Hose servicing and O-ring sizes

[dimito]

Hello,

I would like to do my own regulator maintenance. I found the needed service manuals, tools and service kits that I need to do this. What I don't seem to find is how to service the hoses and what O-rings you need.

Is there a procedure on how to clean the hoses when you service the regulator? I don't think you can put them in ultrasonic cleaner. Can I just clean all the metal parts with a brush? What about the inside?

Do the O-rings for the port plugs come with the 1st stage service kit? I suppose those are the same ones as the ones you use on the hoses, so I guess I can just swap those out? Do the O-rings for the other side (the side that attaches to the regulator) come with service kit for the 2nd stage? What about the O-rings for the SPG swivel and inflator? I have Apeks regulators.

I found this article on Scuba Doctor that talks about all the different sizes of O-rings. What I did not find in that article is the size of the O-ring that joins the hose to the 2nd stage. Is this the same size as the O-ring that joins the hose to the 1st stage?

I currently have a small kit with an assortment of different O-rings that I use when I need to do a small repair. I don't want to keep on buying those kits when I run out of certain size. The Scuba Doctor site lists the part numbers of the O-rings, but I live in Europe and I can't find them with those numbers on the sites of the suppliers I have found. Does anybody know a list of all the common O-rings and their metric sizes?

The more I read about this the more questions I'm having

Regards,
Dimitri

 

[Scubagaskets]

O-rings for Apeks gear from Scubagaskets

Catalogue - Premium O-rings Provider for Scuba Diving

 

[tursiops]

The o-ring that is for the second-stage end of the LP hose is 010, as on the chart you linked to:

Here is a different list, from Dive Gear Express:

There are no exact metric equivalents to most of these o-rings.

 

[Nick Ruberg]

What brand are you servicing?

 

[sh1513]

Some service kits come with the o rings for hoses/plugs others do not. Apeks & Aqualung kits do supply them in the kits

The 3 standard sizes used are:

BS010 CS - 1.78mm ID - 6.07mm OD - 9.63mm - usually for hose to 2nd stage
BS011 CS - 1.78mm ID - 7.65mm OD - 11.21mm - usually for 3/8 connections/plugs
BS012 CS - 1.78mm ID - 9.25mm OD - 12.81mm - usually for 7/16 connections/plugs​

You can put the metal ends of hoses into an ultrasonic cleaner, just make sure they are thoroughly dry.

 

[dimito]

First, thank you all for the many answers, it looks like I just over looked a couple of things and it's all starting to get clear now.

What brand are you servicing?

I'm servicing Apeks regulators.

Some service kits come with the o rings for hoses/plugs others do not. Apeks & Aqualung kits do supply them in the kits

The 3 standard sizes used are:

BS010 CS - 1.78mm ID - 6.07mm OD - 9.63mm - usually for hose to 2nd stage
BS011 CS - 1.78mm ID - 7.65mm OD - 11.21mm - usually for 3/8 connections/plugs
BS012 CS - 1.78mm ID - 9.25mm OD - 12.81mm - usually for 7/16 connections/plugs​

You can put the metal ends of hoses into an ultrasonic cleaner, just make sure they are thoroughly dry.

Thank you very much for that list, that's just what I needed. I'll try to put the metal ends in the cleaner, thanks for the tip!

 

[jgttrey]

There is a procedure if you need to O2 clean a hose for shooting an appropriate cleaner, like Blue Gold, through them. Otherwise, no need to clean the inside of the hose.

Usually, hoses just involve careful inspection for cracking & bulging, with particular attention around the ferrules at the ends. New orings, of course. I also run a foam tipped makeup applicator around the inside of the LP hose to the second stage - in the annular space between the center and the retaining nut. There's often some schmutz in there from the old o-ring.

I don't see a need to clean the metal ends unless they really need cleaning.

 

[JackD342]

There is a procedure if you need to O2 clean a hose for shooting an appropriate cleaner, like Blue Gold, through them. Otherwise, no need to clean the inside of the hose.

Usually, hoses just involve careful inspection for cracking & bulging, with particular attention around the ferrules at the ends. New orings, of course. I also run a foam tipped makeup applicator around the inside of the LP hose to the second stage - in the annular space between the center and the retaining nut. There's often some schmutz in there from the old o-ring.

I don't see a need to clean the metal ends unless they really need cleaning.

I have a set of small wire brushes that I run around the inside circuit of the swivel end on regulator hoses before deciding if they also need a bath.

 

[dimito]

There is a procedure if you need to O2 clean a hose for shooting an appropriate cleaner, like Blue Gold, through them. Otherwise, no need to clean the inside of the hose.

How do you do that? Squirt it in with a siringe and let it soak for a while?

 

[jgttrey]

Yes, that works. Rinse and run clean air thru to dry.

It's pointless to try with HP hoses because the orifice is so small.