Attaching Hoses

[darylm74]

Ok, I ordered a Mares Pegasis BC with the Air Trim system that came with its own hose from one dealer and my Aeris Atmos Sport from another dealer. I now need to attache the hose to my 1st stage. What do I need to do this? I have heard about needing a torque wrench, etc. Is this true? Would it just be easier for me to have someone do it for me, or perhaps easier depending on the cost of the torque wrench.

[docmartin]

it's a piece of cake. screw in hand tight, and then tighten just a little bit more with a wrench. don't overdo it because it is real easy to strip brass threads. i don't know anyone who uses a torque wrench for this (incl. shops).

[Greg Barlow]

I agree with DocMartin. The "tightness" of the connection is not what creates the air tight seal, it is the O-ring. I suggest that you hand tighten the fitting and then just barely snug the fitting with a proper fitting wrench. I've rebuilt many, many regs over the years and always follow this procedure. Using a torque wrench is what the factory says for liability sake, not what the real world typically does. Besides, you would need to use a crow's foot extension, and then mathematically calculate the conversion difference due to the increase in leverage over the scale on the wrench.

Greg Barlow

[Charlie99]

Doc and Greg ... do you guys put a light coating of grease on the o-ring or do you just snug it up dry?

[Greg Barlow]

I use just enough Christo-Lube to give a "wet" appearance to the O-ring. Putting too much is a very good way to have a leak.

Greg

[darylm74]

Never heard of the Christo stuff. Is this special for regulators/scuba gear? I have some basic high-temp oil that I've used on everything from brake pads to door hinges to the chain on my mountain bike? It is like a 3 and 1 house oil except that it does well for high temp. Anything special I should look for or is a basic household lubricant sufficient?

Thanks

[Greg Barlow]

Uh...You should absolutely never use such a product on dive gear! Petroleum based lubricants can and will do irreparable damage to many of the synthetic materials used in the regulator. Many of those types of lubricants also have a fairly low flashpoint. If you were to use such types around high oxygen levels of nitrox mixes then you could have a real serious problem, real quick.

Many divers use silicone as a lubricant because it is an old standard. It is also very inexpensive compared to lubricants designed for diving gear. Christo-Lube and some others on the market are much better than silicone. They offer superior lubrication, and have a very high flashpoint. In fact, most of the synthetic materials will burn before the lubricant does.

If you feel comfortable doing so, you need to remove any hoses that have the common oil on them. Use some diluted white vinegar (approx. 25-50%) on a lint free cloth to wipe down the fittings. Wash the O-rings thoroughly in mild dishwashing detergent. You can place them in a small container to soak for a while and then gently rub them with your fingertips. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and then let them air dry. If you notice that they are cracking or show a blackish residue on your fingers then a trip to the LDS is warranted. Rinse the hose fittings, but make certain that you don't let water run into the hoses. If you do, then use clean, compressed air to dry them out.