Advice on Regulator Adjustments

[large_diver]

I just picked up my new TX-100/TX-40 octo rig yesterday from my LDS.

I already have an inflator hose (came with the BC I purchased last year) and I purchased a new Uwatec Master Diver SPG (with hose already attached) separately. My original intention was to bring these along and have the LDS add them to the rig when I picked it up. Of course, I forgot to bring them with me.

The guy I've been dealing with on this purchase at the LDS appears very knowledgable (he owns multiple Apeks regs himself and services them as well). He advised me that unscrewing the port plugs and attaching the SPG (HP) and inflator hose (LP) is simple. I did it myself last night and it seemed to go fine. His advice was to hand tighten (tightly) the SPG/inflator hoses -- using a tool to tighten them further will put too much stress o the o-rings.

After putting on the hoses myself, I attached them to my LP 98 and listened carefully for leaks, hooked up the inflator hose to my BC and tested the inflator -- everything seemed to be working fine.

Of course, the Apeks manual states that you "shouldn't try this at home"......

Any thoughts on this? I'm night diving tonight after work and can't wait to try my new toy out....

 

[Green_Manelishi]

greetings my friend !!!

good job on the first steps toward being an equipment tech ;-)

seriously though it is good to be comfortable moving
hoses and such provided that you are careful and do not
overtighten or cross-thread.

Check for leaks by placing the rig in tub full of water OR
spraying a bit of soapy water around the plugs and hose
connections. if it is leaking you want to dry it THOROUGHLY
before attempting to re-seat the plugs etc because it would
be not good to seal water in the first stage.

i would caution you against being too aggressive on your
first dive with new gear, especially considering your
vision will need assistance.

 

[large_diver]

Hey GM -- thanks. I agree with your thoughts on taking it easy with new gear (I am taking my new wrist-mount Vyper out for the first time tonight as well).

Tonight's dive will be a shore dive in a sheltered cove in 30 FSW. Ideally this "first dive with new gear" would have been in daylight, but family obligations have taken up all future weekends for a few weeks. The buddy I dive with most often will be there as well as 4-5 others from the NE Aquarium club -- I feel like it will be a relatively low risk environment in which to try some new equipment.

I did not do a soapy water/submerged leak check -- I'll try that tonight before we get in the water. Having done the soapy water thing several times with my backyard gas grill hoses/connections, one would think I would have remembered to try this.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

do you know a young lady named Brandy at the NEA dive-club?
if so, tell her i said "hi".

as for the leak-check-on-a-grill you can check those with
a match ;-)

 

[devjr]

Large diver, that rule is OK for oil filters but not hoses fastened at the regulator first stage. It's good practice to take a small wrench and snug the fittings and I recommend it. Same for fittings at the gauge and regulator except tech divers may want to leave the regulator 2nd stg connection loose, but not me. If the manufacturers had intended hand tighening, they would have designed knurled ends, not hexagonal. To be sure, overtightening will damage the brass threads. [When it breaks off it's tight enough(G)]. On the other hand, seriously, a loose fitting may rotate and become wobbly through normal handling which will "work" the threads or leak at an inconvenient time, not good. The O rings will not be damaged by light wrenching. The rings are not compression rings, they are friction fit and will simply settle into the chamfered out area to which they are an exact fit. If a damaged ring has been seen by your tech it was due to a fault in the regulator's machined surfaces or a wrong ring. A ring which has been properly tightened will maintain its seal for years or until removed. At that time, the ring may appear slightly compressed. This is intentional by the manufacturer. Even though it is a friction ring, the slight amount of squeezing when bottomed forces the ring outward and inward to produce the tightest possible seal. If it looks funny, replace it, if it looks perfect, replace it, it's a 25 cents part.