How does this happen?

[a-marshal]

How does this happen?

(sorry if this is the wrong forum)

After an annual service the first time we hooked the gauge to a tank it slowly started to fill with murky fluid (water?), eventually looking like the attached image. When submerged there were no bubbles from the gauge or hose. We swapped out the gauge and after a few days the fluid was gone leaving a film on the crystal and a non-functioning thermometer. The tank it was hooked to was a tank from a busy resort op., it breathed well and we couldn't detect any moisture in the gas.

I can't think of any way this could NOT have been the fault of the service.. but before I get all cranky at the shop is there any other way this could have happened?

Thanks

 

[Hickdive]

If it hasn't been dived since service then the water must have been trapped in either the HP hose or the first stage and, once the regulator has been pressurised, the water has been forced into the gauge body.

I'm afraid it looks to me that you've had a bad service - possibly even a 'service' where they simply dunk the un-dismantled first stage in a bucket of cleaning solution until it is shiny, then drain it and hand it back.

I'd be taking it back to the shop.

On the other hand, if it has been dived then the gauge casing may be cracked allowing water in or the reg has been rinsed without protecting the first stage from water ingress.

 

[iamrushman]

is that soapy water in the gauge and is that green and uncleaned at the connection?

 

[redacted]

If it hasn't been dived since service then the water must have been trapped in either the HP hose or the first stage and, once the regulator has been pressurised, the water has been forced into the gauge body.

I'm afraid it looks to me that you've had a bad service - possibly even a 'service' where they simply dunk the un-dismantled first stage in a bucket of cleaning solution until it is shiny, then drain it and hand it back.

I'd be taking it back to the shop.

On the other hand, if it has been dived then the gauge casing may be cracked allowing water in or the reg has been rinsed without protecting the first stage from water ingress.

In a properly working gauge, HP gas is contained within the bourdon tube mechanism and the gauge case remains at ambient pressure. Water visible in the gauge case usually enters through a defect in the case and should not be related to pressurizing the SPG. Might be hard to blame the service when it does not look like the SPG was serviced.

 

[emoreira]

As AWAP said, that SPG seems to have the housing cracked. The air in the tank goes to the Bourdon tube inside the SPG, not to the housing. If water entered the housing, then it's cracked somewhere.
That SPG seems to be condemned.

 

[Hickdive]

Out of curiousity, why bother quoting my post when you haven't read it?

 

[Yoyodyne-88]

Out of curiousity, why bother quoting my post when you haven't read it?

Did you read their answer?
They correctly pointed out that your statements display an apparent ignorance of how a SPG actually works.

 

[Scared Silly]

As folks have noted the air from a regular goes into Bourdon tube inside the SPG, not into the housing. The housing is basically sealed at ambient pressure. Now this is not to say the Bourdon tube could not have a leak. In that case the air would leak into the case and the pressure would eventually build up, crack the case, escape and one would see bubbles when submerged. That does not seem to be the case.

However, that would not explain the water in housing. For that to happen there are two possibilities. Lets continue on with the leaking bourdon tube. If there was water in the first stage it is possible for it to travel into the case. However, if one examined HP hose and the HP outlet of the first stage one would see a pin hole. It would take a fair amount water and time for the amount of water shown in the case to accumulate. The HP side of most regs is not that large.

As such, it is highly doubtful that the bourdon tube has a leak. As it would be for the first stage to be full of water.

More commonly and as noted the case of the SPG develops a crack which allows water to enter when submerged. Now what is odd is the OP noted the water before being submerging the gauge. So why now? I am going to say pure coincidence - the gauge was probably in right position that allowed the water to move from the "back" of the gauge to the front where it could be seen.

Why did the water disappear? Once it was left alone it probably warmed up enough it evaporated.

Now the real oddity is what was the source of the water? It could have happened during service if the shop did a wet check. But even when I do a wet check there is not much pressure as such it would be hard for that much water to enter unless there was a significant crack in the housing. As such, the water could have been in the case from the last dive.

For the OP can you give a time line from the last dive, to service, to recent dive ???

 

[BRT]

If it makes you feel any better that particular Oceanic gauge fails like that on a regular basis.

 

[a-marshal]

For the OP can you give a time line from the last dive, to service, to recent dive ???[/COLOR]

Thanks very much for the explanation, I actually got all of that.
Timeline ...
diving local (and shallow) end of Aug as far as I remember all was well.. (prior to the Aug dives it was last April)

regs dropped off for service Sept 17 picked up Oct. 16 (no tanks at shop)

hooked to a tank in Cayman Oct. 18. noticed loose inflater(sp?) hose, upside-down computer console then this...