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joeym35a2
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need help with a tekna

Thu Apr 11, 2013 6:55 pm

ive been diving for awhile now with a tekna reg but recently it has developed a very slight flow mabey 1 small bubble every second or so it also doesnt seem to i guess "shutter" on inhalation like it used to or mabey isnt as jumpy like usuall would be a better description. i have tried various first stages a mk5 clone set around 10 psi lower then it should be if i remmber right and a few other newer ones was wondering if somone had any advice or at least can tell me wich one i got from a pic if i can figure out how to post it. all the diagrams in the pdf available from this sight all look the same to me.
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Herman
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Re: need help with a tekna

Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:31 pm

Welcome to the board. I don't have a clue on Teknas but seems like Nemrod has a good bit of experience with them. Good luck.
Herman

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:56 am

thanks Herman

on the weekend when i have more time and dont have a little girl running around helping me lose parts i will mess with it and look at pdf a bit more

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:20 pm

Well I think I figured out what was wrong and I only broke 2 things in the process hahaha but now I'm sure I know what I need!

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Nemrod
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Re: need help with a tekna

Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:43 pm

I have had a long love affair with this miscreant of a regulator.

Usually a tendency to free flow is the result of the pilot valve (tilt valve) seat turning to goo/deteriorating. There really is no cure since the material seems to degrade in direct relationship with time, not use. Every single NOS tilt valve I have has turned to goo.

Another possibility is the main flow diaphragm. If it has been repositioned when you took it apart, put it back, if possible, like it was. They seem to take a set and do not like being messed around with or flipped or reoriented.

I used to have a bunch of parts but I have slowly sold and gave away nearly everything over the last twenty years. Tuning these things is a black art.

Image

What you have is an original brass case T2100 like mine here, circa about 1978. Later Tekna switched to a composite case with the brass innards, the T2100B and then finally the POS all composite T2100BX. The T2100 is the keeper, the T2100B is similar in performance, if not the same, just a plastic case that often split where the ambient diaphragm screws into the case. Later reinforcement was added, they still split. Finger tight was the word.

Make sure the tilt lever goes through the hole in the ambient diaphram when assembled. Assuming it is still functional, do not use a small or even normal opening mouthpiece. You need the ones with the largest opening possible. If not it will flutter and have feedback to the servo and the result is not fun. Usually the crazy thing will start to smooth out around 30 feet and come into it's own below 60 feet. I took mine to 2XX feet. (I am not telling because I do not want a depth race with a bunch of old guys, I was twenty four, not sixty four). Well, I am not even sixty yet, :wink: but working on it.

Note: Any T2100BX found skylarking on your property or environ should be smashed flat with a big hammer.

Hey, I got a brilliant idea, let's build and market a consumer regulator that does not begin to perform until 150 feet. Bragging about the Argonaut at 150 feet, humbug, the Tekna T2100 is still barely a crack out of idle :P .

Nem

swimjim
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Re: need help with a tekna

Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:57 pm

Appropriate Tekna music.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsXjCp_f1h4[/video]

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:30 pm

Thanks. There was a small tear in the seal ring hopefully I can get another also the spring retainer was not very tight I don't have a wrench to tighten it back up just yet to see if that fixes it other then those things I coukdnt find anything else that looked out of place

It was a pretty good reg though I hated it at first and could never figure out why my dad liked the thing so much it wasn't untill I went a bit deeper thst I figured it out. I need it working tomorro for a dive and knew that wasn't gonns happen so I searched second hand stores for a cheap replacement I found a box with another mk5 and a 105 or Mabey 109 as of yet I'm unsure but anyhow I hooked it up and it all worked paid 40 bucks came with pressure guage too So now I can make my dive and not have to spend a lot to get a reg from the lds

My last stupid question though is what the heck is the aligator clamp on the black string for with the blue plastic thing that says to insert near hose for long term storage to protect fine factory tuneing ? I assume it just clips on to a harness or something to keep reg handy but that stupid blue peice doesn't seem to have a function or fit anywhere.

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Nemrod
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sat Apr 20, 2013 3:04 am

joeym35a2 wrote:Thanks. There was a small tear in the seal ring hopefully I can get another also the spring retainer was not very tight I don't have a wrench to tighten it back up just yet to see if that fixes it other then those things I coukdnt find anything else that looked out of place

It was a pretty good reg though I hated it at first and could never figure out why my dad liked the thing so much it wasn't untill I went a bit deeper thst I figured it out. I need it working tomorro for a dive and knew that wasn't gonns happen so I searched second hand stores for a cheap replacement I found a box with another mk5 and a 105 or Mabey 109 as of yet I'm unsure but anyhow I hooked it up and it all worked paid 40 bucks came with pressure guage too So now I can make my dive and not have to spend a lot to get a reg from the lds

My last stupid question though is what the heck is the aligator clamp on the black string for with the blue plastic thing that says to insert near hose for long term storage to protect fine factory tuneing ? I assume it just clips on to a harness or something to keep reg handy but that stupid blue peice doesn't seem to have a function or fit anywhere.
I think you have switched topics to the ScubaPro 109? That is a big topic jump from a Tekna T2100. If so the blue thing is used to insert into the diaphragm cover opening to keep the diaphragm depressed when the regulator is stored. This keeps the second stage LP seat from taking a set.

Nem

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:02 pm

it was a momentary switch i figured out what i bought but the stupid blue thing just drove me crazy and i just had to know what the heck it was for it was quite the conversation peice standing around non vintage friendly dive store with shop owner confused too as where to stick the blue piece he did have a few suggestions but im not sure its appropriate to list them.

i only bought it as i needed it for a few dives and it looked old and shiney enuff to replace tekna to get away from the "you cant dive shop dives becuse you are dangerous with old equipment that cant be passed to a buddy " and no i didnt get it from the dive shop!


now that i am on a computer i can see your photo here is one of mine after just getting back into diving after a 20 year break using gear i scrounged up and some i bought. it was quite the shock going from dive tables to computers.
and Bc is only to be used on surface in an emergancy to just hit the elevator button to go up or down and "who cares about how much weight you got on if you sink add some more."

i just want my tekna to work damnit !

what is the bx conversion???

if i found the plastic model would it be possible just to switch housings if the performance is similar? then i could still keep the metal instead of plastic housing and at least have something im somewhat used to using.
ill have to add photo later i just tried 6 times and it wont let me

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Bryan
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:30 pm

You can post photos two ways directly from the forum.

Add image to post or Upload attachment

Or off site by Photobucket which we did for the 1st 8 years of the forum



Image
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:49 pm

Image

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:51 pm

Bryan wrote:You can post photos two ways directly from the forum.

Add image to post or Upload attachment

Or off site by Photobucket which we did for the 1st 8 years of the forum



Image

thats exactly how i did it but it wouldnt work now it does. mabey it just didnt like this thread

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Nemrod
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Re: need help with a tekna

Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:28 am

joeym35a2 wrote:it was a momentary switch i figured out what i bought but the stupid blue thing just drove me crazy and i just had to know what the heck it was for it was quite the conversation peice standing around non vintage friendly dive store with shop owner confused too as where to stick the blue piece he did have a few suggestions but im not sure its appropriate to list them.

i only bought it as i needed it for a few dives and it looked old and shiney enuff to replace tekna to get away from the "you cant dive shop dives becuse you are dangerous with old equipment that cant be passed to a buddy " and no i didnt get it from the dive shop!


now that i am on a computer i can see your photo here is one of mine after just getting back into diving after a 20 year break using gear i scrounged up and some i bought. it was quite the shock going from dive tables to computers.
and Bc is only to be used on surface in an emergancy to just hit the elevator button to go up or down and "who cares about how much weight you got on if you sink add some more."

i just want my tekna to work damnit !

what is the bx conversion???

if i found the plastic model would it be possible just to switch housings if the performance is similar? then i could still keep the metal instead of plastic housing and at least have something im somewhat used to using.
ill have to add photo later i just tried 6 times and it wont let me
The T2100BX is not a conversion. As I stated earlier, there were three models, consecutive, each replacing the former. The T2100 brass case. That was followed by the T2100B with the plastic case but same innards as the T2100. The T2100BX followed and was plastic throughout. It was a piece of junk. Most components from all three can be interchanged into all sorts of hybrid configurations.

These are all servo operated second a stages. They operate very different from the vast majority of second stages in that the ambient diaphragm does not directly push a lever but instead causes a leak in a balance chamber by offsetting a tiny (tilt) valve which in turns causes a much larger (downstream) valve to open. Similar to the T2100 and a contemporary of the T2100BX is the Oceanic Omega and later Omega II. The Scubapro Pilot as well, so called because some refer to the servo valve as a pilot valve. The Scubapro and Omega used a small downstream pilot valve, the Tekna used a bitsy little tilt valve.

If that is a 109 you scrounged up, unlike the Tekna, you can get parts to rebuild it.

The Tekna second stage was designed originally to never require a service. Your first mistake was taking it apart. Unless it is not working correctly, leave them alone. In actual use the tilt valves were problematic and did require occasional replacement. But, there are no more left, all that I find, new old stock or otherwise are not serviceable. The large, quarter sized "diaphragm" inside the back of the body is the main flow valve. It tends to take a set and develop little pin cushion indentations matching the holes in the body. If you move it, you are screwed. Well, maybe not entirely, if you moved it, put it back like it was. For some reason, those sometimes go bad. I have never been able to identify exactly what constitutes a bad one verses a good one.

Such are the mysteries of the Tekna.

And do not take this the wrong way, I do not know you well yet, and I dissagree with many of my compatriot vintage divers, old gear will in fact kill you if you do not know how to service it and do not know what you are doing when you service it.

And, BTW, the Tekna is not vintage, but it a classic nonetheless, the brass case T2100 anyways. It was very modern and space age.

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:05 pm

Thank you again that explains a lot actually I'm going to keep on fiddling with the tekna and see if I can get it to work again I took it apart as it was slightly bubbling I am still confident I can fix it especisly now

as far as old gear goes I primary dive on the Oregon coast vis is usually under 10 feet and it makes going deeper a waste of time and very dark. I go to that depth to spear fish.
they seem to congregate at 25 feet or less Ninetynine percent of my dives are around 25-30 feet. I have been diving steady after my 20 year break daily sometimes 2 or 3 times a day I am confident in my abilities to make an emergency ascent safely from that limited depth. The other one percent of the time I'm deaper using doubles back plate wing in a semi dir setup minus the long house.

I was certified in 92 but taught a more vintage style of diving that even the book mentioned and it was alot longer of a course then the weekend course that people are currently offering to get certified my instructors where old and seemed to have a lot of flexibility in the way they taught or just didn't care. I also spend a lot of time reading both new and old ways to dive for the diving I do I tend to mix both together it's what I'm used to and am comfortable with. Proper weighting and no bc use except on the surface or in an emergency I'm still struggling at this 30 fpm ascent rate I didn't relize they changed it in 93! Anyhow that's why I can take gear found at second hand stores jump in the ocean and not care how old or how long it's been sitting

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joeym35a2
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Re: need help with a tekna

Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:15 pm

I do appreciate your concern and help with the tekna a lot!

Thanks again

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