DIN Regulator Wrench

[Akimbo]

I have been annoyed by not being able to get my DIN regulator tight enough or loosened with cold wet hands to finally do something about it. Attached are photos of a spanner for my two DIN regulators hacked out of ¼" aluminum plate. One end fits the Atomic and the other an Oceanic. I can easily tighten them down enough that the first stages don’t easily rotate on the valve.

I can post a .DXF file if anyone can use it for their own version.

 

[tadawson]

I can't help but think that if you need to get it that tight, that there is something wrong with it. I have never run mine beyond just finger tight snug, and have never had a problem . . . or did I miss something?

- Tim

 

[akdeepdiver]

Then you have never dove when it is 0 degrees outside. The film of water when you come out of the ocean will flash freeze and can lock in your reg to the valve. Ive had to use channel locks to switch out the tanks before. That spanner is a good idea.

 

[jar546]

I only barely finger tighten mine and never a problem, even in below freezing days in 34F water.

The only time I had a problem is when the center portion was loose but that takes an allen wrench (hex).

Don't know why you need that, honestly.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It doesn't have to be zero. One good friday the air temp was 22. In the minute or so it took to get out of the water and back to the truck the reg had frozen and cold wet hands were pretty much useless. After ice dives I have had to just put the whole scuba unit in the truck and drive home with it like that. By the time I get home the ice layer is melted, my hands have thawed out, and the unit is nice and dry. Then you don't need a wrench like that.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What did you use to cut it out? I have access to waterjet and have made a few tools out of al plate, stainless steel, and brass.

 

[Akimbo]

I can't help but think that if you need to get it that tight, that there is something wrong with it. I have never run mine beyond just finger tight snug, and have never had a problem . . . or did I miss something?

- Tim

My problem is when my hands are wet, cold, and tired — forget it if there is any oil on them. I can easily get all regulators tight enough not to leak, but I prefer to have them tight enough that they don’t easily rotate — especially on a 300 Bar/4,351 PSI AGA/Interspiro Divator 324s. I have seen DIN O-rings extrude twice, which was all the justification required.

Some DIN hand wheels are OK, but Atomic’s are probably the worst since it has full radius detents and are polished. The Oceanic’s are better since the hand wheel is larger in diameter, is textured, and has sharp-corner detents. The old Poseidon’s weren’t great either. There have been times when none of us onboard an inflatable could get our first stages off without a dry rag.

I am in the habit of installing HP plugs my DIN cylinders and giving them a light snugging with a wrench. That prevents gas lose when the valve leaks or accidently opens. However you need a decent size wrench to get the plug out when it gets pressurized. Keeping the both wrenches, plugs, and caps together is pretty painless.

 

[Akimbo]

What did you use to cut it out? I have access to waterjet and have made a few tools out of al plate, stainless steel, and brass.

I plotted it out from CAD program and used spray adhesive to apply the paper to the plate. I used a metal cutting band saw, belt sander, and files to dial it in and clean it up. A CNC water jet would beat the pants off what I have available. The most time consuming part of the project was drawing/inputting the hand wheels to design the spanner around.

It is a shame that the hand wheel design isn’t part of the DIN standard.

 

[tadawson]

Then you have never dove when it is 0 degrees outside. The film of water when you come out of the ocean will flash freeze and can lock in your reg to the valve. Ive had to use channel locks to switch out the tanks before. That spanner is a good idea.

0 degrees C or 0 degrees F? I have been in slush and very cold conditions in Lake Superior, albeit without DIN (this was in 1979 - all we had was yoke regs) and never had a bit of a problem with icing on anything . . . And you mentioned tightening, not just loosening, which contradicts what you just worte - even if it freezes on, you won't need to tighten . . .

- Tim

 

[CPH]

Personally if things are still freezing with the wind chill and the like then I would rather wait til I get home so NO water or ice gets into the 1st stage. Then do it all with nice warm hands after a cuppa.