Scubapro Balanced Adjustable - have you seen this version?
- Thread starter Kupu
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
axxel57
Contributor
AFAIK the first109 models used roll pins to secure the adjustment knob.
In 1974 the 109er got a slot and a thin clip because there had been too many complains about the roll pin, which got easy bent when installed or lost ( actually there were announced two slots and a clip, but I only have the design with one slot).
Cutting the slot(s) and the clip increased the costs, so after very short time they started to use the D-Clip.
I think that of this type of 109s all should start with a 4 S/N (1974), maybe somebody can confirm.
OP
Looking at a 109 with thin recessed style retaining clip, the S/N on this one starts with 5.
Part number for the early thin style retaining clip is 109-71, as show in attached diagram.
Once the "Standard" style retaining clip appears the part number is 11-109-121, all available diagrams show this P/N used on 109s and Balanced Adjustables (including the true 156 versions) until production ended.
Part number for the early thin style retaining clip is 109-71, as show in attached diagram.
Once the "Standard" style retaining clip appears the part number is 11-109-121, all available diagrams show this P/N used on 109s and Balanced Adjustables (including the true 156 versions) until production ended.
OP
I've been collecting photo samples of uncommon 156 Balanced Adjustables with P/N 11-250-103 exhaust valve (as opposed to the common 150 Balanced Adjustables with smaller 11-109-128 exhaust valve). So far I've found nine examples of the true 156, and out of the nine there are six variations.
Photos below showing a recent ebay listing of 156 without the CE stamp, so a correction to my earlier comment in this thread when I had assumed all 156 will have the CE stamp.
The 156 variations include style of adjustment knob, diaphragm, finish, and body. The only common denominator is a matte/satin finish body (cover can be satin or polished chrome) with 250-103 size exhaust valve, and so most likely the new style 01-043-211 exhaust tee is also used on all.
As a side note, it is interesting to see the 1995 CE 156 diagram with original version single o-ring s-wing balanced poppet. This is the earliest example of the s-wing poppet I can find, diagrams of G250 show the non replaceable seat poppet until 1997 and only switch to the s-wing poppet in 1998.
Photos below showing a recent ebay listing of 156 without the CE stamp, so a correction to my earlier comment in this thread when I had assumed all 156 will have the CE stamp.
The 156 variations include style of adjustment knob, diaphragm, finish, and body. The only common denominator is a matte/satin finish body (cover can be satin or polished chrome) with 250-103 size exhaust valve, and so most likely the new style 01-043-211 exhaust tee is also used on all.
As a side note, it is interesting to see the 1995 CE 156 diagram with original version single o-ring s-wing balanced poppet. This is the earliest example of the s-wing poppet I can find, diagrams of G250 show the non replaceable seat poppet until 1997 and only switch to the s-wing poppet in 1998.
Attachments
axxel57
Contributor
You are right, just found one of these 109er with a 5 in the beginning.
My 109 from yesterday had a 4 in the beginning (1974) and another with already the D-Clip started with 45, so also 1974 I guess, so I thought it might have been produced only in 1974, but seems that is not true.
My 1st generation 109 from 1969 has the roll pin.
If I understand it right in the beginning of 1974 SP changed their numeration for the 109 from six digits to seven digits.
The first 500000 numbers were reserved for the 1974 109ties.
Don't know why the numbers above half a million became either again roll pin models or already the ones with D-Clip, but from 1975 again the ones with the thin clip and slot.
Maybe another SP specialist can chime in......
Attachments
axxel57
Contributor
OP
I have two 109s with six digit S/N, both with modern 11-109-121 retaining clip.
The S/N on these are 912952 & 260949.
Interesting to note that #260949 has a unique adjustment knob that I don't recall seeing before. At first glance it appears to be the common textured version in well worn condition, but closer inspection revels it to be an actual variation.
Attachments
axxel57
Contributor
Not all 156 have a CE stamp but all large exhaust valve 156 that I have seen have the CE stamp. The only NIB 156 regulators with CE stamp that I saw in the day were all matte finish chrome. I think the ones with a matte box and polished diaphragm cover are field replacements as is the case with mine. These regulators were not cherished antiques back then, they got used and abused and then repaired. What is seen on eBay may not be indicative of how Scubapro marketed the regulators.
OP
True that changes were often made at service etc and we can not count on seeing Balanced Adjustables in factory original condition.
My comment on six variations of the 156 (and I do mean the real 156) was made based on fairly certain data such as Scubapro catalogs and diagrams, plus looking at the body only which cannot be modified. Possible variations that could have been made at service etc were eliminated from the tally.
I would love to get a look at more Scubapro catalog pages from different regions showing the 156 during the few years it was available, about 1995 to 1998 I think. There is a CE 156 diagram dated Oct 1995, but it does not show up in US catalog until 1996. It is nowhere to be seen in the 1999 catalog.
The body variation examples I see are 2 distinctly different air barrel shapes plus both CE stamped and non CE stamped bodies. Some air barrels had plastic sleeve were lever feet enter, some did not.
There were a minimum of 3 different adjustment knobs on the 156, all shown below. Metal with blue insert, metal with black inset, and solid black plastic. I think it was also sold with late version metal knob without any insert.
For the diaphragm variations we have two at minimum, solid black with bumps and smokey clear.
There are three diaphragm cover variations. 156 with polished cover as seen from 1996 catalog seen below, the matte cover, and Couv shared an example of CE 156 with perforated cover in a different thread.
My comment on six variations of the 156 (and I do mean the real 156) was made based on fairly certain data such as Scubapro catalogs and diagrams, plus looking at the body only which cannot be modified. Possible variations that could have been made at service etc were eliminated from the tally.
I would love to get a look at more Scubapro catalog pages from different regions showing the 156 during the few years it was available, about 1995 to 1998 I think. There is a CE 156 diagram dated Oct 1995, but it does not show up in US catalog until 1996. It is nowhere to be seen in the 1999 catalog.
The body variation examples I see are 2 distinctly different air barrel shapes plus both CE stamped and non CE stamped bodies. Some air barrels had plastic sleeve were lever feet enter, some did not.
There were a minimum of 3 different adjustment knobs on the 156, all shown below. Metal with blue insert, metal with black inset, and solid black plastic. I think it was also sold with late version metal knob without any insert.
For the diaphragm variations we have two at minimum, solid black with bumps and smokey clear.
There are three diaphragm cover variations. 156 with polished cover as seen from 1996 catalog seen below, the matte cover, and Couv shared an example of CE 156 with perforated cover in a different thread.
Attachments
Similar threads
