Healthways double hose

[nikeajax]

Phil, BTW, I am aware that that USD part doesn't fit into the valve body of a C-model, so it will have to be machined, or made smaller... that fact just makes the process that much more fun and challenging

JB

[vance]

Both the USD orifice and the seat will need machining to fit in the HW valve body. If the SW orifice is the same diameter, it might be easier to use one than machine the USD orifice. Even so, turning the orifice and seat won't be too much of a problem!

[cnotthoff]

I may have lost my way in this thread. Are you looking for the metal crown for the first stage? Part number 3 in this diagram.

SWHydro by Charlie will, on Flickr

Charlie

[vance]

Hey Charlie,

Yes, that is one of the parts we're talking about. We're calling it an orifice, since there is some confusion possible as the plungers are sometimes also called seats (or HP valves in the above diagram!). The correct term for the metal disk #3 is "seat", but to avoid confusion, I'm calling these things orifices and plungers.

I was thinking I'd use the SW orifice (if it's close to the Titan orifice Mike used) because it might be the same diameter as the HW orifice. I don't have one in hand, but I did see one a couple of days ago and it looked possible. On the other hand, I was thinking it might be best just to go with all USD valve innards since they are designed to work together?

I have to obtain all the parts, but that shouldn't be a problem....

Here's Mike's pic of his setup:

[waldenwalrus]

I have a cabinet of old DH Parts I got from my LDS not sure if there is any healthways parts, there are some common DH Aquamaster parts and some mistral levers.  many of the numbers have fallen off but I photoed what was in the drawers.  Give a shout if you see anything you need. 

www.flickr.com/photos/40156377@N07/albums

[cnotthoff]

This is what I have in HP seats. I'm sure about the Aqualung Titan seat since it came from my new stock. I'm not positive about the Healthways and Sportsways. There from drawers that have been shuffled and spilled over the years.

IMG_1353 by Charlie will, on Flickr

Good Dives,
Charlie

[nikeajax]

Charlie, to the very best of my knowledge, Healthways never used that type of seat: I may be wrong but I seriously doubt it I think they might both be SW?!?!?!?

[vance]

Thanks for the info Charlie. Will you bring your box of miracles and wonders down to Monterey this Fall?

I agree with JB, I don't think HW ever used an orifice like those. The larger SW seat and the Titan seat look identical, at least on the side shown. I just got a couple Conshelf regs and will pull the parts out of them to experiment with. Eventually, I'll want to put the donor back together, so will want to source parts for it.

[cnotthoff]

I'm sure you guys are right. No one has organized that "box of miracles" since Jerry Brown was Governor.

Charlie

[vance]

I was fooling around with the balanced Scuba valve idea this morning. I was correct: the parts will fit in the long valve body. As we knew, the HP seat/plunger has to be turned down to fit the HW body. I had a metal seat/orifice that fit fine, which MIGHT be a Sportsways seat, but I'm not positive what brand it is. 

The problem here is an HP pin. The HW pin does not reach through the new seat with its volcano orifice. The HW does not have the volcano, only a dish. The farthest I got was to mount the valve on a tank and actuate it through the valve hole. It hisses! Whether the cracking effort is good or astronomical, I don't have a clue!

Here's the comparison photo again:



I'll have to fabricate a pin for this thing to work. I'm not sure it's worth it. IF the balanced parts could fit into the GL valve, I'd do it! But, I'm not sure a balanced valve w/o a venturi would be anything to strive for. I know it would make the breathing effort easier at high tank pressure, but still.

[vance]

I made a quick and dirty pin out of a stainless screw and a couple of stainless nuts:



It works! I might make a better one, but it's good for now.

[nikeajax]

MUUUU-hoooo-HAHAHAHA!

JB

[herman]

There is more to this, you can't use the USD parts in the HW. If you look closely at the USD nozzle, you will see it has 2 internal dimensions, a .500 and a slightly smaller one (don't recall off hand the size)deeper in the nozzle. This ledge along with the upper spring holds the balance chamber at a specific height. Without this step, the balance chamber will float and not act as a balance chamber. With the correct spacers you might get DAAM parts to work. Otherwise you have to make a sleeve to fit into the HW nozzle to get the RAM parts to work correctly.

[vance]

Hmmmm. Thanks for pointing out potential problems with this! 

When I started to look at this, I had no idea if this would actually work as a balanced valve. All I claim to have done is be right about the fact that you can only cram all the stuff into the LONG valve. Whether or not it actually works as a balanced valve, and/or has acceptable performance, is yet to be determined.

However, there ARE two internal dimensions on the HW valve, as well. The USD crown block fits into the larger, upper section without modification. That bore is .500 inches. It might not "float", as suggested, but maybe it does. I will have to measure the depth of the transition and compare it to a Conshelf.

While the crown block fits into the upper section of the valve, the narrower, deeper section is too small for the USD HP seat to fit w/o reducing the seat's diameter. I think the seat needed to be cut about .050 (don't remember, exactly...).

I have a feeling that the balanced HW valve might be workable. But is it worth it? As I said, if this could be done to the shorter GL valve, it might be. In any case, it obviously needs some more measuring and research. Again, I make no claims but the one, and don't know if I'm interested enough to follow through.

[nikeajax]

Phil, have you also done a measurement and comparison with you Hydrdotwin-II?

JB