vintageair
Registered
I was rinsing and drying our SP-5/ Alpha 8 rig after using it while my wife's primary rig was in for its regular service. I just noticed these cracks where the hose connects to the main body of the second stages. There are very fine cracks in both the Main and Octo Alpha 8s. They are distributed evenly around the valve assembly but nowhere else. The cracks are almost invisible in daylight (look like a light scratch), but if you use a common white LED flashlight they become quite visible. The cracks extend around the edge of the case toward the metal valve assembly threads. There are no other cracks visible anywhere else on the cases.
Both these Alpha 8s were purchased new (with the SP5) at the same time and have been used very little. This rig is primarily used when my daughter dives with us and as a back-up rig when our main rigs are being serviced. I always rinse and then soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of fresh tap water for a few hours then hook up to a tank and blow dry air thru them before storage. They are always stored in a protective regulator case.
We are pretty careful with our gear. Both my wife and I still dive with our original ScubaPro 108 and 109s that we bought when certified in '83.
What's going on with these Alpha 8s? ----- 2 Pictures attached:
Octo:
This is the Main (Primary) 2nd:
Both these Alpha 8s were purchased new (with the SP5) at the same time and have been used very little. This rig is primarily used when my daughter dives with us and as a back-up rig when our main rigs are being serviced. I always rinse and then soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of fresh tap water for a few hours then hook up to a tank and blow dry air thru them before storage. They are always stored in a protective regulator case.
We are pretty careful with our gear. Both my wife and I still dive with our original ScubaPro 108 and 109s that we bought when certified in '83.
What's going on with these Alpha 8s? ----- 2 Pictures attached:
Octo:
This is the Main (Primary) 2nd: