Question IP gauge and hose wrench?

[Pearlman]

Hey Folks,
Someone I know is in California right now and I want to take the opportunity to buy a regulator IP check guage to bring back to me. It’s not available in my country. I see this Northeast supply IP Guage and this other one seems to be an inline checker more oriented towards regulator maintenance technicians Dive Gear Inline IP checker . Which one should I get?
Also someone please recommend a good soft thin jaw adjustable wrench usable with proprietary Scubapro and other brand regulators. Heck even that generic tool is not available in my country - not online at least! I want to be able to change hoses on my own.
Would this serve as a universal tool for changing hoses? Scubatools wrench

I will be deciding on either an Apeks or Scubapro reg set next week (awaiting invoice/quotation) hence I need a tool usable with both.

Thanks

 

[Couv]

Someone I know is in California right now and I want to take the opportunity to buy a regulator IP check guage to bring back to me. It’s not available in my country. I see this Northeast supply IP Guage and this other one seems to be an inline checker more oriented towards regulator maintenance technicians Dive Gear Inline IP checker . Which one should I get?

That depends on your intentions. Are you planning on servicing gear or just want to keep an eye on the health of your first stage?

$12 if you just want to keep an eye on your first stage.
More if you are going to do servicing more often than once a year or so.
Search results for: 'intermediate pressure gauge' | Dive Gear Express®

 

[Couv]

Also someone please recommend a good soft jaw adjustable wrench usable with proprietary Scubapro and other brand regulators. Heck even that generic tool is not available in my country - not online at least! I want to be able to change hoses on my own.

Thanks

Again, if your going to do a lot of servicing see this thread.

Benchtop Vise Recomendations- split out from Regulator Service Technician Training - Unrestricted

I had the same experience with the thin wrenches, although the combo 9/16 and 11/16 is nice to have on hand for hose removal. Tools that you will constantly be working with (other than hose wrenches and a hex key for port plugs) are some wooden dowels that Robert will send you and a couple of...

scubaboard.com

If not, go to the hardware store with your regulator and carefully find the right size 3/8 & 7/16 inch bolts that will easily screw into your low and high pressure ports. You can use the bolts as handles or chuck them up in a vise. Alternatively, route out a piece of hard wood with a hole large to fit your first stage in. Place the block in a vise to steady it and there you have a regulator box that will be easy on the finish of your first stage.

 

[Pearlman]

That depends on your intentions. Are you planning on servicing gear or just want to keep an eye on the health of your first stage?

$12 if you just want to keep an eye on your first stage.
More if you are going to do servicing more often than once a year or so.
Search results for: 'intermediate pressure gauge' | Dive Gear Express®

Thanks. I went back to page 1 and also found a link to one on leisurepro so good to have multiple options. Yes I just want to do simple checks on my reg.

If not, go to the hardware store with your regulator and carefully find the right size 3/8 & 7/16 inch bolts that will easily screw into your low and high pressure ports. You can use the bolts as handles or chuck them up in a vise. Alternatively, route out a piece of hard wood with a hole large to fit your first stage in. Place the block in a vise to steady it and there you have a regulator box that will be easy on the finish of your first stage.

Not sure if I got that right - So you saying use the nut as a substitute/cover and then use any common wrench with it?

 

[rsingler]

Which one should I get?

Neither one is best suited to meet your needs.
The XS scuba has that odd extra adapter at the bottom to connect the fitting that goes on your bcd.
The online adjuster is nice, but few techs use an IP gauge at that point because it you can't easily see it while breathing from your second stage and adjusting the orifice.

Soft jaw pliers won't work if your Scubapro hose nut is really corroded.

Here are my recommendations:
Get a bcd adapter like this:

1/4" NPT thread to a standard bcd fitting. That way you can replace the gauge when it breaks with ANY gauge in your country that covers 0-300psi (or local metric units). The only challenge might be adapting from metric threads on the replacement gauge to 1/4" NPT.


In the meantime, this gauge has what you need.

Compact IP Gauge (PSI and BAR)

A compact intermediate pressure (IP) gauge for SCUBA applications

www.divegearexpress.com

It's cheap, and when the gauge breaks, you just pull off the rubber cover and replace it (perhaps with a metric adapter).

If you want a better gauge, this will work well:

Tech Diver IP Gauge - Universal Inflator

Tech Diver IP Gauges The Tech Diver IPG is designed for the individual diver who monitors the output performance of his own personal regulator. This scenario requires only one connection option selected to match the auxiliary hose connection on his regulator.The Tech Diver IPG is available in...

www.scubatools.com

As for your Scubapro splined hoses, this is the cheapest tool to reliably deal with it.

Scubapro Just-A-Wrench, Aluminum

Scubapro

www.scubatools.com

EDIT: Ah. As usual, @Couv beat me to it!

 

[Couv]

Bolt not nut. Or use old high pressure and low pressure hose fitting from discrepant hoses.

@Pearlman The DIY forum (Do It Yourself - DIY ) is loaded with information and helpful folks who can better answer your question than here in the regulator forum.

See: Info - Index: Dive Gear Parts & Tools

I think you might find this of benefit too:

Regulator Service Technician Training - Unrestricted

As so many threads have demonstrated, there is no small interest in Do It Yourself regulator service. My position has consistently been, "It ain't rocket science, but it is precise." Dive Shops (despite your $200 repair bill) are not paid what they deserve for properly performed reg service...

scubaboard.com

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This question and its responses have been moved from the Regulator Forum

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[Pearlman]

As luck would have it my Bro was on his way back from USA when I pinged him on WhatsApp! So now I am faced with the prospect of shipping a $30 item for $40 from the US of A! And then pay 40% customs duty to top it! Unless I can find this online in Singapore… Gah!

 

[admikar]

@Pearlman if I understood correctly, you want to do quick checks on your 1st stage to see if it holds correct IP? If that is the case, get yourself that $12 IP gauge, it connects to your inflator hose. Forget nuts and bolts

 

[Couv]

As luck would have it my Bro was on his way back from USA when I pinged him on WhatsApp! So now I am faced with the prospect of shipping a $30 item for $40 from the US of A! And then pay 40% customs duty to top it! Unless I can find this online in Singapore… Gah!

Relax, they are not hard to come by and see @rsingler post above that shows you all you need to know about making one from a generic compressor low pressure gauge found at the hardware store.

Alternatively, if you have the SP AIR2 type fitting on the end of your BC hose, see the pictures attached for an easy method of converting a standard low pressure quick disconnect fitting. Yes, a bit of grinding is involved, but it's an inexpensive and easy way to put together an IP gauge.

Here is a link with more detail.

DIY ScubaPro Quick Disconnect fitting for an IP gauge.

DIY ScubaPro Quick Disconnect fitting for an IP gauge. I was in the hardware store recently looking for God knows what and passed by the pneumatic fittings aisle when something familiar caught my eye. Hmmmm, that looks an awful lot like a ScubaPro Q.D. fitting, but has a ¼ NPT female end...

scubaboard.com

 

[Pearlman]

This is good! Industrial IP gauges are easily available in my country although the majority are up to 300 psi I think I can find one up to 200 bar with some searching. Standard air coupler with quick disconnects are like 2$ or less here. I have an Xdeep Zen so the LPI quick disconnect should easily fit the standard one I guess? Will post further updates on actual progress in the other thread after the regs actually arrive home a week or two later.

Thanks a Ton!