Sportsways Waterlung First Stage--No LP

[Luis H]

A needle valve normally refers to an upstream second stage demand valve, Nothing that you will find in the first stage.


The push pin that I am referring to normally links the high pressure diaphragm to the first stage valve seat. If you can look inside the LP ports, you may be able to see the pin I am referring to. In most regulator of that era it is about 0.06 inches in diameter.

As I mentioned, I am not particularly familiar with Sportways single hose regulators, but I serviced most of the other brands that were available in the 70’s (including many earlier models) and all the diaphragm first stages were very similar. From the outside that one looks like some of the others.

The Sportways double hose regulator used a cone shaped valve seat very similar to the Heathway’s DH, and I suspect that first stage probably uses the same components as their DH first stage.

Note: the early diaphragm regulator first stages in the 60's were not balanced, the IP goes up as the tank pressure goes down. That one looks like it is probably a non-balanced first stage.

 

[JamesBon92007]

A needle valve normally refers to an upstream second stage demand valve, Nothing that you will find in the first stage.


The push pin that I am referring to normally links the high pressure diaphragm to the first stage valve seat. If you can look inside the LP ports, you may be able to see the pin I am referring to. In most regulator of that era it is about 0.06 inches in diameter.

As I mentioned, I am not particularly familiar with Sportways single hose regulators, but I serviced most of the other brands that were available in the 70’s (including many earlier models) and all the diaphragm first stages were very similar. From the outside that one looks like some of the others.

The Sportways double hose regulator used a cone shaped valve seat very similar to the Heathway’s DH, and I suspect that first stage probably uses the same components as their DH first stage.

Note: the early diaphragm regulator first stages in the 60's were not balanced, the IP goes up as the tank pressure goes down. That one looks like it is probably a non-balanced first stage.

Excellent! I looked inside the LP ports and didn't see a pin. I made a make-shift pin to try it out and it works! Now to find the correct pin...

I must have gotten "needle valve" from one of the many diagrams that I was looking at. I think it's probably called a "poppet."

So, 0.06 diameter, probably brass?

 

[herman]

Brass is too soft, you need to use Stainless steel. You can get them from McMaster Carr (in packs of 50-100 I forget which)

 

[simonbeans]

 

[Sam Miller III]

[QUOTE="JamesBon92007, post: 7809069, member: 150774"
I took my scuba course in a rebel county--Los Angeles (Belmont Shores, Long Beach) and they sold lots of Sportsways stuff. Matter-of-fact my instructor became a Sportsways model
.[/QUOTE]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do some research --- learn just a little history of SoCal diving..

The shop was located at 11 39th place, Belmont Shore LB Cal--correct?
There is a very intriguing history to that shop beginning in 1957

The owner when you were certified was the 3d owner...who had been associated with SW
It was one of the very very few who sold SWs

The instructor was NAUI -- Jim ??? with his WW11 2Lt USAF moustache ?
He disappeared into the wood work after the catalog was published

Start researching ..'

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

I have several of the diaphragm assembly. 21,22,23,24 but do not have the specific pin for this regulator but I'll bet you could order a pin used in the Phoenix first stage and trim it to the correct length. Unless the original pin had a hammer shape on one end then you would need to order a pin from a Conshelf first stage and trim to length. Unfortunately I dont know the exact lenght of the original pin in your regulator.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Since your name is James Bon, James Bon,
and you are from OC --where it all began

I have a huge jar of US Diver conshelf pins from when I was consulting and teaching the company SCUBA course for U S Divers.

PM your snail mail address and I will stuff them in a US PO envelope and shoot them off to you--No charge to you and a lot of pins to play with --cut, grind & pound until it works.

By the way my cousin married a gentleman in Montclair --name ? Mike Nelson !

SDM

 

[JamesBon92007]

There's the little culprit, part #20!

Thanks!

This looks exactly like my first stage.
Isn't Scubaboard a wonderful place?

 

[JamesBon92007]

I have several of the diaphragm assembly. 21,22,23,24 but do not have the specific pin for this regulator but I'll bet you could order a pin used in the Phoenix first stage and trim it to the correct length. Unless the original pin had a hammer shape on one end then you would need to order a pin from a Conshelf first stage and trim to length. Unfortunately I dont know the exact lenght of the original pin in your regulator.

OK, thanks! Conshelf, eh?

 

[JamesBon92007]

[QUOTE="JamesBon92007, post: 7809069, member: 150774"
I took my scuba course in a rebel county--Los Angeles (Belmont Shores, Long Beach) and they sold lots of Sportsways stuff. Matter-of-fact my instructor became a Sportsways model
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do some research --- learn just a little history of SoCal diving..

The shop was located at 11 39th place, Belmont Shore LB Cal--correct?
There is a very intriguing history to that shop beginning in 1957

The owner when you were certified was the 3d owner...who had been associated with SW
It was one of the very very few who sold SWs

The instructor was NAUI -- Jim ??? with his WW11 2Lt USAF moustache ?
He disappeared into the wood work after the catalog was published

Start researching ..'[/QUOTE]

Yes, that's the correct address When I was certified in '69 the name of the shop was Pacific Diver's Supply. My instructor was Charles Haupert (Chuck) and it was NAUI. I don't recall any Jim with a USAF moustache. The last I saw of 'ol Chucky was on the back of Skin Diver Magazine where he was in a Sportsways ad along with a very pretty lady diver. Funny thing is he didn't even like pretty ladies