USD/Aqualung 2nd Stage Cracks - Fixable?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Crewfish13

Registered
Messages
51
Reaction score
22
Location
Cincinnati, OH, United States
# of dives
0 - 24
Okay, so I just bought my first reg set (Conshelf 20 1st stage, Conshelf SE2 primary and standard yellow USD Octo). First thing I did after receiving them was to pop the covers off the 2nd stages to check cleanliness and general condition (thanks for the tip, herman!). Squeaky clean all flexible parts in great shape. If fact, my first though looking at the guts of a 2nd stage was "They sell these for how much!?!?!" :shakehead:

Other than some cosmetic stuff, the only thing wrong I can find is that the Octo has a couple of the standard short hairline cracks at the far end LP boss. Has anyone ever actually tried fixing these? Since they look to be a compression failure caused by over-tightening the LP connection, I can't imagine they'd actually affect the operation of the regulator unless they propagate into the reg body or start leaking air, which mine aren't. However, cracks like to propagate, and I'd like to stop 'em, if possible.

So here's my thought. Based on some google work, I've found only one reference to the reg material, which says the 2nds are ABS plastic, which seems about right. If I were to apply a small amount of solvent (MEK or Acetone) to the crack, it would literally melt the plastic back together, and the plastic would re-harden as the solvent evaporates. You could fixture it by lightly screwing the LP port in, and putting a hose clamp around the outside until it re-hardens (to hold cracks closed). The weld joint probably wouldn't be quite as strong as the original due to internal voids, but would stop the crack. And assuming I assemble it the right way in the future (with 2 wrenches and a torque wrench), I wouldn't expect it to re-crack. And if it did, it would happen when I'm assembling it, safely out of the water.

Stop drilling doesn't seem to be an option, as putting holes into something that's supposed to be airtight just leads to more headache in sealing it back up.

It sounds like a replacement bottom box wouldn't cost too much, or another 2nd would be easy to come by, but I can't bring myself to condemn the reg to the parts bin for such a small defect. Then again, it might void the warranty... :wink:
 
The cracks are common on those regs, one of the reasons I am not too fond of plastic regs. I tend to agree with you that the cracks (at least the ones I have seen) are more cosmetic than structural but they are still worth being concrened about. Guess you could try solvent, it should hold. There is a guy on ebay with 2 complete bodies for sale for $25 each if you want to stick with them...me, I would find an old metal Aquarius or older Conshelf and use the seconds off it. If you don't mind mixing brand/types the small seconds off the old style MR-12s are really nice regs.
 
I'm sure I'll eventually wind up in metal, but for the time being, my non-diving wife probably wouldn't be too understanding if I bought replacement 2nd stages before even diving with the ones I just bought. She's already annoyed that I spent so much ($150) for regs and a BC. For some reason, "But honey, I got a killer deal" isn't working. Maybe I should take her along for some "education" next time I stop in my LDS...

And she's the one that signed me up for scuba lessons last year as an anniversary present!
 
I understand....I have one of those too. :) at least mine dives.

I've actually got to give mine a lot of credit. Knowing that I've always wanted to dive, she gave me the OW class as an anniversary present, and she was willing to try scuba for an in-pool demo on vacation a couple years back. She just wasn't comfortable under water breathing through a reg, and just isn't as all-around comfortable in water as I am, so I'm not going to push.

Fortunately, I've passed along my fish genes to one of my 2-year-old twin daughters, so I'll have an in-family diving buddy in a decade or so!
 
sounds like a plan, its a very bad idea to push but driving them crazy with all the stories of the fun you are having works. :)
 
I have several replacement bodies if you choose to go that route send me a pm.
 
I'd replace it...cracks have a habit of getting bigger over time [like a windshield]...I use to use a bonding agent called EDM and that worked but it created a micro thin bond along the crack [slightly thinner than the surrounding plastic] and that would eventually crack......Sounds as if some one was careless w/it....Replace it, it'll last longer and be safer......
 
There was a recall. We had ours replaced due to the hairline fractures.
 
I have had fairly good results repairing an LPI with small cracks using epoxy. Such cracks would have to get pretty bad to eventually cause wet breathing.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom