Highland Compact First Stage on a Pony; first DIN reg and what the hell am I doing!?

[HungoverDiver]

I am setting up a pony used bottle bought from a fellow scubaboard member. However, it doesn't look like my Highland Compact First Stage fits with the valve that came with the tank:
Valve


1st stage:


Together:


So there seems to be some exposed threading, which doesn't seem right.

I took the little attachment thingy off (what's it called?) and it seemed to thread correctly now:


Until the whole thing fell apart:


So, I give up. What am I doing wrong? This first stage should work with both "200 bar" and "300 bar" valves, and I believe this valve is 200 bar (hard to tell since there is a sticker over the print, but it says 3000 psi). Is there some other attachment I need to acquire? Do I need a new valve? Is having some threading exposed normal?

I was going to go to my LDS to get a VIP and fill, but I don't want to do that if I need to replace the valve, and then pay for another VIP and fill (granted, that's like $10, but still).

Thoughts?

 

[rhwestfall]

You purchased a 300 BAR DIN first stage and are using it on a 200 BAR DIN tank valve. That is how it will look, and it is fine to do this. The opposite, would not work..

(if you had turned on a charged tank with that end removed, it might have gotten ugly (things flying)....

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

This is normal because you are screwing a 300 bar Din reg into a 200 bar valve. Does it seal when you pressurize it?

 

[HungoverDiver]

You purchased a 300 BAR DIN first stage and are using it on a 200 BAR DIN tank valve. That is how it will look, and it is fine to do this. The opposite, would not work..

The exposed threading is OK then? Would it be better for me to switch the valve to a 300 bar valve?

---------- Post added January 14th, 2015 at 09:37 AM ----------

This is normal because you are screwing a 300 bar Din reg into a 200 bar valve. Does it seal when you pressurize it?

Haven't pressurized it yet... wanted to check here before I took it to the shop to get a VIP and fill.

 

[rhwestfall]

Does it seal when you pressurize it?

notice in the pictures (last one), the valve is off the tank.... (good thing too)

---------- Post added January 14th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ----------

Would it be better for me to switch the valve to a 300 bar valve?.

read this.... and decide for yourself

https://www.divegearexpress.com/gas/valves.shtml#2619

and:

https://www.divegearexpress.com/library/valves.shtml

 

[HungoverDiver]

read this.... and decide for yourself

https://www.divegearexpress.com/gas/valves.shtml#2619

and:

https://www.divegearexpress.com/library/valves.shtml

What is the difference between "200 Bar" and "300 Bar" fittings?

As of Fall 2012, Dive Gear Express only offers DIN valves with a 200 bar outlet because our suppliers have either discontinued 300 bar only outlet valves entirely or no longer offer a Nitrox Ready version. The two designs are nearly identical, but the 300 bar valve outlet is deliberately deeper so the shorter 200 bar connector will not be long enough to seat properly. This is a safety feature to prevent connecting a low pressure device to a high pressure supply, but it works perfectly well to use a 300 bar connector (like those found on most dive regulators) with a 200 bar valve outlet. The 200 bar outlet can also accept a screw-in adapter to convert the outlet to accept the standard 'yoke' style regulator fittings. It's important to understand that the "200 bar" or "300 bar" descriptions are just slang terms that have nothing to do with the pressure ratings of the outlets and connectors themselves.

Awesome sauce. Thanks for the link.

 

[tbone1004]

make sure you retorque the sealing surface.

with DIN valves the threads are only there to hold pressure, they don't do any sealing, that's the O-rings job. Exposed threads are a nonissue, but the lack of sealing is also the reason that after ocean diving you need to hose out the din connection on your tank otherwise salt can build up on the threads.

Everything looks fine otherwise

 

[halocline]

Would it be better for me to switch the valve to a 300 bar valve?

No, your set up is entirely normal.

 

[HungoverDiver]

Got the tank filled and attached the reg. Seems to work perfectly and will try it in the water tomorrow.