Oceanic Alpha 8 flooding when upside down!

[pyrowill7]

Hi Guys,

I have a set of Oceanic Alpha 8's with a DX4 first stage. I tried diving with them about 2 weeks ago and the primary second stage occasionally let a bit of water in (nothing a good exhale wouldn't clear). But if I went upside down they seriously flooded. The dive centre I go to (who are anti Oceanic anyway) said that some were recalled at some point for possibly the same reason. Is anyone familiar with this? They are long need of a service anyway (was just a 2m deep test of them). is it something a service could fix? Or could it be a design flaw and this product was one of them that needed the recall?

 

[epointer]

Oceanic Recall

 

[pyrowill7]

Shock! I've never been lmgtfy in my life lol. Perhaps I wasn't clear, it was more if in your guys opinion was a regulator flooding when upside down potentially just a 'need of service' kind of thing?

The regs used to be used up until about 2010 by a dive school so I imagine they would have been recalled by then (since the recall seems to be about 2006). Also the recall is about the DX4 first stage when my problem is only one of my second stages.

 

[NCadiver]

Most likely a problem with one of the diaphragms. And a authorize dealer should be able to fix it.

 

[epointer]

If you put the dust cap on the reg and inhale (lightly) on the second stage can you suck in any air? A very small amount is probably ok, but any significant amount would mean that something is out of place or a diaphragm has a hole in it.

I posted the previous post just to show you that yes there was a recall, and you did say that they are long in need of service.

 

[GillScales]

It's not terribly uncommon for some regs to leak a little in the upside down position when exhaling, its some sort of water pressure\exhalation force differential thing, but if it's been awhile by all means have them serviced to minimize the issue.

 

[Superlyte27]

Guys:

This reg will breathe water upside down every single time. It's the way this reg (and many many other regs are designed). It's probably not defective.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

breathing wet or flooding?

When the regulator is upside down, the rubber diaphragm where exhaled air is now on the top, thus any air in the 2nd stage wants to float up and force the diaphragm open, especially if you are exhaling. When that happens, the heavier water surrounding it will flow into the 2nd stage and linger there, and when you inhale, you will suck that water in.

 

[pyrowill7]

It's not terribly uncommon for some regs to leak a little in the upside down position when exhaling, its some sort of water pressure\exhalation force differential thing, but if it's been awhile by all means have them serviced to minimize the issue.

It floods only on inhale, not exhale.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

That's because as you are inhaling the residual air in the body is also leaking out and keeping the exhaust just slightly open. As superlyte says it's normal and to be expected. I have an alpha 7 second stage which is the same reg with a 7 instead of an 8 on the cover and if turned upside down it will breathe wet. My GT3 & Delta 3 on the other hand were less likely to do so but they still would. The alpha is an entry level reg and it's not uncommon for entry level regs to do this. You are not going to fix it without somehow modifying the exhaust diaphragm so that it stays shut immediaty after each exhale no matter how much air is still left in the body. It's fine. Just don't dive it upside down.

About all you can do is have the exhaust diaphragm replaced which may minimize it but unlikely to cure it completely.

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