My first DA Aqua-Master!

[DaleC]

Congratulations and welcome to the DH world.

My first DH was a DAAM from VDH. With a three way adapter I could run my BC and DS whips and even an octo off the hookah port. A long yoke allowed a banjo adapter for an SPG off the valve/reg interface.
Next I bought a USD Mistral and that has become my favorite. Something about the simplicity (and the yellow hoses) speaks to me. No LP access but I manually inflate a horsecollar if I need it or I run a whip off of a small pony.
Then I bought a RAM but haven't started rebuilding it yet.

I see you have a HP ports on your manifold. You could run a SPG off one of those if you wanted. I usually don't worry about SPG's when using my single 72 but with doubles you could get into a bit of trouble if not attentive. Even though I dive a J valve I never completely trust it and a CESA is a viable solution (because of the constraints of a single tank). With doubles you could get into a gray area where a direct ascent is not the best alternative. Here's one of my single tanks with an SPG off the manifold:

 

[KD8NPB]

Congratulations and welcome to the DH world.

My first DH was a DAAM from VDH. With a three way adapter I could run my BC and DS whips and even an octo off the hookah port. A long yoke allowed a banjo adapter for an SPG off the valve/reg interface.
Next I bought a USD Mistral and that has become my favorite. Something about the simplicity (and the yellow hoses) speaks to me. No LP access but I manually inflate a horsecollar if I need it or I run a whip off of a small pony.
Then I bought a RAM but haven't started rebuilding it yet.

I see you have a HP ports on your manifold. You could run a SPG off one of those if you wanted. I usually don't worry about SPG's when using my single 72 but with doubles you could get into a bit of trouble if not attentive. Even though I dive a J valve I never completely trust it and a CESA is a viable solution (because of the constraints of a single tank). With doubles you could get into a gray area where a direct ascent is not the best alternative. Here's one of my single tanks with an SPG off the manifold:

I wouldn't mind adding an old US Divers depth/pressure gauge, they're kinda neat. What is the threading, 3/8?

I typically get bored after an hour...unfortunately, there isn't much to see in the inland lakes around here. The main reason I switched to doubles is for superior trim characteristics and air redundancy...however, I lack the redundancy, as I have not yet switched to a newer isolating manifold design. It is kinda nice to have about 2 hours of bottom time at my fingertips though. I have yet to drain them below 700 psi in dive. I'm only OW certed, and I usually only do one dive in a day, so I'm nowhere close to deco obligations. Once I convert the 72s to my "tech training" rig, I'll probably pick up a single LP72 to run with my DA Aquamaster... there's always at least one for sale on craigslist around here.

Pictures:

And the damn body / high pressure nozzle wallowing in its own P-oil:

As you can see, corrosion and wear aren't too terrible...There was no buildup to speakup on the body or in the cans, and that which is on parts is minimal. Whoever owned it definitely kept up with service, probably until the late 70s/80s when it was withdrawn from commission.

I made sure not to adjust the allen-head, as I understand it's used to adjust IP.

 

[herman]

Don't worry about damaging the LP seat. The service manuals called for you to stake the nut to the stem, most were, esp if they are factory original. Breaking them is fairly common and since VDH has replacements, many times its best to replace it anyway due to the staking damage. If you get an original length LP seat and brass nut, when you finish adjusting them, put a drop of fingernail polish on the nut/threads to lock it in place. That will hold it but when you go to remove it, it is brittle enough to easily remove. If you get the newer model designed for the HPR then you can use the nylon lock nut that comes with it...not sure which Bryan is shipping now, either is fine.

Go ahead and separate the spring retainer and adjusting screw, once you removed any of the IP chain parts from the body you have changed the geometry of the parts and it will require resetting the IP anyway.. You may find these difficult to get apart because they were also staked together.
Forgive me if I am reading between the lines incorrectly but is it your intent to just replace the parts without checking the IP? If so, you are setting yourself up for some big problems. First off, anytime you move or change any of the part in the IP chain, basically any part between the spring adjuster to the filter, it will effect IP, there is no way around it. In your service kit you have a new filter, spring, diaphragm and HP seat. Every single one of those will have an impact on the IP and changing any one of them, much less all of them will change your IP, maybe considerably. You must check the IP and readjust accordingly. Plus any time you service a reg.....really any time you touch one... the first thing you check is IP and the last thing you check before you finish is the IP. IP is the single most important vital sign of a reg...of any reg double or single hose except single stages like the Mistral. How do you know the IP is not creeping or is not stable? If it's not correct, you will have other problems you will not be able to solve. Sorry for the rant but I hate to see you set yourself up for failure, service work without an IP gauge is not possible, it's the one special tool you can not service regs without.
They are not expensive and you can make one yourself. Bryan sells an IP gauge for the DA or you can buy his hookah port adapter, install a BC inflator hose on it and use one of the inexpensive (<$20) gauges to test the IP. They are not ideal but certainly better than nothing. Or you can use an old LP hose, a air compressor gauge (170 PSI or so is about right) and a 1/4 barb fitting to make your own.
Again, if I misunderstood your intent I apologize but if you intend to service any reg, DH or single hose without an IP gauge, you are setting yourself up for loads of problems.

 

[KD8NPB]

Don't worry about damaging the LP seat. The service manuals called for you to stake the nut to the stem, most were, esp if they are factory original. Breaking them is fairly common and since VDH has replacements, many times its best to replace it anyway due to the staking damage. If you get an original length LP seat and brass nut, when you finish adjusting them, put a drop of fingernail polish on the nut/threads to lock it in place. That will hold it but when you go to remove it, it is brittle enough to easily remove. If you get the newer model designed for the HPR then you can use the nylon lock nut that comes with it...not sure which Bryan is shipping now, either is fine.

Go ahead and separate the spring retainer and adjusting screw, once you removed any of the IP chain parts from the body you have changed the geometry of the parts and it will require resetting the IP anyway.. You may find these difficult to get apart because they were also staked together.
Forgive me if I am reading between the lines incorrectly but is it your intent to just replace the parts without checking the IP? If so, you are setting yourself up for some big problems. First off, anytime you move or change any of the part in the IP chain, basically any part between the spring adjuster to the filter, it will effect IP, there is no way around it. In your service kit you have a new filter, spring, diaphragm and HP seat. Every single one of those will have an impact on the IP and changing any one of them, much less all of them will change your IP, maybe considerably. You must check the IP and readjust accordingly. Plus any time you service a reg.....really any time you touch one... the first thing you check is IP and the last thing you check before you finish is the IP. IP is the single most important vital sign of a reg...of any reg double or single hose except single stages like the Mistral. How do you know the IP is not creeping or is not stable? If it's not correct, you will have other problems you will not be able to solve. Sorry for the rant but I hate to see you set yourself up for failure, service work without an IP gauge is not possible, it's the one special tool you can not service regs without.
They are not expensive and you can make one yourself. Bryan sells an IP gauge for the DA or you can buy his hookah port adapter, install a BC inflator hose on it and use one of the inexpensive (<$20) gauges to test the IP. They are not ideal but certainly better than nothing. Or you can use an old LP hose, a air compressor gauge (170 PSI or so is about right) and a 1/4 barb fitting to make your own.
Again, if I misunderstood your intent I apologize but if you intend to service any reg, DH or single hose without an IP gauge, you are setting yourself up for loads of problems.

I took your advice and was able to fashion a pressure gauge out of an old engine compression tester. I tested it off my air compressor, it's accurate. Is the factory specified 110 psi ideal?

I got antsy...the LP seat hasn't arrived yet, but, I decided to try to get the high-pressure nozzle out of the body. Even with some heating & freeze spray, it still wouldn't budge. My biggest problem was leverage. However, I was able to clamp it in place lightly in a hydraulic press and finally got the HPN to break free! After which, everything got soaked in Simple Green / Dawn for a few hours. I went and scrubbed it all with a brass brush and toothbrush, then rinsed and dried.

I went ahead and assembled the 1st stage too. It was a lot easier than I anticipated. I made sure to apply a very light coating of silicone grease to installed seals.

Hopefully my parts will arrive tomorrow. If they do, I'll go charge up the LP72s, dial in the IP, and take her for a spin!

 

[captain]

Set the IP at 135 psi with it on a tank with 300 psi, this is not a typo, 300 PSI.

 

[KD8NPB]

Set the IP at 135 psi with it on a tank with 300 psi, this is not a typo, 300 PSI.

Got it. It was set for about 120 psi. No creep or slow pressure increase noted on the gauge.

One problem though:
It's leaking around the threads to the high pressure nozzle.

How much torque needs to be applied to get the gasket to seat properly?

 

[herman]

It sometimes takes a good bit of torque. Which gasket did you use? Looking at the photos I don't see the gaskets but if I remember correctly Bryan includes both a brown phenolic one (like the original) and a white nylon one. I really don't like the brown ones, they are prone to cracking and overall a PITA. You also need to make sure the mating surfaces are clean, a tiny speck of the old (and very flakey) gasket will cause big problems. If there is a small amount of residule trash, that is enough to ruin the brown gasket....they are fairly easy to damage unlike the white one. I have seen the brown gaskets be cracked in 2 but still it would almost seal up and it is hard to see unless you are really looking for it. By the way, the leak you descirbe can mask a creeping first stage so don't assume it's good until you get the leak fixed.

 

[KD8NPB]

It sometimes takes a good bit of torque. Which gasket did you use? Looking at the photos I don't see the gaskets but if I remember correctly Bryan includes both a brown phenolic one (like the original) and a white nylon one. I really don't like the brown ones, they are prone to cracking and overall a PITA. You also need to make sure the mating surfaces are clean, a tiny speck of the old (and very flakey) gasket will cause big problems. If there is a small amount of residule trash, that is enough to ruin the brown gasket....they are fairly easy to damage unlike the white one. I have seen the brown gaskets be cracked in 2 but still it would almost seal up and it is hard to see unless you are really looking for it. By the way, the leak you descirbe can mask a creeping first stage so don't assume it's good until you get the leak fixed.

Brown phenolic material is included with the service kit...in the future, I'll probably use the nylon one instead, this one does not want to seat.

I'm going to go shopping for a better wrench choice tomorrow to see if I can apply a bit more torque on it.

 

[herman]

One of the biggest issues you will have is holding the body to tighten it....DO NOT use the can or the can horns, they will bend. To really tighten the nozzle...or remove it for that matter, you need to hold the body in a special jig. There are some parts that if you continue to dive or work on DH regs you will want to keep on hand, the nozzle gaskets are one of them.

 

[captain]

Some times the gasket can get out of place during assembly and get cut when tightening the nozzle. I place the gasket on the nozzle and hold the body upside down and screw in the nozzle up into the body. this helpes to keep the gasket centrally located on the nozzle. If you put the gasket in the body first it can get off center and get cut when you screw the nozzle in.