MCinc
New Member
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Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:25 pm
First Name: Matthew
Location: Glastonbury CT

New to Double Hose

Wed Oct 05, 2016 11:51 pm

Hello all!

My name is Matt and I hope to soon be joining the double hose ranks.

I've been diving since 2004 and currently work in my local dive shop. I've become involved in vintage dive equipment almost by accident when last winter I had the opportunity to acquire and service a Conshelf XII originally purchased from our shop in our early years. I've sort of developed a soft spot for the Conshelfs. After doing a good bit of reading and waiting and watching for a reasonable deal I've purchased a circa 1973 Round Label Royal Aquamaster that should be a good candidate for a refurbishment and hope to get a Phoenix installed in the near future.

Anyhow, glad to be aboard.

SeaHuntJerry
Master Diver
Posts: 420
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Minneapolis

Re: New to Double Hose

Thu Oct 06, 2016 12:10 am

Hi Matt,
Welcome aboard,you have a really good Royal Aqua :D master to start with

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Herman
VDH Moderator
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Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:45 pm
Location: Raleigh NC

Re: New to Double Hose

Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:20 am

Welcome aboard.
The RAM will be very familiar to you since the internals are basically the same internal parts/design as the Conshelf, just in a little different looking package. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you need any help, there are a lot of very good DH techs on the board.
Herman

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Bronze06
Master Diver
Posts: 666
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:33 am
First Name: Russell
Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Re: New to Double Hose

Sat Oct 08, 2016 3:42 am

Hey Matt.

Your REG is the last REG to be manufactured by US Divers if in fact it is a 1973 model and is a great one to rebuild. Welcome and have a blast. As I stated to A.Van Wyck who is also new to double hose I quote/paraphrase the following:

You will find that the DH regulator breathes moister and is far less intrusive when photographing subjects close at hand. (Macro). That and it just looks cool. Start shallow at first (10 feet or so in a swimming pool if available ) and get used to the various difference in clearing, underwater donning and doffing, weight use etc. . Take your time and build up your confidence in your regulator and your techniques.

After initial rebuild and IP adjustment, wait about a week or two and re-check IP (should be right at 135 psi) the same applies to the "Phoenix" if you install one. This is for compression of the new 1st stage main diaphragm and "settling in" of the new components. This will make your experience even more enjoyable.
If you haven't already done so and you are thinking of keeping the regulator in its original configuration, I would think about a "Hookah Port" adapter for a safe second (Octopus) as a fall back for peace of mind until you are ready to go full tilt "Vintage" if you so desire. Also, investing in a "Banjo" fitting for a submersible pressure gauge is a plus if you do not have a functional "J" type tank valve. All this applies only if you keep the regulator in its original configuration as the addition on a "Phoenix" first stage preferably with a new "HPR" second stage would cancel the need for a "Banjo" and "Hookah" adapter. You are lucky in that you already have a model that contains the "Long Yoke" designed for a SPG/Banjo fitting and it is rated at 3000 psi only made in 1973!

Don't be shy about asking questions about rebuild peculiarities and other such stuff. I have found that just going through the back posts on this Forum a great help as well. The folks on this website are EXTREMELY knowledgeable and will go out of their way to help you. Also, see Alec Pierce's videos on Youtube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq0aHH3fpOg

Alec has been diving for 58+ years and in his series of Vintage Diving equipment he answers a lot of questions that new vintage divers wonder about.

Have fun and again , Welcome to the World of Real Fun Diving! :D

Russ
"Where'd ya get that ol' thang, don't cha' know them thare things ill kill ya!"

Live From the Red Sea,

Russ

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8dust
Master Diver
Posts: 551
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:39 am
Location: Nashville's North Shore

Re: New to Double Hose

Sat Oct 08, 2016 1:28 pm

Welcome, Matt :)
Freddo
NAVED member #201

MCinc
New Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:25 pm
First Name: Matthew
Location: Glastonbury CT

Re: New to Double Hose

Sun Oct 09, 2016 5:53 pm

Thanks for all the encouragement!

I will be going with the Phoenix upgrade when it's available; I'll be pairing it with a contemporaneous Conshelf XII. I don't have the gumption to go 100% vintage just yet, but I should have plenty of access to the pool over the winter to work on the skills.

I should probably have put these up in the first post, but here are some pictures...

Image

Image

Image

Image

Any points of interest that anybody notices, I'd love hear any insight the community might be willing to offer.

I think it cleaned up nicely and appears to have been well taken care of despite seeming to have been in storage for a fairly long period. The duckbill is toast, the main diaphragm looks to be OK, and the hoses and mouthpiece are probably diveable.

That being said, I'll go the full 9 yards and update it with all the bells and whistles, new hoses, etc.

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Bronze06
Master Diver
Posts: 666
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:33 am
First Name: Russell
Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Re: New to Double Hose

Mon Oct 17, 2016 1:09 pm

Hey Matt,

Looks like you have an early 1970 model first year of the "Round Label"from what I can tell. Also you have the "new" US Divers logo on your tire tank yoke screw. An anomaly due to your serial number of 154028. Cool! Check out this link if you haven't already done so. http://vintagedoublehose.com/wp-content ... 07/ram.pdf

Your serial number is from the 1968-69 year but is definitely stamped onto the back as in all round label regulator cans.. That is why I am saying very early 1970. Did yours come with a band clamp or can clips?
"Where'd ya get that ol' thang, don't cha' know them thare things ill kill ya!"

Live From the Red Sea,

Russ

MCinc
New Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:25 pm
First Name: Matthew
Location: Glastonbury CT

Re: New to Double Hose

Thu Oct 20, 2016 7:40 am

Thanks again for the insights!

Based on everything you've said, I guess it's no surprise that it came with the can clips...

They will probably never make it back on that regulator though, too much anxiety that I would destroy that chrome when taking them off!

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Bryan
Plank Owner
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Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: New to Double Hose

Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:49 pm

Chrome on sticker label cans is no where near the quality of the pre 69 stuff. Wise idea to handle it carefully.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

ovalis
Master Diver
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 2:48 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: New to Double Hose

Thu Oct 20, 2016 5:30 pm

Nothing unique about the "new" logo yoke screw sticker and the serial # of this regulator. The regulator is from the 1970-1971 time period, but most likely 1970. The "new" logo yoke screw sticker was introduced in 1969 and used through the end of the Royal Aquamaster run.

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Bronze06
Master Diver
Posts: 666
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:33 am
First Name: Russell
Location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Re: New to Double Hose

Sat Oct 22, 2016 8:51 am

ovalis wrote:Nothing unique about the "new" logo yoke screw sticker and the serial # of this regulator. The regulator is from the 1970-1971 time period, but most likely 1970. The "new" logo yoke screw sticker was introduced in 1969 and used through the end of the Royal Aquamaster run.
Amen Ovalis, US Divers never threw anything away and would utilize remaining part stocks into the following year models all the time if they could.
"Where'd ya get that ol' thang, don't cha' know them thare things ill kill ya!"

Live From the Red Sea,

Russ

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