Warped air barrel - what would cause this?

[Fibonacci]

Looks like at some point...the venturi adjustment knob...may have been dropped/bumped/hit...with enough force to deform the plastic/graphite end and damage the S/S barrel...

Check the second stage body on the left side where the venturi end protrudes through the body...the reg may have been hit hard enough to crack the body at the venturi hole...
~snip~
.

Looks like impact damage to me too... I've seen this on a few Sea Hornet Command Air second stages when either a careless diver or well-meaning deckie picks up a tank quickly with the reg attached, the second stage swings in an arc and strikes the nearest object quite hard... sometimes enough to bend the metal adjust shaft!

Used to be an even bigger problem back in the day when those welded stainless steel combo gauge protectors were all the rage, someone in a cramped boat turning round quickly with unsecured hoses could smash a mask or nearly take your teeth out with the cage

 

[guruboy]

Maybe the adjustment knob got pressed or hit on something

 

[BoltSnap]

If it was just the second stage AL wanted I would have sent it in, but they refused to take it back without the first stage. Screw that. First stage works fine. They’re not getting their hands on it. I’m tired of switching things back and forth from doubles to single tank set.

For them to do a proper and comprehensive diagnostic job, they need the whole thing to test and do what they have to do to trace the issue. I don't fault them for that at all. They are the better judge of what is working fine and what isn't.

I really don't see the point of your denying the top expert in the world, the manufacturer, to properly diagnose what the issue is using their infinite wisdom, skill and knowledge and then coming here across cyberspace and ask for an "opinion" after shutting out the real expert. One serious issue that may have been involved is a manufacturing defect that the manufacturer should be aware of in this case but they don't have access to the problem now and it will be difficult to trace now that the "scene has been contaminated" after the servicing and replacement of the part involved.

 

[rjack321]

Looks to me like you wacked the venturi knob on something.

 

[divad]

Can you take a picture with the knob removed??

 

[Johnoly]

.. I leave for Toby on Wednesday. ...

Diving with Becky K ?? Heard conditions have been excellent.

 

[Marie13]

Diving with Becky K ?? Heard conditions have been excellent.

Good Lord, no. She does RB, tech, very experienced folks trips. If she does trips for non-tech divers, I’m not aware of it. Going with a shop out of the Midwest.

 

[StefinSB]

For them to do a proper and comprehensive diagnostic job, they need the whole thing to test and do what they have to do to trace the issue. I don't fault them for that at all. They are the better judge of what is working fine and what isn't.

I really don't see the point of your denying the top expert in the world, the manufacturer, to properly diagnose what the issue is using their infinite wisdom, skill and knowledge and then coming here across cyberspace and ask for an "opinion" after shutting out the real expert. One serious issue that may have been involved is a manufacturing defect that the manufacturer should be aware of in this case but they don't have access to the problem now and it will be difficult to trace now that the "scene has been contaminated" after the servicing and replacement of the part involved.

Really? There is a broken piece on the second stage and the “top expert” need to see the first stage? Next time they also ask for the tank(s) the reg was attached to. Surely common sense got lost .....

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Absolutely no need to send them the 1st stage. There is physical damage to the second. Check the second on any 1st. I would hope they'd have one around. Fix the second and tune it. Send it back to the dealer to reinstall. End of issue. So glad I didn't buy any of their products except for a pair of the original blades fins over the years. Almost got talked into a set of AL regs by one shop. Glad they wanted a ridiculous amount of money for them and I said no thanks.

 

[JackD342]

I suspect that the AL service department routinely asks for the "the whole thing" to be returned rather than one component at a time, to avoid major disconnects and piecemeal back-and-forth steps in the process. They probably have had to learn that over time.

But in this instance it certainly makes sense to only send in the 2nd stage, especially to minimize the customer inconvenience. I don't know what conversations(s) were had by @Marie13 's favorite dive shop on her behalf, but I would have expected that I could get that accommodation in place by getting the right person on the phone and firmly explaining the issues correctly. I have some experience with getting my AL customers taken care of with reasonable accommodations that are not entirely "by the book" in the past.

Pure speculation of course since the reg wasn't in my hands, but perhaps there was a missed opportunity that could have benefited from a bit of added follow up.