There's hundreds posts about balanced and unbalanced regulators online with detailed explanations of the differences except a clear physics explanation of why having the HP inlet and the LP exit on two opposite chambers instead of being in the same chamber makes that big of a difference.
I see hundreds of vague explanations online when it comes to the core differences such as:
I see hundreds of vague explanations online when it comes to the core differences such as:
- "A balanced first stage routes medium pressure air to both sides of the valve-spring assembly, so that the effort to move the spring is consistent and unaffected by variations in external conditions"
- "A balanced first stage regulator offers consistent air flow regardless of depth and tank pressure."
- "the spring and high pressure seat system in the first stage of an unbalanced regulator responds (opens and closes to allow air through the first stage into the second stage) to tank pressure/ambient pressure instead of the controlled intermediate pressure flow of a balanced first stage."
- "With unbalanced piston first stages, the air from the tank pushes on the valve, adding to the amount of force required to close the valve. As the tank empties, there is less force pushing on the valve, and less force is needed to close the valve."