Is the T3 a worthy upgrade over the B2?

[Sonic04GT]

What were the issues?

Actually, I made a thread about it, with a video. Here ya go:

Atomic Regulator hissing. Is this normal?

Just got my B2 back from overhaul. With the adjustment knob turned all the way out (lightest breathing), if I purge the regulator, it lightly hisses for another 10 seconds or so once released. If I put the adjustment screw in a couple of turns, it stops as soon as I release the purge. Is this...

scubaboard.com

I'm pretty sure I did end up going back to the shop, after those last comments. I don't distinctly recall. I want to say they replaced the seat or something?

It's been 3 years and 11 dives since service I need to get out more.

 

[rsingler]

I'll probably go for 10 years between servicing with a T3

Here's the thing about titanium...
If you are a doubles diver, you know how stainless steel "galls". Once you honk those backplate bolts down, you are hard pressed to get them apart, because the SS nut "welds" itself to the bolt.
Well, if you think SS galls, wait til you've seen titanium!
Here's a pic of a cap and turret from an original T1. The guy wanted it serviced, but I couldn't get the stainless turret bolt out of the titanium turret! Remember, they've since changed to Monel.
Well, I stripped a big hex key. So I hammered in a slightly larger one. No luck. Then I started drilling out the bolt, and trying bigger and bigger screw extractors. Then I soaked it in WD-40 for four days (I'd already ultrasonic'ed it to death).
After drilling it out to within a gnat's whisker of cutting the cap threads, it FINALLY started to move, screeching all the way. I replaced it with Monel.

Don't wait ten years to remove and replace the DIN/Yoke bolt. They're both titanium. Even if the IP is stable. I remove and clean my yoke bolts every year. Even tho' (for example) I have a sealed Mk10 that's now 7 years between services. Yeah, Atomic fixed the turret galling problem. But not the yoke/DIN bolt.
Jes sayin'...

 

[BoltSnap]

Here's the thing about titanium...
If you are a doubles diver, you know how stainless steel "galls". Once you honk those backplate bolts down, you are hard pressed to get them apart, because the SS nut "welds" itself to the bolt.
Well, if you think SS galls, wait til you've seen titanium!
Here's a pic of a cap and turret from an original T1. The guy wanted it serviced, but I couldn't get the titanium turret bolt out of the turret! Remember, they've since changed to Monel.
Well, I stripped a big hex key. So I hammered in a slightly larger one. No luck. Then I started drilling out the bolt, and trying bigger and bigger screw extractors. Then I soaked it in WD-40 for four days (I'd already ultrasonic'ed it to death).
After drilling it out to within a gnat's whisker of cutting the cap threads, it FINALLY started to move, screeching all the way. I replaced it with Monel.

View attachment 740820

Don't wait ten years to remove and replace the DIN/Yoke bolt. They're both titanium. Even if the IP is stable. I remove and clean my yoke bolts every year. Even tho' (for example) I have a sealed Mk10 that's now 7 years between services. Yeah, Atomic fixed the turret galling problem. But not the yoke/DIN bolt.
Jes sayin'...

How often have you seen this issue? I haven't.

 

[lexvil]

How often have you seen this issue? I haven't.

I had the same issue.

 

[rsingler]

It's a subtle thing. Disassembling a titanium reg has a different feel than chromed brass.  Every time the DIN bolt comes out, it releases with a "snap" feel to it, though I've long since stopped looking to see if I cracked the part (because that's what it feels like).
Titanium is so strong, and torque wrenches are used so seldom, compared to "feel", that disassembly torque is almost always greater than assembly torque, due to slight galling. In industry where frequent disassembly is required, metals that are prone to galling get some sort of coating.
Lubrication can help, but you need to be really careful, because lubed threads end up with much larger axial load on the threads for the same torque, when they're lubed. When most of those lube molecules get squeezed out from between the threads over time, getting things apart can be near impossible.
Here's a brass reg I was sent where I actually broke a point on the hex getting it apart. When it came apart, it had been  heavily lubed, as well as probably over-torqued.

 

[Geo7]

Thanks @rsingler, great advice!

I had a DIN bolt on a T2X that needed a long extender and a good amount of force to come loose. The threads looked like new and I was amazed how strong titanium is. I confess I'd have a hard time going back to brass regs, as titanium is quite worry-free for me.

One more caveat: I once bought a used T2X that was sealed but either not filled well with lube, or the lube had all been washed out (entirely). The Monel parts had some surface verdigris that polished out quite nicely with micromesh (following rsinglers posts), but a shop would have probably charged for a new piston instead of restoring the parts. Rsingler will service a neglected reg for much less than an average shop. He'll also seal it perfectly.

So I'll only go 3 years / 300 dives between service, as Atomic recommends for titanium. Still industry leading!

 

[wKkaY]

Here's the thing about titanium...
If you are a doubles diver, you know how stainless steel "galls". Once you honk those backplate bolts down, you are hard pressed to get them apart, because the SS nut "welds" itself to the bolt.
Well, if you think SS galls, wait til you've seen titanium!
Here's a pic of a cap and turret from an original T1. The guy wanted it serviced, but I couldn't get the stainless turret bolt out of the titanium turret! Remember, they've since changed to Monel.

Is the MK25T susceptible to the same problem wrt turret bolt?

 

[Geo7]

Good question, I had it in my hands recently and think the Mk25T turrent bolt might be steel and thus prevent galling. Can someone confirm?