Oceanic 1st Stage Air Leak

[Squirm88]

I was hoping someone could help me with a problem I encountered with my Oceanic Delta 3 leaking from the first stage. The first stage is the PX2 balanced piston design.

I went on a two tank dive this past weekend. First dive no problems everything functions great. Back on the boat I switch the regulator and BC to the second tank and open the tank and everything functions properly. Tank was filled with air to about 3200 psi. Boat is rocking pretty badly in 4'-6' seas. About 5 minutes after I had opened the tank, the first stage suddenly starts to leak pretty badly from from the area around the high pressure ports. I could not located the exact area because of the rubber sleeve that covers that area of the 1st stage but it was not coming directly from the high pressure ports. I ended up having to use a spare regulator set to complete the second dive.

The following day I took my regulator to my nearest Oceanic LDS to have it serviced. The tech hooked up the first stage to a tank and the regulator functioned perfectly without any leaking at all. He took apart the first stage and found all o-rings and HP seat to be in good condition. He then hooked up the first stage to a tank that he overfilled trying to replicate the problem and no luck. The tech gave me back my regulator and said there is nothing wrong with it.

I'm leaving next month to Turks and Caicos to do some diving and I am a bit hesitant to use the regulator since the problem was not found. Any ideas what could of happened?

Here's a picture of the first stage. The leak was coming from the area of the rubber sleeve that covers the HP ports.

 

[halocline]

My first thought was that it might be a yoke or DIN fitting o-ring; not the one on the tank or in the DIN fitting itself, but the one that seals the fitting to the reg body. Something might have loosened the fitting while the boat was rocking around just enough to let that o-ring extrude, then when the tech took it apart it looked fine.

It could have also simply been a tank/reg seal. Did you try taking it off the tank then putting it back on right away? Is it yoke or DIN?

I'm not too familiar with these regs so those are just guesses. On SP balanced pistons, there are only four places HP air can leak: 1. Tank/reg connection, 2. yoke/DIN fitting to reg body, 3. HP seat seal, 4. HP piston 0-ring. If that one went air would be coming out the ambient chamber ports, and it definitely would not work if re-connected to a tank.

Edit; one more, HP ports. You're sure it was not that, though.

 

[Squirm88]

My first thought was that it might be a yoke or DIN fitting o-ring; not the one on the tank or in the DIN fitting itself, but the one that seals the fitting to the reg body. Something might have loosened the fitting while the boat was rocking around just enough to let that o-ring extrude, then when the tech took it apart it looked fine.

It could have also simply been a tank/reg seal. Did you try taking it off the tank then putting it back on right away? Is it yoke or DIN?

I'm not too familiar with these regs so those are just guesses. On SP balanced pistons, there are only four places HP air can leak: 1. Tank/reg connection, 2. yoke/DIN fitting to reg body, 3. HP seat seal, 4. HP piston 0-ring. If that one went air would be coming out the ambient chamber ports, and it definitely would not work if re-connected to a tank.

Edit; one more, HP ports. You're sure it was not that, though.

Hey Mattboy thanks for the quick response. My first stage is a yoke. When the leak happened on the boat I tried to locate it briefly with no luck. It deffinately wasn't the HP ports, one had my spg console connected the other has its plug in it. Since the dive operator was getting ready to drop us on our second dive spot I opted to grab a spare reg from a fellow diver rather than missing the second dive. So I did not reseat the first stage to the tank.

Perhaps it was a bad tank/reg connection. I could see that happening since it was a pretty rough boat ride. Hopefully thats all it is but I am a bit hesitant to use the reg again without knowing for sure.

 

[Hatul]

This may be unrelated but I've had problems with leaking from 1st stage of my Delta 2 in the past., in both piston and diaphragm regs. In my case it was after the regs had not been serviced for a long time and had not been used for months. The leaks were large enough that I did not want to dive them and had to rent. Also could not localize the leaks and they were solved by having an overhaul.

Adam

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

....Perhaps it was a bad tank/reg connection. I could see that happening since it was a pretty rough boat ride. Hopefully thats all it is but I am a bit hesitant to use the reg again without knowing for sure.

I'm with Mattboy... in fact, I've watched it happen.

Sometimes if you are getting bumped around by a rocking boat while switching tanks, you can get the 1st stage (yoke type) on the tank valve just slightly crooked.... when you crack open the valve and you'll get a loud hiss. Just take it off (but always check the tank o-ring) reposition properly and usually the problem is fixed.

Your first stage is more than likely just fine.

Best wishes.