Wing problem

[Mandy3206]

I had the same problem when I bought my first wing, and the main problem was to unscrew the midle part from the OPV cap, for this, the freeze method worked great.
I put the OPV fused with the middle part in the freezer for 10 min, and then warmed the OPV cap with my hands and the midle part came out easily without any damage, it helps if you use a rubber pad to add friction to the midle part when unscrewing it loose from the OPV cap.
To avoid the problem repeating again, I ordered the BC Tool from www.diveriteexpress.com and tightened the inner parts really good, taking the precaution not to overtighten, since then, the problem is gone, and if I have to disassemble the part again, I allready got the right tool for it.

DR and OMS use the same thread paterns, mayby H is the same too and probably all US made BCs use the same thread patern, euro BCs use a diferent patern, my Cressi valve isn't compatible with my OMS or DR.

On a footnote, DSS improoved the midle part by making it hexagonal, not round so users without the BC Tool can solve the problem with minimal damage to the midle part.

Seems to me that the manufacturers don't tighten those parts enough when assembling the BCs, I've heard of this problem many times in the last couple of yrs.

 

[roakey]

I'd just tighten them well with the proper tool.

So has anyone seen this "proper tool"? Know where it's available from and/or what it looks like and how it functions?

Roak

 

[louis]

I just got a DDS bp/w and will be using it for the first time in Jan 06. After my week of diving, am I suppose to unscrew the parts and clean them prior to a long storage?

 

[Mandy3206]

So has anyone seen this "proper tool"? Know where it's available from and/or what it looks like and how it functions?

Roak

Yes, http://www.diveriteexpress.com/bcs/aircells.shtml

Scroll down to the components and parts section and the last one on that section is the BC Tool Part # BC2806.

Seems to be out of stock right now, but I'm sure they can get it for you, they did it for me.

Function is very easy, a bit dificult to explain without looking at it, but once you get it in your hands, you'll know how to use it.

 

[RICHinNC]

Louis....

At the end of each days diving...I spend a good bit of time rinsing off my rig. Once that is done...I take off the corrogated hose and totally fill the bladder with water and then pull on the lower (only) dump valve to let the water out. I do that several times, put the corrogatted hose back on and then turn the rig upside down. I then take off the lower dump valve and fill the bladder and rinse out through the corrogated hose until I can no longer taste the slightest hint of salt.
I then inflate it orally as much a possible and let hang upside down. I whack it every now and then to get the water off the inside of the bladder wall. Every now and then I let water out of the corrogated hose and blow the bladder back up. I keep repeating this until I have gotten all the water possible out of the bladder. Finally, I reinflate the bladder and keep it inflated for storage.....no matter how long that duration may be.

 

[mart1]

The tool mentioned above won't help you with your problem, it is used to unscrew the two parts that you managed to part
If warm water and a piece of moist chamois-leather won't help, try the following:
Drill two small holes in part number two (the one inside the elbow). Take care to make only shallow holes, don't go all the way through the material. Make the holes in between the two circular ridges, I use a 2mm drill, don't know what size this is in imperial. Now there is a tool that has two legs, with a pin at each end, you can use this to get a grip on the part you want to unscrew. Or make a tool yourself, take a flat piece of aluminum and two 2mm bolts, screw the bolts through te aluminum at the same distance as the two holes in the plastic part. Take care not to damage the two ridges I mentioned: this makes the seal with the rubber flange.

good luck, mart

 

[RICHinNC]

Mandy....know of another source....??? they have been out at DR express for some time now

 

[Mandy3206]

The tool mentioned above won't help you with your problem, it is used to unscrew the two parts that you managed to part
If warm water and a piece of moist chamois-leather won't help, try the following:
Drill two small holes in part number two (the one inside the elbow). Take care to make only shallow holes, don't go all the way through the material. Make the holes in between the two circular ridges, I use a 2mm drill, don't know what size this is in imperial. Now there is a tool that has two legs, with a pin at each end, you can use this to get a grip on the part you want to unscrew. Or make a tool yourself, take a flat piece of aluminum and two 2mm bolts, screw the bolts through te aluminum at the same distance as the two holes in the plastic part. Take care not to damage the two ridges I mentioned: this makes the seal with the rubber flange.

good luck, mart

Mart, you're right in the way that the tool is useless to remove the midle part from the OPV cap, so I recomend the freeze method described before for this task, your method should work ok but the cost is modifying the part with the 2 holes, not a bad idea if you are very careful drilling.

The tool is great to prevent the problem from repeating again since it allow you to tighten the midle part to the inner part securely and the OPV cap just need to be tight enough so it won't come off, just set it in and maybe a 1/16 turn may do the trick.

 

[Mandy3206]

Mandy....know of another source....??? they have been out at DR express for some time now

Last time I checked, OMS offer the same tool but a few dollars more expensive, I checked with my OMS dealer in Miami about 8 months ago.

If you like, try contacting Dennis at Austins http://www.austins.com/ they are DR, OMS and H dealer, he may be able to help you out, but not as cheap as DR express.
Hope this helps