What is this port plug for?

[ew1usnr]

I think that this is an old Dacor second stage. It doesn't have a label. What is the port plug for that is on the left side of the regulator? Is it for tuning the regulator without having to take off the front cover? Could I hook an inflator hose to it and use it as an inflator integrated octopus?

 

[Scubaroo]

If anyone has a copy of Vance's book handy, could you look this up for ew1usnr please?

Regarding the "inflator integrated octopus" question, why the heck would you want to do that? That regs looks OLD.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I breifly owned a Dacor 900 several years ago and I think the accompanying second stage was a Pacer XL (if I remember correctly).

If you remove the plug you should see a small screw inside that can be used to adjust the reg. A port plug was used only because it was convenient for the job and available off the shelf, not because anything else was ever meant to go there.

 

[ew1usnr]

DA Aquamaster once bubbled...
If you remove the plug you should see a small screw inside that can be used to adjust the reg. A port plug was used only because it was convenient for the job and available off the shelf, not because anything else was ever meant to go there.

You are correct. I took off the plug and blew air into the mouthpiece, it came out the open port. The port is just a hole into the second stage case. Peering into the hole, I see the adjustment point. It doesn't do me any good though because the head has a square cross section that would require a special tool. It's not a hexagonal head for a socket driver or a slot head for a screw driver. To adjust it without the special tool I will have to take the cover off and grab that square from the side with an adjustable open end wrench.

The port is interesting because I have an older Olympic and a newer model Pacer that do not have this port plug. It must have only been used for for a short while.

 

[Diver0001]

ew1usnr once bubbled...
I think that this is an old Dacor second stage. It doesn't have a label. What is the port plug for that is on the left side of the regulator? Is it for tuning the regulator without having to take off the front cover? Could I hook an inflator hose to it and use it as an inflator integrated octopus?

I think it's for adjusting it. Some regs (I'm guessing like this one) have a single adjustment on the actuating lever that can only be adjusted with a screwdriver. However you can't get a screwdriver into the right position unless you drill a hole in the side of the regulator body. Obviously the hole needs to be plugged up again and one thing leads to another and you end up with this kind of solution.

R..

 

[DA Aquamaster]

ew1usnr once bubbled...
the head has a square cross section that would require a special tool. It's not a hexagonal head for a socket driver or a slot head for a screw driver. To adjust it without the special tool I will have to take the cover off and grab that square from the side with an adjustable open end wrench.

Hmmm... I had forgotten about that. I ended up cutting a slot in the end of the screw in mine with a cutting wheel chucked in my dremel tool. This allowed adjustment with a normal flat screwdriver. However due to the small size of the screw one had to be very careful with it to prevent bending the sides of the screw around the slot. Consequently it was still a pain to adjust and one of the reasons I let my ex-wife have the reg when we divorced. :mean:

Still, I remember it as being a reliable and easy breathing second stage. It had very smooth air delivery and was not as "ragged" as the newer Pacers or the phenolic resin cased Pacer Aero.

 

[JohnStrr]

You can see the tool used in the hole on these sites:

http://www.northeastscubasupply.com/tools/reg_tools.html

http://www.diverssupplies.com.au/oza.shr/wsproduct/2/244

(the slotted screwdriver is peeking out the right hand side in this pic)

 

[ew1usnr]

DA Aquamaster once bubbled...
I ended up cutting a slot in the end of the screw in mine with a cutting wheel chucked in my dremel tool.

That's a good idea.

[/i] Still, I remember it as being a reliable and easy breathing second stage. It had very smooth air delivery and was not as "ragged" as the newer Pacers or the phenolic resin cased Pacer Aero. [/QUOTE]

It might be that the bigger size and volume of the older second stages served a purpose in smoothing out the jets of incoming air. This Dacor also has a couple of directional vanes in the mouthpiece which I would guess produce a venturi effect while inhaling.

JohnStrr once bubbled...
You can see the tool used in the hole on these sites:

Cool! This is where I can do my Christmas shopping for myself. Thanks for the web sites. I will book marked 'em.

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As an aside to DA AquaMaster: I completely diassembled the Voit 50-Fathom, soaked and scrubbed the parts in vinegar, and lubricated the seat guide, spring, and adjusting nut. I adjusted it to within an whisper of leaking with the tank set at 2200 psi. The demand lever is adjusted right up against the diaphragm. Everything is balanced on a razor's edge and is as sensitive as it can be made. I'll go diving with it and see how it compares to the Mistral now.