Older Sherwood Oasis - Air Pressure Gauge Question

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drdaddy

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Location
Oregon
# of dives
500 - 999
I love my Sherwood Oasis - Vintage is 1980-early 1990s - we have hundreds of dives together. I worried about something happening to it during our World travels, so I finally found a backup and bought it. (I do have an Oasis 2, Magnum, and a number of AL Conshelfs as well - the the Older Oasis is my favorite.)

I took it to my LDS and they checked it over and said it was so clean that they had to do nothing. However, at my first dive the air pressure gauge leaked, so I switched it out with another console/pressure gauge.*

Here's the question. So I switched the consoles around and after 2 dives the air pressure gauge had water in it and it was ruined - salt water in it and meter stuck straight up. Is this just coincidence or is it possible that something is wrong with my "new" backup Oasis that my LDS missed? Is there anyway a malfunctioning regulator could do this? I don't want to hook it up to another air pressure gauge to have it ruin that one.

Thank you.

* Later I fixed this pressure gauge - While I thought that it would be simply the replacement of a couple of little O-rings, it was actually the little 1 inch x 1/8 inch cylinder/rod that hold the O-rings that was broken - cost $6.00. Probably broke of age as I was hooking stuff up.
 
Bad luck and timing. The only way a reg can ruin a SPG is if salt water enters the reg and then you pressurize it, forcing the water into the guage. This you would not see from the outside and it would likely take quite some time before the damage would show itself.
 
The plastic shell of the gauge was cracked or the pressure plug was missing or leaky......nothing to do with the reg.
 
Bad luck and timing. The only way a reg can ruin a SPG is if salt water enters the reg and then you pressurize it, forcing the water into the guage. This you would not see from the outside and it would likely take quite some time before the damage would show itself.

The plastic shell of the gauge was cracked or the pressure plug was missing or leaky......nothing to do with the reg.

Thank you Herman and Fishpie,

I thought so. My son pointed out that there appeared to be some corrosion on one of the screws visible under the clear plastic cover. I took the hose off and put some fresh water in the small opening and blew in with my mouth as my wife watched (I did this a number of times - until she complained that this is not what she imagined out "date night" was going to consist of :) !). My wife said that some bubbles were coming around the edges of the clear plastic. This console/pressure gauge was from my Oasis 2 backup set.

I am wondering about some of my practices, though, after what Herman wrote. For years, after each dive, I have dropped my reg (with the tight dust cover on it) into the clean water to wash it. I have never had an issue. However, I was told by a fellow diver that I really should not do this (and I thought I read it somewhere that this is particularly the case with a non-pressurized Sherwood reg because of the "bubble hole"). However, I've seen water tanks at resorts with the regs (w/dust cover on) laying in them. Again, I've never had a issue with my main older Sherwood, but maybe I could. Do you have any suggestions? Do you only immerse your reg sets when they are under pressure?

On the other hand, as I understand it, there would not be a path for a reg set to get salt water in it unless - well, Herman, how would salt water get into the reg?

At this time I will feel free to hook up another pressure gauge to this backup Oasis.

Thank you for you again for your help.
 
No you just need to box up and send me this reg. It is obviously defective and I'll even cover the cost of shipping so I can save you from any misadventures.:D Seriously, Herman and fishpie are on the right track. I have two of these marvelous regs. All that said, I do not leave my unpressurized first stage in water. First of all, any water in a first stage is not a good thing. With these first stages a quick rinse with dust cap in place is all you need. Yeah, if there is bubbling/leaking that appears to be coming from where the hose enters the console, the air spool o rings are likely worn out. They are the tiny o-rings in most save a dive o-ring kits. I've gotten to where I just carry an extra air spool with o-rings already on it in my save a dive kit. Makes for a quick change on a rocking boat.
 
It's not a good idea to leave an unpressurized reg soaking, most of the salt is rinsed away in the first little bit anyway. IF you were getting saltwater into your reg that could make it's way to the SPG, your reg tech would have already been on your case, it would have messed up the internals of your reg as well.
 
That little tube with the O-rings on each end is there to allow the guage to swival. If either O-ring leaks water will get in if it's not pressurized and submerged. It will leak air if pressurized..

Sent from my DROIDX
 
Wow, I really appreciate the help. I've never had a pressure gauge fail on me before. I've had the air spool O-rings replaced before. I think I'll take your advice, DiveProf, and carry an extra one with me.

DiveProf - As you've read, I've been diving with this wonderful older Oasis for a long time. It's never failed me - cold water/40 Far, and 130 ft - never a problem. That's why I've been looking for another. I've picked up a Oasis 2 and Magnum, but they just don't match up to the 1980- early 1990s Oasis, so that's why I got this "backup".

And SeaLark, Herman, and DiveProf - I appreciate the advice about not submerging the reg unpressurized. Never an issue, but I'm wondering if I contributed to any of my air gauge problems with this practice. Probably not, but I think I'll avoid this in the future.

I did dig-up a old Dacor pressure gauge (1980s vintage) to use on the spare, but I'd rather get a new one. So, any suggestion on a good place to buy a Air Pressure Gauge. If you've got a good deal or one or two, please post and PM me.

Thanks to all of you again.
 
DiveProf - As you've read, I've been diving with this wonderful older Oasis for a long time. It's never failed me - cold water/40 Far, and 130 ft - never a problem. That's why I've been looking for another. I've picked up a Oasis 2 and Magnum, but they just don't match up to the 1980- early 1990s Oasis, so that's why I got this "backup". .

Of course I'm keeping up with folks who have this reg. I understand that Homeland (Scuba) Security is also tracking all 1980s series Oasis owners by the GPS coordinates on their I - phones and I-pads. You never know when a national security problem may need to be resolved by such a fine reg:D I've heard that if the Seals are unavailable, research has shown you can send in your average 50 year old male diver on this reg and achieve similiar outcomes.:shocked:

Have you tried the latest generation of Sherwoods? Saw the ad for the new magnum. Wonder if they are back on the right path?
 
Of course I'm keeping up with folks who have this reg. I understand that Homeland (Scuba) Security is also tracking all 1980s series Oasis owners by the GPS coordinates on their I - phones and I-pads. You never know when a national security problem may need to be resolved by such a fine reg:D I've heard that if the Seals are unavailable, research has shown you can send in your average 50 year old male diver on this reg and achieve similiar outcomes.:shocked:

Have you tried the latest generation of Sherwoods? Saw the ad for the new magnum. Wonder if they are back on the right path?

I have considered getting a new reg, but each time I've tried something - well, it's had issues, or it wasn't really that much/measurably better than my old tried and true 1980-90s Oasis. I've never had an issue with my Oasis - never! Been high altitude diving in fresh clear 40s degree water - never a hickup. Been diving at 130 ft in the Red Sea - don't even think about breathing. Why would I want anything else? My son has been my buddy in these same waters with his Conshelf.

My PADI Instructor son has 700+ instructor dives in the Red Sea on his AL Conshelf and that is also what he has as a backup - never a problem. He doesn't want anything else. Of course now that he's 25, getting married in July, and living in Cold-Murky Waters of the the Pacific NW, he's smartened up, knows he'll not make his "fortune" in diving and is therefore in college and finishing his 2nd year!

Altogether we have 7 regulators, between my son and I, that are ready to go (we have a number of others that we use for "boat horns" and filling tires :) ). I have 2 80-90s Sherwoods Oasis and he has same vintage 2 AL Conshelfs and I have another Conshelf. Then I have a Magnum and an Oasis 2 - neither of these match up to my 2 older Oasis. I don't know where Sherwood went wrong, but my LDS tec agrees - nothing matches these older faithful Sherwoods or Conshelfs.

So, I really don't think that there has been any real progress in the area of regulators. Yes, there are some "ferraris" that are particular/finicky/gimmicky and need special tuning, but I'll/we'll stay with my/our "camry" - regular maintained and they just keep running.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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