Hello,
What are the best used regulators? I did a thorough search of scuba board but didn't come across this exact post. I am looking to buy used gear and have some general questions after having done some research here on Scubaboard:
- What is exactly is a Conshelf? From my reading, it appears to be the first stage manufactured by US Divers later bought out by Aqualung (1960's) which also bought out Apeks? If Conshelf refers to just the first stage then why are not discussions based on just talking about first stages. Are the discussions using a short hand whereas it is understood that conshelf regulators mean only the first stage. If so, this is confusing for a newbie as we generally think of a set(1st stage, 2nd stage and even perhaps console). The conversations seem to be conflating first stage and 2nd stage. Is this done because the 2nd stage of the US Divers/Aqualung basically has not changed much over the years(see first thread below on Why is the Conshelf so reliable). Besides the difference between plastic and chromed brass(which provides a somewhat wet feel that some prefer as there is no dry mouth) the 2nd stage has not really changed. Is this correct? Would the same be the case for the first stage?
- Are there versions on the conshelf first or 2nd stage that one should avoid?
- Is the conshelf environmentally sealed for colder diving? At what temperature would one need an environmentally sealed first stage? Are 2nd stages ever environmentally sealed? I read in the forums that one person had his first stage seize up/stop working at 50 degrees.
- Is the MK5 environmentally sealed?
- Is there a website that lists all the pics of the different regulators and details of when they hit the market and the features/characteristics of them. This would help a newbie trying to figure exactly what he was buying used, how to tell who the manufacturer is and exactly which model it is.
- What would be your ideal 1st stage/2nd Stage set up to dive warm waters and cold waters of NJ/NY/Monterey/Coast of Sweden.
- What is consider a great price for buying used a 1st and 2nd stage? Great price for buying a 1st/2nd/Console set?
- Besides Ebay/Craigslist/Garage sales/Local dive shop are there any places you recommend for buying used gear?
Below is a great thread on the Conshelf.
Why is a Conshelf so reliable long term?
Here is a good thread that has very useful information.
? re buying/selling used regulators.
Please recommend other threads.
thanks in advance
Malcolm
You don't ask for much, do you?
I am not going to even try to provide a comprehensive answer to this post, but here is some info that will help at least a little. Many scuba manufacturers, Aqualung included, keep using the same name for multiple generations and variations of an item. Think about how the auto industry uses brand names - the Nissan Pathfinder is on it's 4th generation of completely new design, but each model year is still slightly different from the others. Still, they are all Pathfinders.
Also with Aqualung, sometimes two items with different names actually share the same 1st stage or the same 2nd stage. And sometimes it is a negligible difference between the 2nd stages that determines the model name. (For instance, currently the Titan and the Calypso are identical 2nd stages.)
A quick but still not comprehensive list of various Conshelfs: VI, XI, XII, XII Arctic, XIV, SE, 20, 21, 22, 30, SE2, SEA, SE3. Some of those many Conshelf items are no longer supported by Aqualung with OEM service kits, but there is no comprehensive list. If something comes in and I can't find documentation, I check with Aqualung to find out. (most recently determined that the Arctic 2nd stage is no longer supported.) And even if kits are still available, it is almost guaranteed that any other part that cracks, breaks, or corrodes and needs replacement is unavailable.
The Conshelf XIV remains a current item, sold in the US only to Navy and Public Safety. This is probably the most commonly found as used, since it is still being produced. An environmental dry chamber can be added to improve freeze resistance, and there are also two versions of an oil filled sealed chamber, but one is military only. As an Aqualung dealer, I can service these Conshelf XIV items, and I can add those options/upgrades, but I cannot buy new sets to sell to the general public. The continued production is something of an anomaly, driven by the way the US Navy tests and approved equipment, and how slow they are to change. This was evaluated and approved ages ago, not recently. If they ever decide to update their minimum requirements and test another round of various brands and models, you may see this disappear. The Mares Navy II is another item whose reason for existence is the US Navy, but that one CAN be purchased by the public.... for a very pretty penny...
So the Conshelf was a real workhorse of very simple design and performed very well in its time, but it has never been formally evaluated against modern cold water performance standards, even with the environmental seal added.
I know there are a lot of SB members that seem to preach "the older the better," but I am not one of them. I would much prefer to be diving a more modern regulator, that has been evaluated against the current EU standards for cold water performance. (current standards were introduced in 2014) The demarcation between warm only and cold by that testing is 50°F, or 10°C. I also strongly suggest that if you dive in temps below 40°F to research a bit further and get something that is known to handle extremes. There is no magic line at which a regulator will or won't freeze, it is also very dependent on multiple other use and configuration variables - so when some says "I have been diving my regulator XYZ for 20 years without an environmental seal in 40° water and it has never frozen once" remember that is NOT a guarantee that it can't still happen under the right circumstances.
My cold water regulator is an Aqualung Legend LX Supreme. For a second choice, almost all Apeks regulators are well known for their cold water performance. There are also many, many, other modern regs that will do well in challenging conditions, but if it is a brand that is not sold in the EU then it has not undergone that particular independent verification, and you can only go by what the manufacturer and their marketing folks communicate.
