OTS Guardian Breathing Issues?

[Scuba Div]

Hi,

Apologies if i have posted this in the wrong forum! I have an issue with an OTS Guardian FFM (brand new) and I wonder if anyone else has experienced anything like it? I have sent the following to OTS but I thought I'd see if people in the water have come across it..


I purchased an OTS Guardian 2 weeks ago, tonight was my first shakedown dive with the mask in a 5m deep dive pool. On descent I immediately experienced a ‘’juddering’’ of the air delivery when inhaling through my nose? This juddering made inhalation quite intermittent / staggered instead of the smooth air delivery normally associated with a demand valve. It made the entire mask ‘’judder’’ on inhale?

This issue occurred nearly every time when I tried to breathe through my nose but it only occurred on two occasions during the 45 minute dive when I tried to breathe through my mouth? There is not any issue with mask fit (I checked for any leakages with my buddy).


To clarify:

· I have not changed or tried adjust anything with regards to the 2^nd stage regulator
· The regulator came attached with a hose that I have connected to an LP port on the ScubaPro MK25 1^st stage that I use with my Divator II. I also tried it with my Atomic ST1 1^st stage / Atomic M1 2^nd stage setup and got the same result.

· The purge button on the mask was virtually non-existent? The air literally trickled out when it was depressed. I have been using a Divator II prior to this and the force of the purge seems worlds apart?

· I also found that the rate of breathing effort was greater (in 5m of water) than on my Divator and certainly my Atomics, however I concede that this may be down to the fact that the Divator is positive pressure? Hope you can clarify.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Herb-alaska]

watching and waiting for a response as I noticed that mine has a continual shudder as well. It is not as smooth as the aga's positive and demand that I have used as well It has not bothered me enough to think about it being an issue but I would be interested in a answer if there is one

 

[Scuba Div]

Hiya, I have found a thread from 2010 that described the same issue. The OP managed to get a reply from OTS where they stated that silicon grease needs to be applied to the second stage to provide the correct friction and that this needs to be done every 5 dives??! (not great).

There is a commercial diving distributor and service company near me, I'm going to give them a call and see if there is a fix.

Will keep you posted

 

[anelson-OTS]

Apologies for not getting to this question sooner. I've been trying to create a bigger presence on the forums and answer questions people may have. I'm a somewhat newer user on ScubaBoard, but may be able to help out with this question.

If you take a look in the exhaust port(s) of your regulator, you may need a flashlight, but you will notice that on the counter pressure guide, there is a post, that when pressed presses into the counter pressure disk. (There is only one post, located in the center of the exhaust port that you will see, should be easy to spot)

You should put a match sized head size of silicon grease near the hole that the counter pressure guide goes into to help eliminate any shuddering that you encounter.

This should help to dramatically reduce or eliminate all shuddering.

If you still need help feel free to let me know and I'd be glad to help out. Hope this helps!

 

[MikePDX1962]

What type of silicon grease is recommended? I have a Divator mk2 that shutters on inhale. I know the post or nub on diaphragm that is talked about. I use Scubapro mk25 first stage as well.

Mike

 

[anelson-OTS]

Hi Mike,

If your AGA mask is shuttering, it is probably a lever height adjustment issue (usually too low) or *potentially* the shaft of the lever should be slightly greased so that it can move freely in the sealing sleeve. If your mask "honks" on inhale, greasing the shaft of the lever is what helps that go away.

Hope that helps!

 

[MikePDX1962]

Hi Mike,

If your AGA mask is shuttering, it is probably a lever height adjustment issue (usually too low) or *potentially* the shaft of the lever should be slightly greased so that it can move freely in the sealing sleeve. If your mask "honks" on inhale, greasing the shaft of the lever is what helps that go away.

Hope that helps!

I just cleaned my Divator MK2 mask. Flushed out second stage and reassembled it. It’s positive pressure mask, and when I take a breath cause the safety stop lever to release the mask goes into free flow. Pressure inside mask seems high and blows constantly. I have check for all rings and assembled correctly from the parts diagram online. Seems like the inlet piston is don’t cause the pressure to lower on exhaling . Can you give me some insite. I am very mechanically inclined and am reading all I can on this. I tried 2 different 1 stages and preformed the same way.

Does this sound like shaft needs grease? What type of grease?
Mike

 

[MikePDX1962]

I believe I need the white plastic disc p/n 460 190 393 that goes between the spring and the diaphragm. I don’t see one inthe mask now and I can’t find it now that I cleaned it. My dog looks guilty so she may have consumed it. I have a Divator mk II with positive pressure in black. Can I get one from you guys or do I need to go through a dealer or dive shop. This really sucks.

Part number 460 190 393

My email is lindbladme@yahoo.com and my number is 971 732-0840.

Please advise what I can do to get mask working again, it’s been driving me crazy here.

Mike Lindblad
13970 SW Brightwood st.
Beaverton, OR 97005
971 732-0840
Lindbladme@yahoo.com

 

[anelson-OTS]

I just cleaned my Divator MK2 mask. Flushed out second stage and reassembled it. It’s positive pressure mask, and when I take a breath cause the safety stop lever to release the mask goes into free flow. Pressure inside mask seems high and blows constantly. I have check for all rings and assembled correctly from the parts diagram online. Seems like the inlet piston is don’t cause the pressure to lower on exhaling . Can you give me some insite. I am very mechanically inclined and am reading all I can on this. I tried 2 different 1 stages and preformed the same way.

Does this sound like shaft needs grease? What type of grease?
Mike

Hi Mike,

If you are using a Positive Pressure AGA Mask, on the first inhalation the regulator's lever is should pop open and free flow. This feature is what makes positive pressure masks, positive pressure. On the surface (outside of the water column) if there is a dangerous gaseous environment and you have a compromised seal on your mask, the mask should free flow out in so that you would not inhale the gas.

When the mask is placed on your face, the mask should "inflate" with air once the lever is popped open with your first breath. If you have a good facial seal, the back pressure should force the regulator to stop free flowing.

If you pop the lever open while the mask is not on your face, it should free flow constantly until the lever is pushed back in.

I checked in our database and we currently do not have you as a certified technician on the mask (through OTS), so unfortunately I cannot sell you the Sealing Disc. For this piece you'd need to go through a dive shop or send it in to us to outfit.

 

[MikePDX1962]

Amdy,

Thank you for the reply, I think I can get the lost white plastic disc p/n 460 190 393 from my local dive shop, the FFM seems pretty straight forward on repair and service, there are very good videos and writings as to repair and service, so I am confident with preform my own work.

I always go to my local pool (Olympic size) where its 20ft deep and they allow scuba gear to be worn to test and practice with gear.

Thank you again.

Mike