Help to identify and advise on an older Poseidon regulator

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Fitzgig

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I have scanned the board but have not found the definitive answer. I am a noob- so it could be inexperience. Apologies in advance.

My sister gifted me her old Poseidon regulator and the only thing I know is that they are nearly impossible to get serviced in the US - but that they are well manufactured. Can someone help me identify and advise me on whether it is worth the difficulty /expense to have it repaired? @rsingler seems to be THE guy to ask, but any advice is valued. Sounds stupid, but I would like to use them in the future in my sister’s memory. I think the manufacture date is 1996, back when she was a healthy vibrant dive master……
 

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The Jetstream 3960 is a fine, bulletproof regulator -- I have a few myself -- and can be readily serviced, at @rsingler and elsewhere; that supposed "impossibility" of getting service, being a bit of a popular myth -- and was the first model with a built-in over-pressure valve (that "port" on the bottom) which finally allowed for common LP hoses to be used, rather than earlier proprietary, more expensive versions with an integral OPV.

Get it serviced and get wet . . .
 
I have scanned the board but have not found the definitive answer. I am a noob- so it could be inexperience. Apologies in advance.

My sister gifted me her old Poseidon regulator and the only thing I know is that they are nearly impossible to get serviced in the US - but that they are well manufactured. Can someone help me identify and advise me on whether it is worth the difficulty /expense to have it repaired? @rsingler seems to be THE guy to ask, but any advice is valued. Sounds stupid, but I would like to use them in the future in my sister’s memory. I think the manufacture date is 1996, back when she was a healthy vibrant dive master……

3960 as said above. The issues with service have been over for about a decade with the new distributor but you can also take the service class as an end-user.

Send the reg to @rsingler for service and you'll be good to go for a long time
 
Thanks for the mention!
To reprise much of what's been said above,
you indeed have a solid set there - a 3960, which continues to be sold today.
Whether or not it is worth the expense of servicing is up to you, but there is a solid set of divers that love the Jetstream/3960.
I would be happy to service it for you, to get it up to speed! No one will take more care of your regs than I (and I am an authorized West Coast Service Center for Poseidon).

Now the caveats...
You have a bit of a Frankenset there. I don't know your diving experience, so I apologize if my comments are obvious.
First, there is only one second stage. Today, we dive with an auxiliary second, mostly to be able to hand off a breathing source to a buddy in distress. While you could add virtually any brand second to the set, it MUST be tuned to the supply pressure (IP) from the first stage, which is slightly lower than most brands. A second Jetstream would be more typical (and I'd be happy to sell you a good used Jetstream). Interestingly, the attached Jetstream is yellow, which suggests that originally, there WAS a second reg attached.
While there are special hoses that used to be required for the Jetstream, due to its valve, your 3960 has a pop-off, or OPV, there on the bottom, so you can use any hose with a Jetstream adapter.
If your yellow Jetstream was stored with the Dive/Predive switch in the "-" position, you may be looking at a new diaphragm, and a new servo valve is not uncommon if reg maintenance hasn't been perfect. That's another $100 in parts.
The 3960 has one weakness if stored wet. The carrier for the diaphragm can corrode and prevent sealing. The valve piston commonly needs polishing or replacement due to pitting.
And finally, the first stage is a DIN type, with a yoke adapter on it. The very first thing I'd do after you read this, is see if you can disconnect the adapter from the DIN fitting by grasping the wheel while you try to unscrew the adapter.
If you can't, and the two are really corroded together, it may be a challenge to disassemble the reg without permanently damaging the DIN bolt. More parts $$.

I also note that it is a console set. Most divers today are carrying computers, which may render one or two of the gauges redundant.

In short, servicing the set as it currently stands, is nominally ~$140, with (somewhat costly Poseidon first stage kits) and labor including spool service of your console SPG.

If you add the price of another used, but serviced Jetstream, and every single one of the misfortunes mentioned above affects you, it may max out at as much as $430 plus postage. DM me if you want to discuss further...
 
Thanks for the mention!
To reprise much of what's been said above,
you indeed have a solid set there - a 3960, which continues to be sold today.
Whether or not it is worth the expense of servicing is up to you, but there is a solid set of divers that love the Jetstream/3960.
I would be happy to service it for you, to get it up to speed! No one will take more care of your regs than I (and I am an authorized West Coast Service Center for Poseidon).

Now the caveats...
You have a bit of a Frankenset there. I don't know your diving experience, so I apologize if my comments are obvious.
First, there is only one second stage. Today, we dive with an auxiliary second, mostly to be able to hand off a breathing source to a buddy in distress. While you could add virtually any brand second to the set, it MUST be tuned to the supply pressure (IP) from the first stage, which is slightly lower than most brands. A second Jetstream would be more typical (and I'd be happy to sell you a good used Jetstream). Interestingly, the attached Jetstream is yellow, which suggests that originally, there WAS a second reg attached.
While there are special hoses that used to be required for the Jetstream, due to its valve, your 3960 has a pop-off, or OPV, there on the bottom, so you can use any hose with a Jetstream adapter.
If your yellow Jetstream was stored with the Dive/Predive switch in the "-" position, you may be looking at a new diaphragm, and a new servo valve is not uncommon if reg maintenance hasn't been perfect. That's another $100 in parts.
The 3960 has one weakness if stored wet. The carrier for the diaphragm can corrode and prevent sealing. The valve piston commonly needs polishing or replacement due to pitting.
And finally, the first stage is a DIN type, with a yoke adapter on it. The very first thing I'd do after you read this, is see if you can disconnect the adapter from the DIN fitting by grasping the wheel while you try to unscrew the adapter.
If you can't, and the two are really corroded together, it may be a challenge to disassemble the reg without permanently damaging the DIN bolt. More parts $$.

I also note that it is a console set. Most divers today are carrying computers, which may render one or two of the gauges redundant.

In short, servicing the set as it currently stands, is nominally ~$140, with (somewhat costly Poseidon first stage kits) and labor including spool service of your console SPG.

If you add the price of another used, but serviced Jetstream, and every single one of the misfortunes mentioned above affects you, it may max out at as much as $430 plus postage. DM me if you want to discuss further...
Thanks so much for this great post. I am flying from Seattle to Michigan today, so when I get home I will try to unscrew the adapter from the DIN.

There is a second stage auxiliary regulator (black, not yellow). It is hooked on the BC, will take another picture when I get home. Duh. I will also check the dive/pre-dive switch (if I can find it).

When I get home I will DM you. Thanks “teach”!
 
The 3960 has one weakness if stored wet. The carrier for the diaphragm can corrode and prevent sealing. The valve piston commonly needs polishing or replacement due to pitting.

I hadn't been aware of that issue with the diaphragm carrier; thankfully, I hadn't run into that with ours.

Another odd thing that comes to mind with the 3950 and 3960s, was an inability to fully environmentally seal or "winterize" them, as we had done with previous models, due to the (then) "newer" diaphragm design, which apparently would not allow for the use of either vodka or alcohol / glycerin combinations with either the old aluminum or rubber caps, since those looser diaphragms didn't quite seal in that same "tight-as-a-drum" manner.

While they did still function well under near-freezing conditions, I did handle them with kid gloves more than that of the others and used the rubber environmental caps in shallower waters (below 40 meters) without any "antifreeze" . . .
 

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I hadn't been aware of that issue with the diaphragm carrier; thankfully, I hadn't run into that with ours.

Another odd thing that comes to mind with the 3950 and 3960s, was the inability to fully environmentally seal or "winterize" them, as done with previous models, due to the (then) "newer" diaphragm design, which would not allow for the use of either vodka or alcohol / glycerin combinations with either the old aluminum or rubber caps, since those looser diaphragms didn't quite seal in that same "tight-as-a-drum" manner.

While they did still function well under near-freezing conditions, I did handle them with kid gloves more than that of the others and used the rubber environmental caps in shallower waters (below 40 meters) without any "antifreeze" . . .
So water under pressure would not penetrate the diaphragm seal but vodka or glycerin would? Was there a bulletin from Poseidon about this?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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