Da aquamaster, nozzle to body connection washer troubles.

[HM_legon]

Hello SB,

I was wondering if anyone had a tip or trick to fitting the Teflon washer between the body and nozzle of the DA Auquamaster, because I just keep crushing the damn things.

I thought all had gone well with my rebuild, but a small but constant leak from the nozzle to main body connection point told me not so much. (If I didn't have a pool and my own tanks I would never get into doing my own servicing)

Upon further inspection, I had utterly desemated the washer in the haze I had serviced the reg in after waiting weeks to get home from college and put all my new "investments" together.

After using the spares, or what I precived to be spares, from the service kit from scuba museum, and after destroying them too, I realized maybe there was something I was missing.

While I wait for a replacement washer to arrive, I'd like to hear if someone knows how to effectively seat this troublesome little washer at the bottom of the threads flush with the body of the reg.

was it just me being a little over zeloz with the BFW or is there some more finesse required in all of this?

Thanks,
Legon

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah, that stuff certainly squirms around, if tightened if not seated properly

 

[herman]

The problem is swapping between the phenolic and nylon washers and treating them the same. The old style phenolic require a good bit of torque to seal as opposed to the nylon ones which require a LOT less. If you torque the nylon ones the way the older phenolic style required you will almost always crush them. Personally, I prefer the older phenolic ones ( which require a lot of care when installing them to keep them in the correct position) but others like the nylon ones. Bottom line, install the nylon ones by hand then snug with a wrench but don't crank down on them. Test and if needed torque them a little more but don't crank down hard, you will crush them.
Another thing, make sure they go on straight. Dropping the washer into the body then installing the nozzle will often cause the washer to be out of alignment and will often damage it, esp the phenolic style. I put the assembled nozzle into the yoke, Install the washer onto the nozzle, keep the nozzle positioned with the gasket up, screw on the main body by hand and snug with a wrench. You can then inspect the gasket from the diaphragm side before finishing the assembly.


You can replace the washer without taking the reg completely apart if all you need to do is replace the washer but it's a good idea to at least back off the IP adjustment as much as possible before removing the nozzle. Assemble it as above, install pin and pin pad and tighten by hand, then use a wrench, It's easier to do with the cans off but you can do it with them on if necessary.