Question Balanced v unbalanced Inline adjustment tool?

[NYCrecdiver]

Pressure pushes the shaft out unless you hold it in. Whether that's a problem will be up to the user....

With the assembly pressurized, turn the knob whilst advancing the shaft towards the
orifice in order to line up and engage the slotted or hex side with the orifice. Make
the necessary adjustment as per manufacturers recommendations. Note that you
will push and adjust against the pressure, which is a little 'though'. This is perfectly
normal due to the nature of an unbalanced in-line orifice adjuster design. Once you
release the pressure on the knob/shaft assembly, the shaft will disengage from the
orifice and be pushed backwards, This is perfectly normal and inherent to
unbalanced in-line orifice adjustment tools.

Thanks!! So a bit of pushing while adjusting for the unbalanced version... No biggie.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

I've never seen the value (though I have one) for one with the gauge on the adjuster. An IP checker on the LPI hose is easier. For the bench, a large independent gauge has it's value.

I was thinking the same. IP Gauge on inflator hose is much more flexible as it can be put anywhere and also be used on its own. E.g. for adjusting cracking pressure. On that I pretty much had made up my mind already but thanks for confirming!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Thanks!! So a bit of pushing while adjusting for the unbalanced version... No biggie.

Note that neither of those tools you linked to will work with the hog second stages. You need the one from scuba tools. Those cheaper ones have a squared off hex that won't work with the hog orifices. The one from scuba tools is tapered and slides right in.
And that bit of pushing can get annoying if you don't get it firmly seated and it's leaking slightly when you're trying to adjust the cracking pressure.
I had several students buy the cheap ones for the hog course I taught and show up not being able to use them. I started specifying in the course syllabus to buy the scuba tools one.
Don't cheap out on the inline tool, pin spanners, and torque wrench. You'll end up paying for it later.
I've serviced hundreds of hog regs and trained over 50 techs for hog regs.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Piranha dive mfg does sell a replacement hex for their tool to work with the hog regs. By the time you buy both its not much less than the scuba tools one. And the st feels like a precision tool.
No dig on Randy because he's a good friend.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

You don't need ip gauge on the inline tool. Makes it unwieldy as hell and you can't see it anyway when you are breathing the reg to adjust it.

 

[admikar]

anyway an adjustment tool is modifying the flow it would make your adjustment wrong when you remove it, unless you dive with it

^^^ this.
I have used inline tool few times and now I don't.
I guess with enough practice you can figure out how you need to tune your reg so it works fine when tool is removed. Now I just put hose direct handtight, test, remove hose and adjust. Never had to do more than 2-4 corrections.
NOTE: it might work just fine for manufacturer recommended tune, I like to keep my 2nd stages on lowest possible cracking pressure.