adjusting regulator by submerging reg ?

[Rich Keller]

Obviously regulator dependent but (with most Scubapros) I usually look for gas to be hissing before the water makes contact with the mouthpiece (sometime 1/4 to 1/2 inch before).

I never actually measured it but that sounds about right for the Scubapro R108HPs and R109s I use. I am hearing a hiss when the front of the reg hits the water and before the water reaches the mouth piece. I do not do this test when I am servicing the reg, I go more by just the feel of how it breaths, but this is what I look for on the first dive after I service the reg and every dive after that. When this stops happening it is time to tweek it a bit.

 

[halocline]

I add a few drops of food coloring to the water, makes it a lot easier to read.

I was going to make a wisecrack about Zung's homemade meter not having any food coloring, with the idea that since food coloring would slightly change the specific gravity of the water, it could result in false readings and then comment on his Swiss nature of ultra precision....

Food coloring is a good idea.

---------- Post Merged at 06:45 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:32 PM ----------

I think you are talking about how to check if your second stage is adjusted properly after service. I do not do this when I am servicing a reg but the simple answer is if you put the reg in the water mouth piece up it should free flow as soon as you put it in and then when you turn it over it should stop. That is how I know it is adjusted properly.

That's a little simplistic, at least in the context of this thread. I think the OP is looking for some advice about how far you should be able to submerge a 2nd stage, mouthpiece up, before it starts flowing. The difference between 1" and 2" is huge, for example. In his case, with a conshelf, that number will in part be determined by the IP from the 1st stage.

For me, I already obsess enough about regulator minutia to own a magnahelic gauge....that would mean I'd have to measure every single one of my 2nd stages and then spend hours trying to figure out why one D300 cracks at .76" while the next does at .83. I just measure subjectively with very light inhalations, and I get a pretty good idea of when they're good. Not very scientific of me...

 

[spectrum]

Obviously regulator dependent but (with most Scubapros) I usually look for gas to be hissing before the water makes contact with the mouthpiece (sometime 1/4 to 1/2 inch before). If it gets up to or above the zip tie, I may take another shot at the adjustment (or it is just a dog). If water goes into the mouthpiece before it hisses, there is a problem.

While you are working out the spot, do some more tuning and dipping. After a while you will get to know what your reg is capable of. I rearely take the magnehelic out any more unless I just have to try to get a number. With my regs, I usually decide if it is right based on how it breathes and a dunk.

That's what I do too and it's easy enough to get a reference on the diaphragm elevation. i was just questioning the vague answer.

At the end of the day if it breathes nice when it's supposed to what more do you need?

Pete

 

[chrisdoc]

Darn just blew $17 on scuba tools mouthpiece adapter.

 

[Rich Keller]

That's a little simplistic, at least in the context of this thread. I think the OP is looking for some advice about how far you should be able to submerge a 2nd stage, mouthpiece up, before it starts flowing.

It was a simple answer to a vage question. It seemed to me that he was looking for a way to gage if his LDS did a good job on his reg. Personaly I am not the type to obsess over a 1/4" and if he goes back to the LDS to complain that it cracked at 1 1/2" instead of 1 1/4" they are not going to be of much help.

 

[Zung]

Darn just blew $17 on scuba tools mouthpiece adapter.

Actually, it's a lot easier without a mouthpiece if you use a tube. I saved a mouthpiece my kid chew off for that purpose, but never actually got to use it.

 

[idive2]

Thanks for all the comments. I was always curious about the different ways to check if the reg is at least close to where
it should be. After my conshelf first stage is serviced I will have a general idea if I need to re-adjust the second stage.
I would rather know that it is close than spend an entire dive on a reg that is not breathing well. I will check my intermediate
pressure before and after service and decide if I need to re-adjust my second. I adjusted the second a few months back and think
I got it very close but it's nice to have a couple different methods to confirm this.

 

[idive2]

Slowly submerged my reg today, front cover facing down and mouthpiece facing up and sure enough started hissing
at about the clamp for the mouthpiece. Distance between mouthpiece clamp and diaphragm is about 1.5 inches so I guess this is
very close. This was a G250V that is breathing very well. Will do the same with my conshelf XI that is also breathing well.
Going to make sure my intermediate pressure on my conshelf 21 first stage is where it should be after its' service and maybe
experiment with the water colum in the tube just to see how close the conshelf XI second stage is. Will I be looking at
just the water column that is rising for my number or the difference between the two columns ?

 

[spectrum]

I used this same test today out on a dive. A buddy's primary had been free flowing at a prior dive site and she used my spare for that dive. On the way to dive 2 we stopped into a LDS and had a tweak made. She still felt it was breathing on a hair trigger and over delivering. I did the inverted test as we bobbed and it was barely touching the diaphragm when it cracked. She breathed gently and it behaved well enough until it can be tweaked a little more and hopefully tested this time.

Pete

 

[Zung]

... Will I be looking at
just the water column that is rising for my number or the difference between the two columns ?

If you're using a manometer, the cracking pressure is the difference between the 2 columns.