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antique diver
Master Diver
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First Name: Bill
Location: North-Central Texas

New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Thu Dec 25, 2014 12:10 pm

Swimjim was asking for a way to test the Intermediate Pressure on his Dacor Double Hose regulator, so I threw this together one afternoon. It's pretty crude compared to the fine tools that Herman makes, but I figured it is a start... and it works.

Here is the basic adapter installed in place of the second stage body. It slips right in and is held in place by two screws, just like the 2nd stage. The retaining washer is slotted to accommodate a reg with fixed flow vane, but you can just turn a variable vane to the side.
Image


Here is a look at the basic components:
Image


You can attach any components you wish into the 3/8" x 24 threads, which is the standard low pressure Scuba port size. Here is a little rig that incorporates Swimjim's idea of a tee with an outlet for a scavenged demand valve from a single hose reg 2nd stage. That serves as a relief valve and a bleed valve that you can manually drain the pressure with. There is a quick disconnect for your IP gauge.
Also, in the far top port of the tee you can see a pressure relief valve like those used on early tilt valve (upstream) second stages. Not needed here due to the second stage valve also being installed, but just to show another way of protecting your gauge, hose, etc. They are still available through Trident.
I think VDH can order those for you.
Image


Here is the whole works in place and ready to use:
Image
The older I get the better I was.

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Bryan
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Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Thu Dec 25, 2014 12:52 pm

Thank you Bill. I really REALLY like posts like these and seeing the creativity that so many of you guys have. Last night I asked Herman if he would do some writeups on the tools he has been building. Starting from the need for the tool to how it's created and then how it's used. These are some of the most useful posts we make on here and help a lot of folks out.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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antique diver
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Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:50 pm
First Name: Bill
Location: North-Central Texas

Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Thu Dec 25, 2014 2:19 pm

Bryan wrote:Thank you Bill. I really REALLY like posts like these and seeing the creativity that so many of you guys have. Last night I asked Herman if he would do some writeups on the tools he has been building. Starting from the need for the tool to how it's created and then used are some of the most useful posts we make on here and help a lot of folks out.
My pleasure. I love making things when I have the time. I owed Swimjim a little favor, so when he mentioned this adapter I decided to get to work on it. It's in the mail.
The older I get the better I was.

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Vancetp
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First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:11 pm

I'm resurrecting this thread because of the several Dacor double hose regs I've had on my workbench lately.

It seems like a good idea to be able to check the IP on these so I made a couple of different adapters for the two types of second stage. That got me thinking about how to adjust the IP on the older ones that don't have an adjuster. Shims, different springs, new springs might work, but would require tearing down the entire regulator for every adjustment.

So I put a C-3 adjuster on an R-2 HP diaphragm. It does adjust the IP up and down.

ImageIMG_4778 by Vancetp, on Flickr

Due to the big difference in the HP pins between early and late models, there might be a problem I haven't thought about? Does anyone know what the ground flat on the old pin is for?

ImageIMG_4766 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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Vancetp
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Location: Belmont CA

Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Thu Oct 17, 2019 8:34 pm

I think the ground flat is the IP adjustment. I have replaced missing pins w/ found parts, and checked the IP. Sometimes it is ok and sometimes too high. Most are around 150 psig. For the R-1-2-3 the pressure should not be so high since it is hard to get a seal on the second stage seat. Having an adjuster would be a help.

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SurfLung
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Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:21 am

Hey Vance, I still have my adaptor you made and plan to use it on a C3 Clipper when I get around to rebuilding it. But in your post above, are you talking about adjusting the old Dial-A-Breath regs?... By grinding more or less material off the flat on that pin thing?
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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Vancetp
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Location: Belmont CA

Re: New Tool: Dacor IP Test adapter

Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:26 pm

SurfLung wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:21 am
Hey Vance, I still have my adaptor you made and plan to use it on a C3 Clipper when I get around to rebuilding it. But in your post above, are you talking about adjusting the old Dial-A-Breath regs?... By grinding more or less material off the flat on that pin thing?
Sorry for the delay in answering, Eben! I just saw this.

Yes, the picture shows a Dial-a-Breath R-2 with the adapter I made for the R-1,2,3 models. It's a guess, but I believe that Dacor did just that: the ground out part is how they adjusted the IP. They might have had some other way to do it than to assemble the reg, check IP, take it apart, grind, reassemble, check. The later model adjuster does work to raise and lower IP on the bench, but I haven't dived one that way.

I made a simple adjuster for the R-3 diaphragm, but it leaked and I haven't tried messing with it for a while. Besides, I'm not sure it's worth the time spent to mod these old things w/o a source of diaphragms and a whole revamp of the second stage and levers.

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