Problem with New Atomic B2 - hitch on inhale

[Talon]

Hopefully someone can give me some advice on what might be happening with my reg. I'm taking into the shop in a few days, but I would like to go in "somewhat" educated.

Background: I just bought my B2 a few weeks ago. I've had the oppurunity to dive it over two weekends since. The first weekend I had ZERO problems and LOVED it. Then this last weekend I did a morning and afternoon charter. The morning went off with no problems. But on the first dive of the afternoon trip I started noticing a small "hitch" on the inhale. Best way I can explain it is like this: I would begin a slow deep breath and about half way though I would sense/hear the reg hesitate for a VERY split second while it fully released and would then continue on with my breath. My mental image is that the value was not completly open at the beginning of the inhale, but would "pop" the rest of the way open during the ending of my breath. It also keep making me think of an old rusty screen door. One that that would get stuck against the floor for a few inches while your opened it.

Couple of notes: I never felt like I was not getting air. I can't even say I was noticing a difference in the "amount of air flow" pre or post hitch. It just didn't "feel" right. I tried adjusting the resistance knob, but had no effect. I also tried my octo, but it was fine. So the problem was most likely in the 2nd stage. Also, it was not every breath. Over the two dives I did that afternoon, I would say it was maybe 40% of the breaths.

My biggest concern right now is trying to get my LDS (where I bought the reg) to understand what I am talking about and get them to fix it.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Michael

 

[Rick Inman]

Hopefully someone can give me some advice on what might be happening with my reg. I'm taking into the shop in a few days, but I would like to go in "somewhat" educated.

Background: I just bought my B2 a few weeks ago. I've had the oppurunity to dive it over two weekends since. The first weekend I had ZERO problems and LOVED it. Then this last weekend I did a morning and afternoon charter. The morning went off with no problems. But on the first dive of the afternoon trip I started noticing a small "hitch" on the inhale. Best way I can explain it is like this: I would begin a slow deep breath and about half way though I would sense/hear the reg hesitate for a VERY split second while it fully released and would then continue on with my breath. My mental image is that the value was not completly open at the beginning of the inhale, but would "pop" the rest of the way open during the ending of my breath. It also keep making me think of an old rusty screen door. One that that would get stuck against the floor for a few inches while your opened it.

Couple of notes: I never felt like I was not getting air. I can't even say I was noticing a difference in the "amount of air flow" pre or post hitch. It just didn't "feel" right. I tried adjusting the resistance knob, but had no effect. I also tried my octo, but it was fine. So the problem was most likely in the 2nd stage. Also, it was not every breath. Over the two dives I did that afternoon, I would say it was maybe 40% of the breaths.

My biggest concern right now is trying to get my LDS (where I bought the reg) to understand what I am talking about and get them to fix it.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Michael

FWIW, my M1 (same reg, really) did that a for couple of dives when I first got it, but until you mentioned it, I totally forgot about it 'cause it went away.

 

[Kestrell]

While it is probably nothing serious I would get it checked out any way. Why take a chance with your life.


When you rinsed the reg after the first weekend, did you make sure it was still hooked up to the tank and charged?

Atomic recommends you leave their regs hooked up when rinsing them to keep water from getting where it doesn't belong. If you didn't do this, that might be part of the problem.

 

[Talon]

Yes, I am taking the reg in later today and yes I did leave the reg hooked up to the tank when I cleaned it after my first trip. Although irconically I didn't after this trip. I came home and crashed and my wife was a sweetie and cleaned out my gear for me. She just dunked it in the faucet and washed it out. She keep the first stage higher then the second so I don't expect any issues. Although when I woke up and found out she had cleaned my gear I took the reg out and attached it to a tank and blew out any residue.

I'll post what I find out from my LDS.

 

[redacted]

Your description of what is happening should be all the LDS needs to understand the problem. I would expect they will test it to see if they can reproduce the problem. If they can, great. They will have seen it first hand before they service it. Even if they don't, I'd expect them to disassemble, inspect & clean that 2nd. May just be some dirt hanging around in the barrel or balance chamber. Or a problem with the lever, diaphram, barrel or poppet. While it is almost surely not life threatening, it ain't right in a top of the line reg. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Talon]

Quick update. I just got back from the LDS. They were very nice and did a quick turn around on it for me (just a couple of hours). They found a pin hole in the diaphragm, but outside of that they couldn't find anything else wrong. They said they bench tested it and found no problems.

Not sure what else to do but try again on my next dive and hope that when they checked everything out, what ever it was slipped back into place.

I have apprecaited the dive shop and their efforts. But this is what I was concerned about. By not being able to give them a better description of the problem, it has become harder for them to locate the issue.

If anyone has any ideas or thoughts, please drop me a line. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

Your description of what is happening should be all the LDS needs to understand the problem. I would expect they will test it to see if they can reproduce the problem. If they can, great. They will have seen it first hand before they service it. Even if they don't, I'd expect them to disassemble, inspect & clean that 2nd. May just be some dirt hanging around in the barrel or balance chamber. Or a problem with the lever, diaphram, barrel or poppet. While it is almost surely not life threatening, it ain't right in a top of the line reg. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Lightning Fish]

If it still happens, ask who ever services your reg at your LDS to take your reg for a dive. Have them try and duplicate the conditions you are in when the 'hitch' occurs. Better yet, go dive with them.

I hate it when diving and automobiles are compared in an analogy, but, when you have a problem with your car, the mechanic usually takes it for a test drive to help identify the problem.

Bill.