DIY hose/reg replacement?

[CozumelDiver]

I'd like to replace my LP inflator hose with a slightly longer one since I've recently changed BC's. I already have the hose and I hate to pay my LDS's "minimum" $25 service fee for something that will probably take about 2 minutes.

Is there any "magic" to replacing hoses? I figure it is pretty much:

1. Inspect the O-Ring, inspect/clean threads
2. Screw it in and tighten it down
3. Check it out in the pool before going on that $3K dive trip!

There is also probably a manufacturer's torque spec... are these fairly standard? (It's an aqualung Micra first stage...) Do you other DIY'ers adhere to torque specs or simply "tighten by feel" (C'mon you can admit it here...

Along similar lines, I'd also like to replace my current octo with the one on my "spare" reg set as I actually like that octo better. Same sort of procedure? (All first, second and octo's are aqualung). I know you have to consider the IP, when replacing regs, but I've read that if you stick with regs from the same manufacturer, this is not usually a problem.

I know these are all probably really basic/common sense questions, but since I've never actually "messed" with my regs before, I'm just looking for a little encouragement from other DIY'ers!

Thanks in advance for any responses...

 

[blackice]

Changing hoses is not rocket science, but it does pay to be careful as this is your life underwater.

It's quite simple to change hoses, but what some people forget is that some regulators need two spanners, one to hold the reg still and the other to turn, other wise the regulator can get wound too tight.

I would suggest that if you are aware of this and have seen teh tech guys put together you regs before and you have the proper equipment then you can go for it.

But remember that it is a risky this to do. And you don't have the full set up to test the gear like the shop does.

I personal take the gear back to the shop to get them to redo my hoses, I do tend to buy something or get something eles changed at the same time and that way they don't change me for changing a few hoses.

=-)

 

[ProMed]

Connecting the hose to the first stage I go finger tight and then tighten down less than 1/4 turn with a wrench.

I am also interested in learning how tight the hose should be with the second stage since I am planning to install long hoses.

 

[Tamas]

Connecting the hose to the first stage I go finger tight and then tighten down less than 1/4 turn with a wrench.

I am also interested in learning how tight the hose should be with the second stage since I am planning to install long hoses.

You just answered your own question!

Just do tha hose change, no biggie. As long as you dont cross-thread or overtighten the hose to the point that the o-ring is bulging out it's no rocket science at all.

Have fun and dive safe.

 

[redacted]

Scubapro torque spec is 80 in-lb. That's finger tight and just enough more that it can't be loosened by hand.

It's an easy job. Only thing you could to wrong is over torquing it.

 

[ScubaSarus]

A nice snug fit nothing too tight. Make sure o-ring is fresh.
I'de like to go to a 5 ft hose since I use my octo on a necklace I like the longer hoses

 

[captndale]

A nice snug fit nothing too tight. Make sure o-ring is fresh.
I'de like to go to a 5 ft hose since I use my octo on a necklace I like the longer hoses

I learned to dive in 1973. I bought a used Dacor 400 regulator just after I was certified. The next year I added one of those new submersible pressure gauges so I didn't have to rely on a J valve. The Dacor regulator I had did not have a high pressure port, but there was a conversion block available to add the HP port. The next year I got a BC vest (with an oral inflator) and then added a power inflator to it. I had to add a swivel tee to my regulator because it only had one low pressure port. Next came an alternate air source. A couple years later I got my first drysuit. It too came with an oral inflator. I added a power inflator and added another swivel to my regulator.

When I opened a dive shop in 1995 I was surprised when my customers would ask me to assemble a new octo, bc inflator or other hose to their regulators. It would never have occured to me to ask someone else to do this seemingly simple task. I never minded doing it, and certainly never charged for it, but until I had the shop I did not know that people would be hesitant to do these things for themselves. I wonder if it is because people today have so little mechanical skill or if it is that dive shops have been successful in in teaching them that regulators are scary, delicate mechanisms that they should never touch, except to assemble them to their tanks.

 

[stevetim]

I learned to dive in 1973. I bought a used Dacor 400 regulator just after I was certified. The next year I added one of those new submersible pressure gauges so I didn't have to rely on a J valve. The Dacor regulator I had did not have a high pressure port, but there was a conversion block available to add the HP port. The next year I got a BC vest (with an oral inflator) and then added a power inflator to it. I had to add a swivel tee to my regulator because it only had one low pressure port. Next came an alternate air source. A couple years later I got my first drysuit. It too came with an oral inflator. I added a power inflator and added another swivel to my regulator.

When I opened a dive shop in 1995 I was surprised when my customers would ask me to assemble a new octo, bc inflator or other hose to their regulators. It would never have occured to me to ask someone else to do this seemingly simple task. I never minded doing it, and certainly never charged for it, but until I had the shop I did not know that people would be hesitant to do these things for themselves. I wonder if it is because people today have so little mechanical skill or if it is that dive shops have been successful in in teaching them that regulators are scary, delicate mechanisms that they should never touch, except to assemble them to their tanks.

#1, the cost of the regs makes me not want to do much to it besides breathe it. I have plenty of mechanical skill. Enough to overhaul and change my own waterpump in my car. But when it comes to a breathing apparatus, I'll let someone with experience do that until I have seen it more than a few times and am comfortable doing it myself. The flipside of this is that there are probably fewer improperly torqued and connected first stages out there in the water.

 

[redacted]

I did not know that people would be hesitant to do these things for themselves. I wonder if it is because people today have so little mechanical skill or if it is that dive shops have been successful in in teaching them that regulators are scary, delicate mechanisms that they should never touch, except to assemble them to their tanks.

The scuba industry does everything it can legally do and sometime a bit more to keep divers from doing these things themselves. I guess I can understand it to a degree. A good independent tech might severly limit tech service revenue for some shops.

Comparing it to your auto maintenance, servicing your regulator is comparable to doing a brake job. And probably less of a danger to yourself and others.

 

[Scottri]

It just takes common sense to change a hose. The only potential problem is removing the hose from the second stage as was said eariler, use two wrenches. I've seen people crack the 2nd stage housing because they didn't think about what they were doing and cranked on it with a wrench.