/hydrated-silica-toothpaste-whats-its-functionJohn My point was don't use baking-soda-tooth-paste, as it's not nearly as abrasive, well, it might be pretty good for the final polishing  JB |
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Post by vance on Mar 11, 2023 17:57:20 GMT -8
Baking soda is a good polish! Cheap too. And it's great for an after vinegar soak to neutralize the acid.
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Post by Tusker on Mar 12, 2023 17:04:10 GMT -8
Finally dove with the Aquarius and Sea-Vue yesterday. It breathes well!
When testing it out in the morning I heard a leak from the first stage, so I found a screw driver and broke it down at the kitchen table. The seat looked a little more damaged than I remembered so we got out a sharpening stone, made a few passes, and tried to smooth it out. Between that and regressing all of the O-rings the issue went away. The edges of the piston almost looked like someone had tried to crimp them over the seat, is that normal for these regs?
The Sea-Vue didn't let any water in, but it did leak air from the swivel point. Over twenty-ish minutes it dropped about 200 psi or so at 25-30 ft. Just my luck for not ending up with the time to go by the dive shop. New O-rings or a new spool must be required.
Jacob
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Post by scubalawyer on Mar 13, 2023 5:20:02 GMT -8
The Sea-Vue didn't let any water in, but it did leak air from the swivel point. Over twenty-ish minutes it dropped about 200 psi or so at 25-30 ft. Just my luck for not ending up with the time to go by the dive shop. New O-rings or a new spool must be required. Pretty sure that's a brass on brass compression fitting. Probably just needs cleanup and polishing. My 2psi. |
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