Sun Nov 13, 2016 5:50 pm
Earlier this summer I acquired a Voit Sportsman VR-1 (green label) and after I got it completely restored I found out that I had a similar problem. During the restoration I also installed a pair of new green hoses and mouthpiece that I got from Rob so I was certain that the problem was not in that area. I had a reg that was breathing wet and after checking everything over several times I finally discovered the problem. I tried Greg's method by sealing off the air inlet and then submerging the reg with the hoses off in a bowl of water. While the reg was submerged with the inhalation horn out of the water I was able to blow into the outlet creating air pressure inside the dry chamber and sure enough I soon saw some bubbles emerge from an area where the cans and LP diaphragm are held together with a band clamp. As it turned out the problem was the diaphragm. It was a single stage diaphragm and looked just fine with plenty of flexibility, and I believe that it might have been the original one for this reg. Upon very close examination it was soon discovered that there was a very slightly damaged area on the lip area of the diaphragm that is sandwiched in between the top and bottom cans. The reg at some point years ago may have been opened up and when put back together it appears that the diaphragm may not have been properly installed. The lip had an area where it had a very slight flat spot on it as if it had been slightly crushed between the 2 cans when it was reassembled. I put in another diaphragm and tested it by holding it together while inhaling and exhaling from the horn. When inhaling she locked right up as it should and when blowing into it no sound of air leaks or bubbles. Hope this info helps any of you having a similar problem. Terry
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