Vintage Double Hose

I am faced with a dilemma, I am offered a NIB (meaning with box and NEW) and never used or wetted Conshelf XIV. This is one of my favorite single hose regulators. I am purchasing this regulator, not for resale but for me to use, should I or shouldn't I? What is a fair offer? This is NOT an Ebay, Craigs List or other similar thing. It is acquaintance to acquaintance. Considering a Titan XL goes for 450 or more, I dunno.

If there are other comments, discussion related to Conshelf please feel free to jump in, on topic or not as you wish.

Nem

It is a great reg. $175 would be fair.

Thanks Karl, that was the range I was thinking also. If I were wanting to flip it that would leave no margin but since I simply just want it then that seems fair. I could spend as much on Ebait and get a dog. Every time I try to buy something NIB/NOS etc. it is neither new nor does it show up with the alleged box. Like, "uh, you mean you wanted the box? I threw that away." Yeah, right.

Nem

You should ask your Manatee Spirit guide for advice.....

No Manatee Spirit here, but when I'm faced with that all too familiar dilemma I justify buying what I "need" by digging deep into my closet to find a couple of items to sell that I don't need.....Hold the items until summer when you can get a better price or better yet, you forget you were going to sell them.

Edit: My vote is to buy it.

Nem,

I bought one of the last manufactured Connie XIVs NIB last year. I paid $195 delivered. Karl's number sounds spot on.

Thanks guys, well, I went ahead and got it. It is a Supreme version and it does have the box and papers. Three LP ports and one HP. Oh well, guess I have yet anotehr regulator.

Gotta put it on a tank, fingers crossed.

James

I will have to post a pic of it soon. I am liking this regulator. The hose routing will be a bit funky but, it is a CONSHELF!!!!!!!!!!! So who cares. It is the Supreme model. Not sure this baby is all that old but it does have only the three LP ports. Now using the other Conshelf second I go from Tom (it was on a a Mares first) I have a complete Conshelf rig (two seconds, one first) for the first time in many years.

I actually got another one with it, a first and two more seconds. Guess I will have to do an Ebay sale after Christmas. And a bunch of other stuff too. So, back on topic, I hooked it up to a tank and the IP just kept climbing until it hit about 155 and the regulator started bleeding off. I figured those old black face seats were the problem so much as I hated it I pulled the guts out of it. The seat does not look even used (which it isn't since it is NIB) but it does not seal. I got a blue face seat but have not gotten back to installing it. Guess I will need to visit the vdh store for some silicone grease for the environmental seal. I hate to pull it apart since it is brand new, dang it. But those black face HP seats just never worked for me. Do not hold my mouth right or something, oops, gotta get going. Sunlight is burning.

edit, 12/23, I removed the black HP seat and installed the new HP seat and no joy, IP went right on to 180 and then bled off. Messed with it some more and then decided, to put yet another set of new O ring and back up in the crown, nope, still no good. Frustrated, installed a crown block I had from my spares and now it is rock solid at 135 psi. Since this is a Supreme and I plan to use it perhaps in February for a dive on the Kimberling Bridge, I will set it back to spec for the Supreme at 125 psi. Or maybe not, it breaths better at 135 psi which is spec for the standard (non-Supreme).

Hmm, now I seem to have three sets, a first and two seconds for each plus assorted other stuff. Went from Conshelf poor to Conshelf too many. I think to keep just the one NIB with the Conshelf XIV second I got from Captain at SD IX.

James

I love the conshelf regs man. The only two vintage single hoses that I kept, after rebuilding pretty much all of the USD/Voit ones, was my conshelf and my MR-12. They are, in my opinion, the best two single hose regs ever made. Plus, Bryan sells rebuild parts for them

I finally got it put back together. IP locks up like a steel vault. The silicone fluid from vdh restored the Supreme's environmental capability. I set the IP up higher than the spec for the Supreme to that of the standard Conshelf. I do not ice dive, I am sure it will be fine in the coldest water I dive which is Table Rock (and that can be 48 degrees F).

Both second stages are very smooth but the NIB one is silky smooth, no adjustment required after so many years, it is dang good as it is. I added a 90 degree LP swivel to allow routing the LP hose for my BC inflator and it works perfect. The 90 degree elbow could rub on the NIB, shiny chrome so I got a mylar washer and placed it between the first stage and the rotating body of the 90 degree. Works perfect as a bearing surface. I am a neat freak, sorry.

Nem

I see Amron International still has a few in stock for around $600. Are there anymore being made?