Snark II side exhaust

[Tommymac]

I have a couple Snark II's side exhaust regulators. One has a black rubber mouthpiece and uses standard hoses. Best way to explain how it breathes would be to breath through a regulator that is not hooked up to a tank with the dust cap off. I put the second stage on a different first stage and there was no change or improvement.

I would like to get the regulator up and running again, though it would most likely be a pool regulator. The rubber may be good enough to take it apart without breaking, but wondering if anyone out there has experience working on them. This Snark II is on page 144 of Fred Roberts Basic Scuba 2nd addition.

 

[axxel57]

I have quite some Nemrod regs, including Snark II regs, but unfortunately not the oldest model from 59' with the side exhaust valve.
The first stage was a membrane 1st, the 2nd is an upstream valve 2nd which increases the the cracking effort when the IP is higher than specs.
To get an idea, check here:
Lola.cz - Potápěčské vybavení
Good luck!

 

[Tommymac]

Thank you for responding. Those are the best diagrams
I have seen. I have 3 of these, 2 with with blue rubber and one all black rubber with chrome fittings. The black could probably survive taking a part. The blue rubber is in bad shape. they probably breathed pretty hard as the mouthpiece is pretty restrictive. I would still like to find a source for parts if that exists.

Thanks again

 

[Kupu]

Being curious after seeing this thread, I found nice photos and diagrams also here vsc-ds.cz/. The site shows LP (IP?) of .6 - .9 MPa (87-130 PSI). That seems like a rather wide pressure range for possible second stage IP setting.

Looking a pictures is seems most snark II have old style hose connections with hoses held on by metal or black plastic looking bands rather than crimped connection.

But it appears at least some were made to receive modern hoses, as seen at the bottom of this page. On the same site, a few pages of information on the Snark II that might be interesting. Here is a reference to 8 Kgs/cm2 (114 PSI) at the second stage valve. A nice collection of Nemrod info, there is a regulator that looks like the Snark II about halfway down the patents page.

The side exhaust Snark II looks like a fun project, I hope @Tommymac has luck finding parts to get it going and ready for the pool test.

 

[Kupu]

Looking at the diagrams, I get the impression that the regulator could function with the old cracked blue rubber removed, its purpose is to secure the mouthpiece in place and is cosmetic otherwise.

As shown on blutimescubahistory.

 

[axxel57]

Kupu, thanks for the links!

 

[Tommymac]

Great responses. I was surprised to read that they were made up until 1974. From 1959 to 1974 that is quite a run. I don't recall seeing anything about them in the 1970's so possibly they were not sold in the USA that late; although I was in the Navy until late 1970.

I used Google translation to translate the links sent, so I appreciate your effort.

The mouthpiece is also holding the diaphragm cover in place too. It looks like it would take a fair amount of stretching the rubber to get at the diaphragm, and I'm pretty sure my blue ones would not survive that amount of stretching.

Deciding I don't need 3 of these, I put one of the blue ones on ebay. I specified US sales only but if your interested I would take it to the post office here and see what shipping costs would be to you Kupu.

The black one I have has shiny chrome plated parts where the standard hose attaches. At the first stage its the standard threaded fitting. That one does not leak and the purge is responsive, I suspect the diaphragm is shot.

 

[Kupu]

I am located in North Carolina, not sure if you meant to direct the offer of checking shipping cost to axxel57 as he is located outside US. Certainly axxel57 is well ahead of me in experience and skill regarding regulator repair, and could do more with the Snark II than myself.

If by chance you don't get it sold on Ebay or sent off to axxel57, then I could have interest in the Snark II. I am already awash in project regulators with little free time to play with them, but find it hard to resist second stages of unusual design.

Interesting that the rubber mouthpiece assembly also secures the diaphragm cover, perhaps the one shown on blutimescuba history is a variation in design. Not that I know, but if the Snark II was produced for 15 years it would not a surprise to find out that there would have been a few design changes made.

I'm curious if the hose connection you describe on your black Snark II appears to be same as shown on the Nemrod77 site, I was thinking it shows an example of Snark II that would be compatible with currently made standard second stage hose.

 

[Tommymac]

I will try and attach a photo here. Have not done that in a long time so it might be tommorrow before I get that figured out.

All the Snark II photo's I have seen, attache the diaphgrahm cover with what looks like straps holding the mouthpiece on. I put a hose on mine that came off a Scubapro regulator so the hose is a standard hose fitting.

 

[axxel57]

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