Chrome flaking off the seat

[scubafanatic]

So let me get this right...

You bought a regulator off of ebay and did not plan on having it rebuild the first day you received it?
The yoke retainer is replaceable, if it has heavy wear on it then it should be replaced.

...where did you hear the yoke retainer is replaceable ? ....it's NOT replaceable on the Aqualung Titan.....I know this the hard way when an ex-dive bud damaged mine a few years ago when the tank with reg on the tank popped out of the boat rack and impacted the steel deck! The impact was hard enough to allow the tank valve mating surface slightly impress a slight dent on the reg where the reg mates with the tank valve......just enough damage to make me paranoid and have the dive shop replace it...problem was, on that reg, the reg 1st-stage body has to be replaced as the yoke retainer isn't replaceable......so don't assume it's replaceable on all regs. If the OP spends the kind of $ I did on my Titan.....parts/labor...well, a new-warrantied reg would have been cheaper in the end.

 

[shogan]

I've looked at the the schematic I don't see any way that the part in question is replaceable.

 

[fppf]

Yeah, I looked at my manuals more closely.
The retainer nut and yoke IS replaceable. However that said, these two first stages use a male thread on the regulator body, the retainer nut threads below the base of the male thread on the body. This base is the sealing surface. So yes, if its the actual sealing surface you need to buy a new body, which is most of the cost of the regulator.

 

[redacted]

Yes, some regulator have the male connection in the body and the female connection in the yoke nut and the seating surface is in the body. So the seating surface will not be renewed by a new yoke nut (which is always replaceable if it exists). If the defect in the chrome causes a leak then you may need to clean up the surface or retire the regulator. But chrome is quite thin and the o-ring will likely seal OK.

As far as the concern about a DEFECT in the sealing surface with 3000 psi, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you would like a little extra protection against extrusion, go for the expensive $.50 urethane duro 90 o-ring rather than the more common $.05 nitrile or even the $.10 EPDM or Viton.

 

[cbmech2]

I would think that as long as that surface was flat, there shouldn't be a sealing issue. I have had several with chrome flaking and it was not an issue. However, if you absolutely, positively cannot use the regulator, then I will be more than happy to take it off of your hands and dispose of it properly.

 

[meesier42]

just looked at the manual, this reg has the male threads on the 1st stage body so its not replaceable. but...

it shouldn't matter, assuming that you do your pre-dive checks above and below (buddy checks) the surface as you were trained to, you'll notice any leakage and if you do notice leakage, its still MUCH more likely that you have a bad tank valve o-ring than a problem with your reg, unless of course you ding the seating surface real good, then you might be S.O.L.

 

[keyshunter]

Sherwood Magnum 5300 model

Yes the part on the first stage that mates with the oring on the tank valve.

Looking at the schematics I don't see how that part could be replaced as it appears to be part of the primary body of the first stage.

So I'm hearing 1 know way and one it should buff right out.

Guess I'll go have my first trip to the dive shop and see what they say.

Scrapes and scuff anywhere but there would not have bothered me at all.

The part you are referring to on the 5300 is not replaceable. It is integral with the first stage body. But, there is no reason it cannot be smoothed out and used with complete reliability.

 

[herman]

Yeah, I looked at my manuals more closely.
The retainer nut and yoke IS replaceable. However that said, these two first stages use a male thread on the regulator body, the retainer nut threads below the base of the male thread on the body. This base is the sealing surface. So yes, if its the actual sealing surface you need to buy a new body, which is most of the cost of the regulator.

There is no need to replace the body. It is a very simple matter to reface the surface. Tape a sheet of 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper to a flat surface, dissamble the regs and polish the mating surface until it's flat. Wet the sandpaper and use a wide figure 8 motion with light pressure. This will remove the chrome if you need to go that far but the damage is cosmetic. Clean the reg of grit and reassemble. The shop who rebuilds the reg should be inspecting the mating surface and doing this any time they find a dinged up mating surface anyway so if you are using a good service shop, this is a non issue.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

On the Conshelf/Titan design, the fitting is mal and is part of the body. However, refacing is usually an option as there is usually more than enough metal above the retaining clips to allow a fair amount of metal to be removed if needed to reface the valve.

As for missing chrome - that is very common and is no big deal as long as the surface is still smooth and essentially flat.

 

[shogan]

The good side of it the seller said he would take it back if I wanted so I'll see what the sherwood tech recommends.