Can XTX50 be easily inspected and cleaned in the field?

[g2]

I'm looking at getting a new second stage, and I'd like one that I can easily open and inspect, and clean if necessary, and reassemble without tools or fuss. Does the XTX50 allow this?

(I'm not talking about pulling out the barrel and rebuilding the reg, just removing the purge valve cover and clearing any sand, critters, vomit, or whatever from the interior. My current 2nd whose brand shall not be named but rhymes with TubaGrow makes this incredible hard, and all the components are fussy and keyed.)

Anything else I should know?

Thanks!

 

[Paul M]

Apeks cover is threaded on, and not keyed.

 

[g2]

Apeks cover is threaded on, and not keyed.

Nice, simple. Thanks, that's what I wanted to see.

 

[jvanostrand]

The quick fixes most needed in the field are;

1. Adjusting the reg because of hiss. if the WOB knob doesn't make a difference you may need to change the crown height. Remove the hose and look inside the stem, you'll see either a slotted part, or a part with a hex socket. Turn that in clockwise. A little goes a long way, so 1/16th of a turn will correct a slight hiss. After re-assembly check to make sure the purge button still purges.

2. Clearing debris, like a pebble in the exhaust port. If a reg breathes really wet this is likely the case. Unscrew the diaphragm cap, use a rubber glove or if it's really hard a large pair of needlenose pliers with tips inserted into the cap's holes. Be very careful if you do that. Then clear the debris and re-apply the cap.

3. Torn mouthpiece. If a reg breathes a little wet, examine the mouthpiece for tears. This should be obvious how to replace.

4. Leaking hose o-ring. One simple mistake people make when attaching a hose to a second stage is they spin the hose nut. This is fine most of the time but every once in a while it will cleave off part of the o-ring. Spinning that nut is like simply pushing the hose o-ring into the reg stem, if it catches it can extrude a little and cut the o-ring. Instead, if you hold the nut and turn the regulator then the stem will rotate while the o-ring is forced into it, give it an opportunity to re-centre itself and likely prevent cutting the o-ring.

 

[shurite7]

I'm looking at getting a new second stage, and I'd like one that I can easily open and inspect, and clean if necessary, and reassemble without tools or fuss. Does the XTX50 allow this?

(I'm not talking about pulling out the barrel and rebuilding the reg, just removing the purge valve cover and clearing any sand, critters, vomit, or whatever from the interior. My current 2nd whose brand shall not be named but rhymes with TubaGrow makes this incredible hard, and all the components are fussy.

Thanks!

The brand that you didn’t want to list offered a second stage where you can unscrew the diaphragm cover off with no additional components - G260; it was designed for tech divers who want the option of being able to remove the cover underwater. My friend dives with Apeks and I SP, yet neither one of us thinks the other is harder or easier than the other. I service both brands and can attest to this.

On another note, if you want to remove the cover and mess with the second stage be sure to go to someone and learn how to do it properly. Many people have brought their reg to me stating they removed the cover to clean it out and messed it up or tore the diaphragm.

 

[g2]

G260; it was designed for tech divers who want the option of being able to remove the cover underwater

Well that's odd, because I was at my LDS yesterday with the intent of buying a G260 and saw that it had the same annoying plastic-pin-in-the-housing that makes it impossible to unscrew the diaphragm ring without using a tool, and difficult to reassemble without precisely aligning the screw-on ring.

 

[shurite7]

Well that's odd, because I was at my LDS yesterday with the intent of buying a G260 and saw that it had the same annoying plastic-pin-in-the-housing that makes it impossible to unscrew the diaphragm ring without using a tool, and difficult to reassemble without precisely aligning the screw-on ring.

There is a super simple solution to that - remove the pin. One can dive without it; I do all the time.

 

[lexvil]

I never put the pin back in my own Regs

 

[buddhasummer]

I don't use the pin either on my G250V or G260, it's not like the face plate is going to unscrew itself. Solution looking for a problem. I guess it "could" prevent someone doing it up too tight, but then decal wouldn't be centered.

Yes, a solution looking for a problem.

 

[buddhasummer]

Apeks face plates are often super super tight.