Aqualung Legend LX First Stage Failure at depth

[rsingler]

In testing phase now:
Here are old and new version Legends (pre- and post-2013 yoke retainer change) with substitution of an Aqualung Titan yoke retainer and removal of the ACD mechanism.

For those of you spooked by the ACD failure in this thread, and preferring removal over addition of the new shutter valve,
we may have a solution. Stay tuned...

 

[reefrat]

Staying tuned.
And nicely re-railed!

 

[jd950]

Wondering if there are any updates to this topic? FWIW, my inclination, without knowing more, would be to consider updating the first stage with the "new" shutter valve with the ridge, although I was told this was not supposed to be a replacement part for current regs. There are times when I like having the ACD in place, although I would not be opposed to removing it either.

 

[JackD342]

Wondering if there are any updates to this topic? FWIW, my inclination, without knowing more, would be to consider updating the first stage with the "new" shutter valve with the ridge, although I was told this was not supposed to be a replacement part for current regs. There are times when I like having the ACD in place, although I would not be opposed to removing it either.

No, nothing really new to add. Ordering that new part to replace at time of service would be a reasonable option for anyone concerned about the quality of service (get the torque right) done on their ACD. I shared enough of my thoughts with AL US that I am hoping it works its way up the food chain until France eventually makes that part change into a free replacement program, but I am not privy to any inside process or conversations to have a clue whether or not that will actually happen. Could be that between the holidays and the annual distraction of DEMA that it is just not at the top of someone's list.
@rsingler and I could provide parts list and method (not an Aqualung endorsed plan) for removing ACD if someone REALLY wanted to go that way, but I think that changing out the one single updated part is both sensible and less costly. (still hoping for FREE!)

 

[databob]

@databob
Thanks for sharing your experience. I just found this thread but didn’t have the time to read all 21 pages. Wonder if you could give us SBers a recap with what AL ultimate response was, if they ever did and if you have confidence in your AL regulators anymore. By the way, have you started replacing any of them yet?

I’m wondering if anyone knows what other brands/regulators have a ACD and could potentially fail as your regulator did. (Repost if that info was already discussed.... please.)

P.S. If you haven’t you should send your report experience to the dive industry publication “Undercurrent” as this is typical of what they like to report on.

Hi. I am sorry this is so late. I haven't been on SB for a while. I have attached the response from Aqua Lung. There was a service advisory issued and I assume it was in response to this. Not sure. I now dive with a Scuba Pro regulator and I have an Aqualung Titan as a back up reg. I got rid of the Legend that failed. I did report the issue to Dan as well as informing Aqua Lung. I am not down on Aqua Lung at all. Most all of my gear is Aqua Lung. I am down on the cursory process I went through when determining what regulator to buy. I am not sure what other regulators have the ACD.

This thread has gotten very interesting. I have learned more about how the regulator works by reading all of the posts and I have learned that there are a heck of a lot of people with a level of knowledge on how gear works that I wish I had. I bought the regulator pretty early in my dive career and I bought it solely based on a magazine rating (I know - not proud of this). I had NO idea what an ACD was until the first stage failed. I just always put my dust cap on. After the failure everybody on the live aboard was poking and prodding the regulator and wondering why the seat pushed in and out (the ACD). That's when I figured out this was a feature and what it was for.

I normally pride myself in learning things deeply and can't believe I never took the time to educate myself on my gear - especially the regulator. It'd sure be nice to have the option, like progressive scuba certification levels, to learn how the gear works, what the features are, how it is serviced and what you need to pay attention to. I'd gladly pay for those courses. I'd love to learn to service the regulator myself. If I were to attach a lesson learned to this thread - learn about the gear in detail before you buy. Add or decline features based on knowing the pros and cons rather than buying a regulator based on a magazine article. And always, always be within a few kicks of your buddy. This failure is rare but if it happens you'll instantly appreciate the buddy concept!

 

[PoolsOpen]

@databob
That was an insulting response from Aqualung to your email..

They basically said:

1. The issue you described can happen with the ACD mechanism (causing you to die)
2. However, they don't believe there is anything wrong with their design of the ACD.
3. They hope you have many more enjoyable dives!!!

Really??????

 

[Freewillow]

@databob
That was an insulting response from Aqualung to your email..

They basically said:

1. The issue you described can happen with the ACD mechanism (causing you to die)
2. However, they don't believe there is anything wrong with their design of the ACD.
3. They hope you have many more enjoyable dives!!!

Really??????

You are easely feeling insulted. The guy answered very professionally and said he would consult with the technical people at Aqualung. If your service is not done properlly, if you turn the regulator while under pressure on the bottle, yes you can dismantle it. Most people in Europe use DIN fittings. So for most of Aqualung customers there is no issue.

So I agree that youcannot be happy with the response. But to be INSULTED.....relax man

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

You are easely feeling insulted. The guy answered very professionally and said he would consult with the technical people at Aqualung. If your service is not done properlly, if you turn the regulator while under pressure on the bottle, yes you can dismantle it. Most people in Europe use DIN fittings. So for most of Aqualung customers there is no issue.

So I agree that youcannot be happy with the response. But to be INSULTED.....relax man

I disagree. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but that was a very dismissive response to a concerned customer.

If he gets a response back from the Aqua Lung service department, I might change my opinion, but that email would be frustrating as a consumer.

 

[databob]

In the interest of posting the full contact story - here goes.

My initial contact was in writing to the Aqua Lung Service department detailing the incident (9/3/2016) via the web site contact us page. The auto response stated I would be contacted within 5 working days. I was not contacted within that time frame so I took the regulator to a dive shop that services Aqua Lung (not the shop that did the service before the failure). That dive shop was pretty casual about the failure and, although I asked for a written report on what happened they did not provide it. I refused to pay and they gave me the loose yoke explanation via email. During the service time-frame Aqua Lung did respond to my 9/3/2016 report and asked that I take it to a service center for return to them. The reg had already been serviced so that was not done.

As I was posting here (25 pages ago) people recommended that I inform Aqua Lung directly via registered letter. I did so. The response above was to my registered letter and the response was consistent with the explanation I received from the dive shop.

There are 20 pages of this thread stating this failure could not happen (or that knowledgeable people could not figure out how it would happen). That the dive shop or manufacturer might doubt this failure is, in my opinion, understandable. I took (take) no offense to it, although I wish they had been a bit more responsive. It is, after all, a report of a first stage failure. It wasn't until I read of an identical failure in this thread and another in a DAN article that became confident that my issue was not one of the alternate explanations, but an actual first stage failure with no downstream air provided. I bought a Scuba Pro regulator so I could have service done by a different shop and deal with a different manufacturer in the future. To me, that is a satisfactory course of action and I have moved on.

It'd be my hope (expectation) that with 3 reported failures, all manifesting the exact same way, that the manufacturer would take the reports seriously and look at it - just for safety sake. I am grateful to people on SB for taking the time to offer explanations and helping me think through all of this.

Ultimately this is about scuba diving - escaping from work, the city, the cold weather, gravity! I love diving too much to get wrapped up in any negative emotion over this. I think my path forward is a good one for me and I am a better diver for it. T- 3 weeks and I'll be floating weightlessly in 80 degree salt water breathing air with 32% oxygen. Life cannot get better than that.

Happy Holidays to all of you!!

V/R Bob

 

[Freewillow]

I disagree. I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but that was a very dismissive response to a concerned customer.

If he gets a response back from the Aqua Lung service department, I might change my opinion, but that email would be frustrating as a consumer.

English is not my mother tongue but for me dismissive is not a synonym of insulting.

So I agree with you while I think the answer is dismissive, it is not insulting.