Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney

lizardland · 4th January 2008, 12:13

My CK is the old style with push on barbed hose fitting, has anyone fitted a Shearwater to one of these without buying a new kidney from Bruce? What I'd like to do is fit the Shearwater to one of the display ports and retain the remaining two displays as a secondary. I'm not entirely sure how you'd fit a Fischer cable to a barbed fitting though. When I bought it, the previous owner had fitted a VR£ cable to a barb but I can't recall how he did it as the first thing I did was remove it. Doh!

I know I'd also have to modify the kidney to connect the Shearwater cable to all the cells but I've got a spare kidney and it looks simple enough. I suppose Plan B is to replace one of the barbs with a gland. I suppose I should really just buy a Shearwater kidney but I'd like some kind of secondary display (i.e. not a HUD).

Cheers,

Stuart

zepp · 4th January 2008, 12:24

Quote: (Originally Posted by lizardland)

My CK is the old style with push on barbed hose fitting, has anyone fitted a Shearwater to one of these without buying a new kidney from Bruce? What I'd like to do is fit the Shearwater to one of the display ports and retain the remaining two displays as a secondary. I'm not entirely sure how you'd fit a Fischer cable to a barbed fitting though. When I bought it, the previous owner had fitted a VR£ cable to a barb but I can't recall how he did it as the first thing I did was remove it. Doh!

I know I'd also have to modify the kidney to connect the Shearwater cable to all the cells but I've got a spare kidney and it looks simple enough. I suppose Plan B is to replace one of the barbs with a gland. I suppose I should really just buy a Shearwater kidney but I'd like some kind of secondary display (i.e. not a HUD).

Cheers,

Stuart

Hi Stuart, I have this done on my classic. I have used all three cells for the Shearwater and not bothered to keep any of the original displays. You will have to drill a small hole through the three ports to be able to get the wires through. You can unscrew one of the barb fittings and re-tap the kidney to take the Ficher gland. I have to admit that the work to the kidney was done by John (Narked at 90) BUT we were having a 'few' vodkas at the time so proof it aint that hard to do

lizardland · 4th January 2008, 12:57

Cheers for the info. Does the Fischer cable come with a gland then (haven't oredred mine yet)? I thought I might be able to find something that matched up with the barb threads as I'm a technical incompetent.

I never paid it any attention when I removed the original cable but I'm pretty sure the cable sheath had been fitted on to the barb. The barb had then been pumped full of silicone. It sounds a clumsy way of doing it, I think I'd feel safer with a gland.

It would be nice to have some sort of limp home display as a backup though.

Cheers,

Stuart

zepp · 4th January 2008, 13:08

Sorry but I didnt mention that the connector I have is not a Fisher one but I think just a 'normal' cable gland. I cannot disconnect mine from the kidney due to other 'safey' issues. It would still be possible to connect standard KISS displays if i wanted but dont really see the befefits of the added complication this would bring. The domes within the kidney become crowded with wires as it is. The two other ports are blanked off with s/s port plugs.

aquaholic · 5th January 2008, 13:44

Stuart,

you could replace one of the barbs with a standard IP67 cable gland like the second generation kidneys use. Glands are cheap from maplin, but you would have to tap a thread into the old kidney to fit the gland base to. I'm sure Brian Cooper could help with that...

Anke

4th January 2008, 12:13	#1 (permalink)
lizardland Yak Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North... Posts: 1,253	Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney My CK is the old style with push on barbed hose fitting, has anyone fitted a Shearwater to one of these without buying a new kidney from Bruce? What I'd like to do is fit the Shearwater to one of the display ports and retain the remaining two displays as a secondary. I'm not entirely sure how you'd fit a Fischer cable to a barbed fitting though. When I bought it, the previous owner had fitted a VR£ cable to a barb but I can't recall how he did it as the first thing I did was remove it. Doh! I know I'd also have to modify the kidney to connect the Shearwater cable to all the cells but I've got a spare kidney and it looks simple enough. I suppose Plan B is to replace one of the barbs with a gland. I suppose I should really just buy a Shearwater kidney but I'd like some kind of secondary display (i.e. not a HUD). Cheers, Stuart __________________ Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you? www.westons-cider.co.uk Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler
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4th January 2008, 12:24	#2 (permalink)
zepp "Dyson with Death" daddy Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: midlands Posts: 274	Re: Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney Quote: (Originally Posted by lizardland) My CK is the old style with push on barbed hose fitting, has anyone fitted a Shearwater to one of these without buying a new kidney from Bruce? What I'd like to do is fit the Shearwater to one of the display ports and retain the remaining two displays as a secondary. I'm not entirely sure how you'd fit a Fischer cable to a barbed fitting though. When I bought it, the previous owner had fitted a VR£ cable to a barb but I can't recall how he did it as the first thing I did was remove it. Doh! I know I'd also have to modify the kidney to connect the Shearwater cable to all the cells but I've got a spare kidney and it looks simple enough. I suppose Plan B is to replace one of the barbs with a gland. I suppose I should really just buy a Shearwater kidney but I'd like some kind of secondary display (i.e. not a HUD). Cheers, Stuart Hi Stuart, I have this done on my classic. I have used all three cells for the Shearwater and not bothered to keep any of the original displays. You will have to drill a small hole through the three ports to be able to get the wires through. You can unscrew one of the barb fittings and re-tap the kidney to take the Ficher gland. I have to admit that the work to the kidney was done by John (Narked at 90) BUT we were having a 'few' vodkas at the time so proof it aint that hard to do __________________ I'm not a bad person.....HONEST my homebuild photos http://www.rebreatherworld.com/photo...ery.php/cat/48 CLASSIC KISS #052
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4th January 2008, 12:57	#3 (permalink)
lizardland Yak Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Home Build Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: North... Posts: 1,253	Re: Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney Cheers for the info. Does the Fischer cable come with a gland then (haven't oredred mine yet)? I thought I might be able to find something that matched up with the barb threads as I'm a technical incompetent. I never paid it any attention when I removed the original cable but I'm pretty sure the cable sheath had been fitted on to the barb. The barb had then been pumped full of silicone. It sounds a clumsy way of doing it, I think I'd feel safer with a gland. It would be nice to have some sort of limp home display as a backup though. Cheers, Stuart __________________ Can you imagine drifting along in the sea with your mouth open and a load of f***ing plankton going in? You'd like it, would you? www.westons-cider.co.uk Azerbaijani Association of Technical Divers Publicity Officer and Goat Wrangler
(Offline)

4th January 2008, 13:08	#4 (permalink)
zepp "Dyson with Death" daddy Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other CCR Home Build Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: midlands Posts: 274	Re: Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney Sorry but I didnt mention that the connector I have is not a Fisher one but I think just a 'normal' cable gland. I cannot disconnect mine from the kidney due to other 'safey' issues. It would still be possible to connect standard KISS displays if i wanted but dont really see the befefits of the added complication this would bring. The domes within the kidney become crowded with wires as it is. The two other ports are blanked off with s/s port plugs. __________________ I'm not a bad person.....HONEST my homebuild photos http://www.rebreatherworld.com/photo...ery.php/cat/48 CLASSIC KISS #052
(Offline)

5th January 2008, 13:44	#5 (permalink)
aquaholic hohum Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: UK Posts: 100	Re: Connecting a Shearwater to an old style kidney Stuart, you could replace one of the barbs with a standard IP67 cable gland like the second generation kidneys use. Glands are cheap from maplin, but you would have to tap a thread into the old kidney to fit the gland base to. I'm sure Brian Cooper could help with that... Anke __________________ Trying things different to the norm is the route to a new norm....
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