MR12 Proton Screeching

[Big Toes]

Having read other posts on this site i may be duplicating something that has already been answered so apologies in advance.

bought this reg for my newly certified girlfriend last year. she complained that it was making noise and didn't feel comfortable diving it. so i dove it. a lot. this reg didn't simply make a small 'harmonic whatever,' it got to the point where it was full-on screeching and howling; fairly scary to say the least. so i put some more dives on it the thinking being that maybe it was just new gear and needed some breaking in. after about 50 dives, still super scary. so i sent it back to mares, and after the 2.5 MONTHS it took for them to look it at it i got it back with no note, no explanation, nothing. so i continued diving it with the same results as before and i am really wondering what is going on with this.

when i say it's noisy, i'm not talking about just the primary second stage as the octo does it also. people that i am in the water with give me strange looks because it's so loud it can be heard for quite some distance. small animals run for cover. and then at other times it will clean up perfectly and breathe like a dream with no problems at all.

am i missing something here or is this just mares' idea of running their own 'fear factor'?

 

[Zak OHara]

Big Toes,

This is not normal. Sending you a PM for more detailed information.

 

[Phil Mintz]

Big Toes,

Per Zak, this is not normal, please forward me in PM the same info and method to contact you. No Reg stays in our service department for 2.5 months, so something sounds wrong.

Once I receive the info, I will get it taken care of for you.

Phil

 

[do it easy]

PM sent

 

[scuba pirate]

I have a Mares Proton MR12 and I have had mine make the exact same noise you described once but I took it out of my mouth underwater and just hit the purge for a few seconds and the noise cleared up and it has not done it since, I have a mares proton octo as well but it has never made that noise.

If you guys find out any info on what was causing this noise I would still like to know in case I need to have some problem corrected. I have since had the whole rig serviced with no problems, and it has breathed fine. Im still curious to know what cause it though

 

[Zak OHara]

Big Toes,

Your regulator is on its way back to you now. Should breathe perfectly as it has been serviced and tuned to factory specs by our technician. Just a note, both your regulator and octo had holes in the mouthpiece.

Scuba Pirate:

Generally it is a harmonic sound created by airflow over the 2nd stage poppet spring. Most of the time it can be remedied by simply turning the spring over. This should be done by a tech.

 

[Harro10]

Zak and Big Toes:
I had a similar problem from the first stage. I had used the primary and octo second stages and the sound continued as described in this post,

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=178512

I called Mares as requested but could find no shop to service the equipment any where near me so my son had it serviced in Columbus, OH. The shop told him they found a high pressure leak in the first stage and corrected it.

I am off to Roatan in two weeks so I will test it out there.

 

[daveconc]

Hi,

I'm also experiencing exactly the same problem with my new MR12/proton reg. Just found out yesterday during two dives.

I'm in the Philippines (local resident) and bought the reg from a local dive shop here.

However, I do know that Mares recently has a new authorized distributor here (and not anymore the dive shop where I bought mine). Is the service also been transferred? Just asking in case some of you knew about it....

I reckon I should just return my reg to the dive shop where I bought it and let them look into it?

TIA

 

[Phil Mintz]

Simply bring it to the place of purchase. They should service it.

Phil