Reg question

[Dee]

Rainreg, I used my SeaQuest Spectrum/XR2 for the first time today since having it serviced this year. With the first breath, the second stage started shuddering internally. It breathed ok, just shuddered. I had to adjust it all the way open to get it to stop.

Why? Is there anything I can do or adjust myself to fix it?

Thanks

 

[rainreg]

Hello Dee, I wish there was something I could tell you but because you are not a trained USD or Seaquest Technician I can give no Advice on the fix / repair yourself. Due to restraints and agreements with the Companies I can only give advice on repairs and such to Qualified Technicians.

I can recommend this: take the equipment back to the repair techs who worked on it and tell them to correct the problem, It is not normal for that regulator's second stage to perform like that if it was properly serviced. If you have any problems with the technician let me know who they are and I will contact the Company directly and have Their ticket pulled. If they refused to fix the problem you can mail it to me and I will fix it at no charge (You cover shiping) thats the best I can offer you I hope this helps out.

rainreg

 

[Dee]

Rainreg, I understand. The equipment courses I've taken taught me I have no business monkeying with the internal workings! I just thought it might be something simple I could adjust.

I talked to the technician today and he explained how it was serviced. I'll be taking it back to him this week for corrections. It will be no problem and he was very interested in finding out how and why it was returned in that condition.

Thanks for the offer!

 

[MrMrEZG]

when a reg gets serviced it is set to breath as easily as possible. yours needs to be "detuned". I will explain and try to keep it simple.

when you inhale you are creating a low pressure in your second stage which opens and lets air in (aprox. 140psi). and the more finely tuned the reg the more rapidly this happens. now each time this happens the diaphram moves and a noise hence the shuddering sound that you hear.

any questions?

 

[Dee]

I have noticed when using various regulators, that I'll occasionally get the same 'shuddering' sensation. I tend to breath in very slowly and deeply. It was suggested by a technician that I was not inhaling strong enough for the 'cracking pressure' it was set at. Does that make sense? I understand the basic workings of regulators, just not all the terms!

Maybe I need to alter the way I breath.

 

[rainreg]

Hello in rebut to the remark your regulator needs to be detuned. That is an incorrect statement. There are three reasons why a regulator will shudder:

1. The second stage has been set to be too sensitive, therefore creating a turbulent action within the second stage body.

2. The second stage has been set to rigid, where there is a need to inhale too deeply or quickly to overcome cracking pressure, thus also creating a turbulent action within the second stage body.

3. The incorrect repairs of the 1st and second stage reg. this tends to be more likely the reason. The hp and lp seat from some manufacturer’s has 2 sides one side is for use the other has a slight depression in the center, those seats are just turned around to use the other side (which was not intended to be used) the depression in the center of the seat will cause cavitation and turbulence in both the 1st and second stage, therefore a shuddering sensation to the diver upon each inhalation. With the exception of the Dacor extreme second stage (which had some design flaws which consistently showed breathing simulations of shuddering, those problems have been corrected by Dacor and that model should not have problems like that any more) But getting back to the initial problem there is not a regulator manufactured today that has shuddering problems in the second stage after the proper repairs and setting to manufacturer’s spec's.

As far as giving anyone that is not a qualified regulator repair technician advice on doing repairs to their own equipment, which is (life support equipment) I would not recommend it because "you" will assume the liability if that advice is followed. And it is also against the policies of the manufacturers.

 

[Dee]

I have no intention of working on any of my life support gear myself. Thanks for the information, the reg is back at the technicians now for corrections.