John_B
Grasshopper
Scott, you can get an intermediate pressure gauge that quick connects to the inflator hose of your reg set for about $25. Very useful for field testing problems like freeflows.
Apeks reg question
- Thread starter Scott M
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
OP
Scott M
Contributor
halocline
Contributor
I assume this a regular balanced barrel poppet style 2nd stage, like the SPG250. When you screw in the orifice, you lower the lever height, just as Ian suggested. This would mean there's play between the lever and the diaphragm, which is why your purge wouldn't work.
Try taking off the diaphragm so you're looking at the lever and you'll see what we're talking about. When you screw in the orifice, the lever will drop. You want to start by adjusting it so there is a tiny bit of play in the lever, then attach the hose and check for a free flow, then screw in the orifice just enough to stop the freeflow but leave the lever as high as you can. Then put on the diaphragm and see if it works; sometimes the diaphragm pushes a little bit on the lever and you have to screw in the orifice a tiny bit more to get the lever height correct.
It's a really good idea to depress the lever while adjusting the orifice. This separates the orifice and seat, so you are not inscribing the seat with the rotating edge of the orifice as you turn it inward.
If you can't get the reg to stop flowing with the lever height in the right place, it usually means something is wrong. Either the lever is bent (rare but possible) or there's a nick in the orifice edge (as a result of careless handling by the tech, unfortunately not that rare) or the seat has simply taken a deep enough groove inscribed by the orifice edge that it's time for a new seat.
Good luck; if this reg is not a barrel poppet style like the G250, then you can ignore this whole post!
Try taking off the diaphragm so you're looking at the lever and you'll see what we're talking about. When you screw in the orifice, the lever will drop. You want to start by adjusting it so there is a tiny bit of play in the lever, then attach the hose and check for a free flow, then screw in the orifice just enough to stop the freeflow but leave the lever as high as you can. Then put on the diaphragm and see if it works; sometimes the diaphragm pushes a little bit on the lever and you have to screw in the orifice a tiny bit more to get the lever height correct.
It's a really good idea to depress the lever while adjusting the orifice. This separates the orifice and seat, so you are not inscribing the seat with the rotating edge of the orifice as you turn it inward.
If you can't get the reg to stop flowing with the lever height in the right place, it usually means something is wrong. Either the lever is bent (rare but possible) or there's a nick in the orifice edge (as a result of careless handling by the tech, unfortunately not that rare) or the seat has simply taken a deep enough groove inscribed by the orifice edge that it's time for a new seat.
Good luck; if this reg is not a barrel poppet style like the G250, then you can ignore this whole post!
ianr33
Contributor
The diagram at the bottom of this link might help
http://www.diverclub.ru/File/Service_manual_2ndstage_apeks.pdf
The lever we are talking about is number 28 in the schematic
http://www.diverclub.ru/File/Service_manual_2ndstage_apeks.pdf
The lever we are talking about is number 28 in the schematic
OP
Scott M
Contributor
OP
Scott M
Contributor
halocline
Contributor
Looking at the manual, it is a barrel poppet reg so my other post is correct. Apeks calls the orifice "crown" and the poppet "shuttle valve", keep that in mind. Have fun with it.
ianr33
Contributor
I recently tok one of my Apeks second stages almost completely to pieces and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was.
Another useful tool is an inline adjusting tool.That lets you do the djustment this thread is about with the reg pressurised. No need to take the LP hose off 15 times until it is just right!
Dual Drive Adjusting Tool
Also got a life times supply of O rings from these guys How to Buy O-Rings For Scuba
Another useful tool is an inline adjusting tool.That lets you do the djustment this thread is about with the reg pressurised. No need to take the LP hose off 15 times until it is just right!
Dual Drive Adjusting Tool
Also got a life times supply of O rings from these guys How to Buy O-Rings For Scuba
OP
Scott M
Contributor
Rick, you may be able to stop that by replacing the small o-ring on the end of the shuttle valve where it goes into the balance chamber. We find this o-ring bad on a lot of Apeks regulators brought in for rebuild. If this o-ring is worn, twisted, or scratched, the balance of the second stage is an off and on proposition.
It is interesting to take a look on the inside of the Edge Epic second stage. The design of this second stage is identical to the Apeks regulators. The only difference is they chose to use two o-rings on the shuttle valve instead of the one used by Apeks. This gives a backup to this very tiny o-ring and makes balance problems in the second stage less likely.
Phil Ellis
Similar threads
