G250v feels like it has 2 stages during the inhale with reg in either pre-dive or dive mode

[Open Ocean Diver]

That sounds very likely to me. That's evry most of the movement happened and where tolerances can affect tilt of the poppet.

Hard to inspect the lever ears without taking the lever out. Looking at a poppet to see uneveness might be something to try first. Perhaps some poppets have marks or other imprfections?

Instructions say just push the poppet in with the lever folded out, until the poppet engages the lever, then push the spring and balance chamber in and that's it, right? Do the regs in question perhaps need a wiggle to set them in place correctly?

A full length barrel like on the G250/G260/ S620ti that can be assembled outside the reg case might help troubleshoot and go back-and-forth with less hassle.

So for fun I plugged up the poppet seat hole with the end of a small Toothpick. I was very surprised at the results.

What would you expect to happen?

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I would expect the regulator to leak without the assistance of the balance chamber. But it didn’t it actually worked fine even cracked the same with or without the balance chamber in operation.

 

[Geo7]

If the plug was effective, I too would expect a leaking reg due to missing IP supporting the closing pressure needed. But the toothpick can easily move with the pressure. I feel to plug the poppet you'd better use an old LP seat and seal it with glue?

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

If the plug was effective, I too would expect a leaking reg due to missing IP supporting the closing pressure needed. But the toothpick can easily move with the pressure. I feel to plug the poppet you'd better use an old LP seat and seal it with glue?

I wedged in pretty good but I’ll try that I think I have a new seat for a unbalance regulator I could use.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I sacrificed a poppet and filled the poppet end with glue passes the bounce test. Lol

 

[Geo7]

And the result? Leaking reg as theory predicts?

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

And the result? Leaking reg as theory predicts?

Nope works great. I wonder if I should take the end O-rings off the the poppet?

 

[Geo7]

How interesting. I took apart some regs in the past, and while they failed the balance chamber bounce test, they had been breathing fine with no leak. I might try to feel how strong that balancing force on the balance chamber is against my finger, next time I take a reg apart. Maybe that whole balancing system is more forgiving than I thought.

This and Lex's suggestion of poppet/lever inter-play seem to be our two areas to further look into...

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

How interesting. I took apart some regs in the past, and while they failed the balance chamber bounce test, they had been breathing fine with no leak. I might try to feel how strong that balancing force on the balance chamber is against my finger, next time I take a reg apart. Maybe that whole balancing system is more forgiving than I thought.

This and Lex's suggestion of poppet/lever inter-play seem to be our two areas to further look into...

Seems like it’s strong enough to keep it sealed with the hole blocked… after removing the poppet O-rings reg leaked like a sieve as expected. That was fun.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I’ve had BAs they don’t have a sleeve around the barrel with worn out broaches do the same thing.