First stage bubbles?

[sillygrendel]

I have a brand new ATX200 which I have a total of 5 dives on. Yesterday I changed hoses (long primary, short spg, etc) and today immersed it in water to check for leaks. I checked all the hose connections and they look fine but... I saw a fairly slow but steady series of bubbles coming out of the seam near that silver part of the first stage. I also noticed a few bubbles SLOWLY coming out of where the DIN connection was put on.

On the last dive I forgot to bleed off the air before removing the regulator. :arrow: Sigh... Just after a night dive, needless to say I felt like an idiot and won't be forgetting that again... (I'm still pretty new to diving) I noticed that it has blown out part of the filter in the first stage. I had been meaning to change it to a DIN connection and had the parts with me. I took it to the LDS, explained them what happened and asked them if they would take a look at it and change it to DIN.

I had rented a drysuit from them so they were also taking their hose back. I got it back with the DIN connection and noticed they put a nice little gash on the body of the first stage.
:upset:

I haven't used it since then and have just checked it now. I've recently moved and so now have to take it someplace else to have it looked at.

How serious does this sound?

 

[SDAnderson]

...but probably not this afternoon. Take the regulator in, it needs to be looked at first-hand.

Steven

 

[divernva]

Check for missing o-rings on the hose and in the DIN filter.

Ken

 

[sillygrendel]

I was planning on taking it in and having it serviced. I'm still new to the area I'm in, what can I do to try and find a good regulator tech??

 

[SDAnderson]

Method #1:

Kill a chicken and cook as per your favorite recipe. No fair buying from the Colonel.

After eating the chicken at midnight on a moonless night, remove all the leg bones and scrub them clean. Pick them all up in your right hand and at the crack of dawn throw them down on the kitchen table. Record the direction that each bones points - the smaller end of each bone being the "pointer."

Plot the location of every dive shop within 25 miles that works on your regulator on a map. The one that's closest to the direction indicated by the chicken bones is where you take your regulator.

Method #2:

Get a list of all the shops in your area that carry the brand. The best source for this is probably the manufacturer's website.

Call them and talk to them. Who does the service? How long has he been trained? How many does he service each year? How much for an annual tune-up? Explain the problem and ask what they recommend. How long will it take them to look at it? Do they have the parts on hand? What will an inspection cost?

Bon chance!

Steven

 

[sillygrendel]

I shall aquire a chicken today!!

Maybe even get a bit of practice with the compass...

 

[Tm530]

You forgot to tell him to blow smoke over the bones.....

 

[sillygrendel]

After the chicken ritual it was devined that the piece of the body which holds in the diaphram was not tight enough and air was leaking out...

Of course NOW the HP hose is bubbling... The bones say it was a bad crimping job... Must send it back.

What rituals are recommended for BC problems?