Bad to get a breath on a regulator with closed valve?

[wnissen]

Item 4 in the regulator checklist thread says that one should gently breathe on a regulator with a closed valve / dust cap and there should be no breath forthcoming. I did this on my DIN XTX50 and the alternate doesn't breathe but the primary does. It's only 1.5 years old, maybe a few dozen dives, and I did get it inspected at the dealer but not serviced. Is this bad?

 

[Nemrod]

It is leaking around the mouthpiece or exhaust valve or diaphragm to case (or hole in the diaphragm). N

 

[tursiops]

Is this bad?

Yes. That means underwater it will breath wet. perhaps very wet. Get it fixed!

 

[tbone1004]

Item 4 in the regulator checklist thread that one should gently breathe on a regulator with a closed valve / dust cap and there should be no breath forthcoming. I did this on my DIN XTX50 and the alternate doesn't breathe but the primary does. It's only 1.5 years old, maybe a few dozen dives, and I did get it inspected at the dealer but not serviced. Is this bad?

performing a vacuum check is important. If you can't make a seal, then you have a leak somewhere. Usually the exhaust diaphragm or mouthpiece as @Nemrod said

 

[broncobowsher]

Valve off and line pressurized, you will get a breath or two. You are just depressurizing the lines. No big deal.

But with no pressurized air available, getting a breath shows a major problem. Where are you getting the air from? If not the tank and hoses it is air from around you. What happens once you are in the water and there is no air around you? You are now trying to breath water. Figure where the breath is coming from and you will know what problem needs fixing.

 

[Vitesse2l]

I found a small tear in the mouthpiece of my regs. Easy fix.

 

[James79]

Item 4 in the regulator checklist thread that one should gently breathe on a regulator with a closed valve / dust cap and there should be no breath forthcoming. I did this on my DIN XTX50 and the alternate doesn't breathe but the primary does. It's only 1.5 years old, maybe a few dozen dives, and I did get it inspected at the dealer but not serviced. Is this bad?

As others mentioned, exhaust valve not sealing, mouthpiece, or diaphragm are likely culprits.... Frogkick.de has the xtx50 manual, which details removal of the exhaust tee (looks like a tool free process on those). Then look under the edge of the mushroom valve for debris or damage to the sealing surface (or damage to the valve itself). If that's good, then I would swap the inspect the mouthpiece for holes/damage... If it looks ok, swap it with your alternate to see if the problem follows the mouthpiece. If the problem still isn't Identified, unscrew the faceplate (purge cover), and remove the diaphragm. Check for obvious damage, then hold up to a light stretch a SMALL amount one section at a time t check for pin holes.
That's the order I would check things (least invasive and cheapest to more invasive/expensive).
Respectfully
James

 

[wnissen]

As others mentioned, exhaust valve not sealing, mouthpiece, or diaphragm are likely culprits.... Frogkick.de has the xtx50 manual, which details removal of the exhaust tee (looks like a tool free process on those). Then look under the edge of the mushroom valve for debris or damage to the sealing surface (or damage to the valve itself). If that's good, then I would swap the inspect the mouthpiece for holes/damage... If it looks ok, swap it with your alternate to see if the problem follows the mouthpiece. If the problem still isn't Identified, unscrew the faceplate (purge cover), and remove the diaphragm. Check for obvious damage, then hold up to a light stretch a SMALL amount one section at a time t check for pin holes.
That's the order I would check things (least invasive and cheapest to more invasive/expensive).
Respectfully
James

That's extremely helpful. I did pull the exhaust tee and the valve looks brand-new, which it basically is. No debris under it it. I don't have a spare mouthpiece, but I will get a spare one and try that next. I do have a tendency to bite down which I am trying to moderate but that could well be it. Not sure I feel comfortable taking it apart beyond that, so I might need to get it serviced. Thanks very much.

 

[James79]

No worries, and absolutely don't exceed your comfort level on the maintenance side. As a quick check on the mouthpiece, if you have a couple extra zip ties, just swap it with the one on your alternate. If that makes the alternate leak and the primary seal, you'll know for sure it's just a mouthpiece.
Best of luck running it down
James

 

[Couv]

I don't have a spare mouthpiece,

You should have a spare mouthpiece anyway; but before swapping the old one out, remove it from the second stage and make a seal around the mouthpiece shank (the part of the second stage the mouthpiece fits on) with your mouth and test again. No leak means you've convicted the mouthpiece. A leak means something else is defective. Remove the hose from the suspect second stage and put your thumb over the air inlet and test again. No leak indicates something upstream. A leak indicates something in the second stage.

BTW The reason for gently inhaling is so as to not create a leak by collapsing the exhaust valve.