Check IP Every Dive

[srcalDiver]

Navy divers measure the intermediate pressure of their first stage regulator prior to each day's dives. I've never seen a recreational diver do so.

Should they?

 

[mksmith713]

I'm not sure rec divers even know how.
It's not something they teach in most Open Water or even Advanced Open Water scuba courses.

I am curious....could you enlighten me so I'm a more educated diver.
Thanks in advance....

 

[deepstops]

I have an IP gauge but I only check my first stages every few months.
I do log the IP for each reg though so I can see if they've drifted.

 

[battles2a5]

I'm not sure rec divers even know how.
It's not something they teach in most Open Water or even Advanced Open Water scuba courses.

I am curious....could you enlighten me so I'm a more educated diver.
Thanks in advance....

An IP guage can just plug into the LP inflator hose. It's as easy as connecting your BC. That being said, I don't check mine on a regular basis. If it breathes and doesn't freeflow, it's working

 

[muddiver]

That sound like a excessively redundant process if you are diving a modern regulator system. Any change in IP is only criticle if it is excessive, or you are doing some really extream diving that will stress your gear. Most second stage regulators will perform over a wide range of intermeadiate pressures which compensates for variations in settings from servicing equipment.

 

[Luis H]

I tend to check it most every week. It is so easy just to plug it into the inflator hose and I could detect a first stage leaking early, before it gets problematic.

I also keep a small IP gauge in my safe a dive kit. It has come in handy to diagnose regulator problems for several friends with modern regulators.

Navy divers measure the intermediate pressure of their first stage regulator prior to each day's dives. I've never seen a recreational diver do so.

Should they?

That is interesting, where did you see that?

 

[mksmith713]

I guess..if you dive alot between reg services, that's probably a good thing to do.
I don't dive nearly as much as I'd like to and have my regs serviced annually.
Not sure that would be necessary for someone like me.

 

[Nemrod]

Navy divers measure the intermediate pressure of their first stage regulator prior to each day's dives. I've never seen a recreational diver do so.

Should they?

Well, you better do it also then.

N

 

[captain]

Navy divers may not have one particular regulator they always use. They may just draw a regulator from the dive locker so they have would have no knowledge of its last rebuild or condition. In that sense it would more apply to the average diver who uses rental equipment than to the diver who owns his own regulator and knows its service record.

 

[terrydive1]

Navy divers measure the intermediate pressure of their first stage regulator prior to each day's dives. I've never seen a recreational diver do so.

Should they?

Although that was a previous requirement with the USD Conshelf's, we no longer are required to check the IP before each dive. In the last few years most commands have shifted over to the Mares Ice Proton as their primary regulator. When we changed brands I believe the new MRC's (maintanence requirements) have us checking the IP's every 3 mos. The commands that are still checking IP's before each dive are because the Master Diver, 1st Class Diver, Dive Supervisor, or individual chooses to have it checked.