Sherwood Oasis second is supposed to trail bubbles?

[Tracy]

If you want to cover the shipping, I have a steel 72 with fresh hydro and visual I would sell you for $50

 

[tbone1004]

if you want to do it properly, no there is no other option than to own a tank. The best way to rinse gear is to go dive it in fresh water, that can only be done with a tank....

you asked
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/for/4864573975.html
there's some

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/spo/4864675884.html
there's some better ones

80 cu ft Scuba tank
there's one

Aqua Lung Twin 72's SCUBA Tanks Pack
there's an interesting set of doubles, $25 for new valves and good to go, perfect tanks for your GF if she's still interested, lp72's rock, get him down to $100 since they're out of hydro, and the manifold is basically worthless *don't chuck it, some vintage guys might want it

4 SCUBA TANKS
couple more

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/spo/4845735151.html
few more

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/spo/4861396820.html
some big boys, but good bottles, talk him down to $550, spend $20 on plugs and you're good for big single tanks

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/spo/4801815127.html
not bad for a pair of them, also good for the GF if she's short

http://delaware.craigslist.org/spo/4795453788.html
get him down to $450 and good deal

should be enough to get you started, mix of steels and aluminums, but al tanks have their place and at least stand up without boots so are good for checking IP and what not until you get into stage diving

 

[halocline]

I am working on getting a decent used tank, when I can spot one for cheap. I was really just wondering if there's a good answer other than "buy a tank".

Yes there is, and it's don't worry about it. Every day, around the world, thousands of scuba regulators are soaked without being pressurized. Amazingly, nothing catastrophic happens. Then someone gets on an internet forum and posts that this is wrong, you should only soak your regulator pressurized. As long as the dust cap is securely in place, and there's not a seat saver that actually separates the seat from the orifice in the 2nd stage (like some atomic regs), everything will be okay.

With regards to the sherwood dry bleed system, I believe the one way valve is supposed to keep water out of the environmental chamber in a soak tank; after all it's less than a foot of water. As a precaution your friend could simply put the reg on a tank after soaking and blow some air through it, and let the dry bleed system push out the tiny bit of moisture that might have penetrated the valve.

When you're on a dive trip, if you are ultra paranoid and just can't enjoy your vacation due to worrying about soaking your reg unpressurized, just ask the dive op to borrow a near-empty tank, hook up your reg, and toss the whole thing in the rinse tank. That might annoy a few of your fellow divers who also need space in the tank, but at least you'll be able to sleep at night....

 

[Mr.X]

I've serviced hundreds of Sherwood Regs. They are typically decent middle-of-the-road regulators. The oasis has fins inside the second stage which collect moisture so you don't get dry mouth. Or so that's what they say.

As per rinsing - I've used these regs on professional jobs where they may, or may not get rinsed for days, sometimes weeks. It certainly helps to rinse because salts crystallizing inside a first stage, or moisture getting in a pressure gauge is never a good thing. But not catastrophic.

On a self-check note - have your buddy look for signs of corrosion in the first stage. Look at the sintered filter. If it's green - not good. Should be gray/slate colored. Look for any moisture in the pressure gauge. Droplets, or lens cloudiness is a hint of moisture inside first stage and gauge.

At the end of the day - get em' checked out by someone who actually services (certified factory trained + has parts) Sherwood regs. They are very simple regs to work on and as such very reliable.

 

[stuartv]

That might annoy a few of your fellow divers who also need space in the tank, but at least you'll be able to sleep at night....

LMAO!!

And thanks for the rest of the post.

---------- Post added January 28th, 2015 at 09:03 AM ----------

if you want to do it properly, no there is no other option than to own a tank. The best way to rinse gear is to go dive it in fresh water, that can only be done with a tank....

Thanks, tbone. I had looked at some of those on CL. Some are too far away (Norfolk is 4 hours) and some are too expensive. But, I think I can do 1 or 2 AL80s at $50 each... Maybe I can pick 1 or 2 up this weekend. We'll see.

 

[KeithG]

these regs do not need to be pressurized for rinsing. the air bleed system uses a simple 1 way valve to keep water out (at low pressure differentials). you have a higher chance of letting water in via the dust cap.

the 1 way valve is just a press fit piece of rubber (ethylene propylene according to the manual) that works in a similar fashion to the exhaust valves on your second stage. you can easily remove it with your fingernail if you are curious. it is very low tec.

i would not trust it to keep water out at 90 ft if the reg was unpressurized, but it is more than adequate for the rinse tank.

the real air flow magic occurs inside the reg. the internals of the various models differ - older models (mine) had the "air flow" element built into the piston, newer models have a distinct flow control element.

i have had 2 air flow failures - both caused by clumsy service as the chamber was pristine with no signs of water ingress. the service manuals are full of warnings including not to sonic clean the piston or touch the air flow element with greasy fingers. sigh...

Note: in neither failure case was there any detectable change in regulator operation or performance. the only symptom was the lack of a fine bubble trail coming from the rubber plug.

 

[ams511]

Some of the first stages from Sherwood have what is called a drybleed system on them. It will look like a black rubber cap near one of the LP ports, this is how they have chosen to environmentally seal the piston first stages. It works very well. No second stage is supposed to bleed to my knowledge.

Also, "ordinary service" should mean full rebuild.... If they aren't fully rebuilding it you're getting ripped off. All first and second stages should be completely disassembled and cleaned, so there is no difference between the two.

All Sherwood first stages have the dry-bleed feature. The newer regulators have the sinter element in the body while the older ones has it built into the piston. As others have mentioned, on the older models if the filter gets blocked (usually from poor servicing) then the piston needs to be replaced. Sherwood first stages do NOT need to be cleaned, if fact dirt and oils of the other parts in the bath will contaminate the sinter filter and render it unusable. Also as previously mentioned, the manual does state this quite clearly.

One nice thing about Sherwoods (I am speaking about the older models not sure about the new) is that the first and second stages use reversible seats that can be flipped and reused. If the O-rings are still good you can remove them clean them and relube them and flip the seats and you have a quick service without needing a parts kit. The second stage can be cleaned like any second stage.

 

[KeithG]

anyone have any idea if you can "resurrect" a "soiled" piston?

The manual is very clear about ways to screw it up, but provides no guidance on how to fix a FUBAR. Except replacement. From a commercial (quick, litigation friendly) perspective the only plausible answer is "replace it".

But a soiled piston be re-rehabilitated? Will an extended period of multiple cycles in an ultrasonic cleaner reverse the grease contamination? I understand that a commercial enterprise can not afford to devote the time & resources, so the blanket "business" answer is NO. What is the real :technical" answer? I have all summer to fix this...

 

[Fishpie]

Sometimes works on "dry bleed" scinters........
Soak in boiling water.
and/or
Soak in acetone.
.....generally less than 50% chance of success and then at a reduced bubble rate which will make the 1st stage prone to flooding if a fast descent is made.

 

[KeithG]

Sometimes works on "dry bleed" scinters........
Soak in boiling water.
and/or
Soak in acetone.
.....generally less than 50% chance of success and then at a reduced bubble rate which will make the 1st stage prone to flooding if a fast descent is made.

thanks for the suggestions - any idea of the science behind these concepts?

Is boiling water "better" than ultrasonic (in room temp water) or just a next best alternative if you do not have access to heated ultrasonic? Many people do not have ultrasonic, so boiling may become a goto solution. Is it better? Or just more available?

Same question regarding acetone. On the surface, acetone could be perceived as a means to remove grease. Dish washing liquid in an ultrasonic cleaning solution may also accomplish the same thing? Any idea which is better?

I am still learning and am trying to separate voodoo and old wives tales from sound scientific practice.

Cheers...