Building a reg for travel?

[tbone1004]

Not to de-rail the thread but hurry up and break em so I can see how they fail.

I'm trying! students using them, taking them in salt water, letter boat monkeys touch them. My normal not particularly gentle care of my regulators in general. They're scratched now, that's about all I've got.... As of 2 weeks ago the IP hadn't changed per my digital gauge, and cracking effort hadn't changed from my initial tuning...

 

[NTJB]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Unless I find something I like even more, I'm going to order the Deep 6 regs once they get some of the colors/options in stock!

On the IP gauge, any particular one that most people use?

 

[tbone1004]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Unless I find something I like even more, I'm going to order the Deep 6 regs once they get some of the colors/options in stock!

On the IP gauge, any particular one that most people use?

not really. The actual IP is not particularly important with most regulators, especially balanced second stages. I.e. the difference between 130 and 135 psi is irrelevant so you don't need a particularly accurate one. Apeks for example says between 9 and 10 bar, so you have a "factory spec" range of 130psi to 145psi. What's important with IP gauges is that it shows the IP is stable.
This one is perfectly fine for $10. If you ever want a better gauge, you spent $10 for the BCD to NPT adapter and then you go to Home Depot/equivalent or Amazon and get a generic 300psi pressure gauge. 300psi/20bar is important though since analog gauges read best in the middle of their range.
Compact IP Gauge (PSI and BAR) | Dive Gear Express®

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

I'm trying! students using them, taking them in salt water, letter boat monkeys touch them. My normal not particularly gentle care of my regulators in general. They're scratched now, that's about all I've got.... As of 2 weeks ago the IP hadn't changed per my digital gauge, and cracking effort hadn't changed from my initial tuning...

Please keep treating them like rental gear with no love, care or cleaning. When they fail, take them apart and give your opinion and send me the pieces and we can discuss.

 

[NTJB]

not really. The actual IP is not particularly important with most regulators, especially balanced second stages. I.e. the difference between 130 and 135 psi is irrelevant so you don't need a particularly accurate one. Apeks for example says between 9 and 10 bar, so you have a "factory spec" range of 130psi to 145psi. What's important with IP gauges is that it shows the IP is stable.
This one is perfectly fine for $10. If you ever want a better gauge, you spent $10 for the BCD to NPT adapter and then you go to Home Depot/equivalent or Amazon and get a generic 300psi pressure gauge. 300psi/20bar is important though since analog gauges read best in the middle of their range.
Compact IP Gauge (PSI and BAR) | Dive Gear Express®

Thanks again! Does the IP need to be checked pretty often or is it more of a once in a while thing? I assume if the IP is increasing or decreasing significantly, that means it's time to rebuild the first stage?

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

Thanks everyone for all the info. Unless I find something I like even more, I'm going to order the Deep 6 regs once they get some of the colors/options in stock!

On the IP gauge, any particular one that most people use?

So I can add something to what I have De-railed.

Don't live and die by an IP gauge. Establish a norm and check periodically. a few PSI one way or the other is not a big deal. Creep after lockup is a much bigger deal than an initial solid lockup in my opinion. If it's a diaphragm 1st stage give the HP diaphragm time to stretch and settle a bit, especially if it is newly serviced regulator.
Inexpensive IP gauges are fine for random checks and again in my opinion are fine for making Dive / No Dive decisions.
Expensive IP gauges coupled with digitals and alternates that check accuracy are best left to the work bench.
YRMV.

 

[The Chairman]

If your reg starts to do a minor or major freeflow from time to time, or if it becomes harder to breathe, break out the IP gauge. A bucket of water is perfectly fine to test cracking pressure of the second stage.

 

[tbone1004]

Thanks again! Does the IP need to be checked pretty often or is it more of a once in a while thing? I assume if the IP is increasing or decreasing significantly, that means it's time to rebuild the first stage?

I check mine before trips. Usually far enough in advance that I know if I have to rebuild before the trip.
The IP is going to be stable, i.e. if you set it to 135psi, depending on the tank pressure *how well the first stage is balanced*, and as the seat wears in, etc. it will change by up to 5psi. That's not the issue. The important part is that the IP is stable and once the regulator locks up, it doesn't move. Search on here about IP creep, IP drift, etc.

Here's a video I made a couple years ago. I don't do youtube well at all, so pardon the amateur video quality. Of note, that gauge is actually homebuilt from one of those cheap $10 gauges I linked to earlier that has a much better gauge adapted to it.

 

[Simran]

Curious on the Miflex opinions. I just switched over to a Miflex swivel on my Scubapro MK25, dove with it for a week and had some interesting noise issue. It would "skip" and "wheeze" for a couple of breaths now and again. The Scubapro rubber hose never did that so I'm wondering if the Miflex is the culprit.
Any thoughts from folks here?

 

[The Chairman]

Curious on the Miflex opinions.

Miflex had (has?) an internal delamination issue.