Westcrest Regulator

[John C. Ratliff]

I am pretty sure this is a variant of a White Stag regulator, almost positively a tilt valve. It looks like early White Stag regulators. I think they may actually have been manufactured by Sportsways (for White Stage, and perhaps for this Westcrest Watersports).

SeaRat

 

[simonbeans]

A picture is worth a thousand words:

 

[Rich Keller]

3 things. The age based on the overall design. The angle the hose enters the second stage and most important, look closely at the last photo. Just where the hose enters the first stage there is an over pressure valve. Those are mandatory when you have a tilt valve second stage and it's rare for a first stage to include one unless the second stage is a tilt valve design. It is possible I am wrong but odds are well in my favor. And for what it's worth, the tilt valves are a real pain to restore and breath poorly if you manage to get it to stop leaking......I have spent a lot of hours trying.

What was the point to the over pressure valve on the first stage as it relates to the tilt valve on the second stage? The only tilt valve I have ever seen used was in a Miller 400 series helmet and there was never a problem with it leaking. The helmet itself had no over pressure valve nor did the volume tank the hose was attached to.

 

[Rich Keller]

A picture is worth a thousand words:

The T on the exhaust port is a match, so is the fitting on the second stage end of the hose, as well as the ring holding the cover on and the purge button in the cover is also the same. Did tilt valve regs usually use smaller purge buttons?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

What was the point to the over pressure valve on the first stage as it relates to the tilt valve on the second stage? The only tilt valve I have ever seen used was in a Miller 400 series helmet and there was never a problem with it leaking. The helmet itself had no over pressure valve nor did the volume tank the hose was attached to.

The overpressure relief valve is necessary as the tilt valve, by its design is an upstream valve. Therefore, if the first stage malfunctions and allows high pressure into the hose, there is on place for it to go. It will rupture the hose. The tilt valve cannot dissipate the pressure.

Concerning the Miller helmet, I have never seen one. But the same principal would apply if it were supplied by a high pressure source such as an air cylinder and first stage regulator. The overpressure relief valve would need to be on the first stage. But if the source was a low pressure (air compressor), the relief valve would have probably been on the compressor.

SeaRat

 

[simonbeans]

Oh come on John, let the guy answer some of the easy questions himself. Basic Scuba 101, upstream vs downstream.
Ok, now that you gave away the homework question, ask him why Nemrod called the double hose Snark III a three (3) stage regulator. [Fits this thread, huh?]

 

[herman]

What John said.

SB do I get to answer your question since John took mine?

The OP valve had nothing to do with the second stages leaking. They (tilt valves) are just a pain in the rear to get to seal if the seat is worn or brittle.....in other words darn near all of them. I assume they sealed OK back in the day. One of these days I am going to get back to fabricating replacements for them......why exactly I don't know.

&^%&#$%#!!!! blast it, I think I may have just figured out a way.....just what I need another project.

 

[simonbeans]

Yes, WAY BACK THEN when us gerontologic flaculations were newbies with SCUBA, the tilt valve was dominent. Sportsways, Healthways, Dacor, USD, Rose, etc used them. And they worked as designed. Too bad the design wasn't so good but then . . . diving was diving. And no, you can't answer the easy ones. Let he who asked the initial question figure it out. Tis better to teach a man to fish, etc., you know the rest.

 

[herman]

Personally, I prefer to teach them to fry them....then eat the lesson.

2 UDT suits on the way.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Herman,

I have two tilt valve regulators, a Healthways Scuba Star and a Sportsways Sport Diver. The Sportsways is exhibiting all the characteristics you described, except it is with the overpressure relief valve. The regulator does not leak, but breaths awfully hard. The Healthways Scuba Star, by contrast, is actually a fairly nice breathing regulator (for the times). It never did leak, and is a simple, dependable regulator (5 moving parts). I got the Scuba Star because that was my second regulator as a kid. I progressed from the Healthways SCUBA to the Scuba Star (double hose to single hose). It breathed better than the Healthways SCUBA, but some of that was simply demand valve positioning. So I haven't had that much problem with tilt valves, even today.

I have had problems with some downstream valves--the Dacor Dart. I finally, in frustration, cut the hose (it takes some doing) about 15 years ago so I would not use it or work on it. It had a really funny action with the demand levers in the second stage, and gave air is two phases (initial and then more air).

SB, I didn't realize that there was a contest going on here. Some of this info we think is self-evident I don't think is being taught or written about anymore. So unless someone has picked up Fred Roberts's Basic Scuba, they may be SOL (an older term, but to some still has some meaning).

SeaRat