Moving the manifold isolator

[diverdavies]

Hello all,

The DS monkey twisted my manifold isolator bar upwards from its usual angle, so now it points vertically on my upright doubles.

Given the 200bar fill, can I move the isolator back down safely? I had tried to leave it loose-ish (so it 'could spin') but now it won't budge....

TIA
Tim

 

[MechDiver]

Not until you empty the tanks. Why do you leave it loose? They have lock nuts for a reason.

 

[Wendy]

I don't know if it can be loosend until you empty your tanks gain. That's why I don't let random dive shop tank boys touch my gear, only folks i know well and even then I'm right there to watch.

Anyway, I also leave mine loose in case it gets bumped on the ceiling it won't break off, it will have some give.

 

[deepstops]

MechDiver once bubbled...
Not until you empty the tanks. Why do you leave it loose? They have lock nuts for a reason.

The isolator is supposed to rotate. And you should be able change the angle even if the tanks are full too, unless he tightened the locking nuts.

 

[Uncle Pug]

... what kind of manifold you have. Face seal (OMS) or barrel O-rings (DR, Halcyon, SeaElite, ect.)

If you have the barrel O-ring manifold just loosen the jam nuts and rotate the iso handle back down... if it doesn't move freely then the tanks were not set up right in the first place... there shouldn't be any stress on the manifold and you should be able to easily rotate it at least 1/4 turn.

 

[diverdavies]

Thanks - its a SPro barrel manifold and the lock nuts were/are loose.

Uncle Pug was right, the tanks weren't set up right, so the iso was jammed.

I reset them myself and have vowed to watch the f**kwits at the filling stations like a hawk.

 

[Uncle Pug]

diverdavies once bubbled...
Uncle Pug was right

Glad to be of help.

 

[Spectre]

deepstops once bubbled...
The isolator is supposed to rotate. And you should be able change the angle even if the tanks are full too, unless he tightened the locking nuts.

Are we to infer from this that one should leave the locking nuts back, and leave the manifold loose to rotate with gas in the tanks?

Couldn't this potentially damage the o-rings in the manifold and run the risk of a catastrophic gas loss failure point?

[not intending to bait anyone into an argument. Just curious as it's not something I've thought about before]

 

[roakey]

Spectre once bubbled...
Are we to infer from this that one should leave the locking nuts back, and leave the manifold loose to rotate with gas in the tanks?

Yes

Spectre once bubbled...
Couldn't this potentially damage the o-rings in the manifold and run the risk of a catastrophic gas loss failure point?

The O ring movement is probably equal to or less than the amount of O ring movement in your first stage as you breathe (and that's moving all the time) where this will only move if some shop ape moves it or you run into the ceiling (the latter being the reason you leave it loose).

Roak

 

[MechDiver]

roakey once bubbled...

Yes

The O ring movement is probably equal to or less than the amount of O ring movement in your first stage as you breathe (and that's moving all the time) where this will only move if some shop ape moves it or you run into the ceiling (the latter being the reason you leave it loose).

Roak

Interesting. The way my isolator is set, the valve backs would hit first as the knob is angled down toward me. Why I have the locknuts tight.
But you're right, the manifold will rotate with pressure on, forgot about that.

MD