Problems with HOG regs

[billt4sf]

We bought two pair of HOG regs a few months ago. They were purchased thru DRIS and drop-shipped to us. There have been a couple problems, maybe posting them will serve to enlighten others, maybe best of all, HOG.

1) When we first got in the water with them, a second stage free flowed uncontrollably. We managed to detune it, but then we could not purge it at all. Inspection showed that the lever inside the second stage was not in the right position. We sent it back to DRIS and they fixed it for shipping costs only. They said it was not put together properly and sent back a spring and another part in a baggie labelled "bad".

2) on a recent dive, I took a couple mouthfuls of water off that fixed second stage (the same thing happened to my wifes second stage the first time she got in the water) and it turned out that the rubber gasket (I'm sorry I don't know all the proper terms) was stuck open. An easy fix, if you know what to look for.

3) The handle that you turn to tighten the yoke valve on the first stage has stripped (the plastic inside the handle stripped) on both first stages. No we didn't over tighten them, well maybe just a little. So now we have to use a wrench to take on or off our first stages. We are in Bonaire so no way to get them properly serviced until we return. The screw dimension is different from what shops have tried for us as replacements.

Sorry I do not know all the proper terms.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[beanojones]

So you know, there is a HOG manufactuers forum, unhelpfully called the Edge forum because that's the other line that HOG sells:

Edge Gear

The stripped screw issue is not really an uncommon problem in the last year because the factory that probably makes a bunch of the end resellers gear messed up and specified the wrong hardness of rubber/plastic.

Did you order HOG regulators with yoke fittings instead of DIN?

 

[AJMiami]

On #1, I think it is unacceptable that the OP was charged any shipping charge on a defective unit. Did you allow a long period of time between purchase and contacting the vendor with the issue?

I'm considering these regulators, so interested in the outcome and response

 

[cbm32]

I am a HUGE HOG/Edge fan, and I have purchased from DRIS with nothing but good results and excellent customer service. But, I totally agree that, unless these problems were not addressed with DRIS in a very timely fashion, the OP shouldn't get stuck for any shipping charges.

 

[chrpai]

For #1, my octo from DRIS free flowed a little when I got it. A quick detune fixed it but I did wonder if this should have got caught when it was assembled.

For #2, I try to always remember to do a vacuum test as part of my predive assembly / inspection checklist. I've had my exhaust flaps fold back more then once and I don't know why they would be doing that.

For #3, I was thinking about buying the Yoke conversion for my upcoming blackbeards trip. I'm not so sure now.

 

[cerich]

This is the first we have heard of this.

First of all let me apologize.

Secondly, let me be clear. We'll make this right.

As Beanojones said we did get a batch of yoke screws that the plastic was the proper hardness. It is more than a little upsetting. We have in fact stopped shipping the identified regulators from here but some did ship. The "bad batch" were a mix of good and bad yoke nuts. We will be happy to replace at no cost anybody who has gotten a bad yoke nut. It isn't a safety issue but is obviously a pain.



I can't tell from your post what regs you bought, nor can I tell what you mean by drop ship, did DRIS ship them to you or did DRIS ask us to ship them to you? In the end it doesn't matter because we want to make your experience better.

You are free to call us (my cell is 404 five 79 seven 631) email us edgediving at gmail dot com and let us know how you would like to get things fixed.

---------- Post added July 8th, 2013 at 04:02 PM ----------

In red

For #1, my octo from DRIS free flowed a little when I got it. A quick detune fixed it but I did wonder if this should have got caught when it was assembled. Yes it should have, there is always a slight variance between regs and when you assemble a second stage to a first stage the proper method is to adjust them so it doesn't freeflow and then cycle the second stage so the seat take a "set". Then check the tuning again.

For #2, I try to always remember to do a vacuum test as part of my predive assembly / inspection checklist. I've had my exhaust flaps fold back more then once and I don't know why they would be doing that. What reg? Honestly i am not getting reports of this as being an issue until this thread, plus we use them ourselves and really aren't seeing it.

For #3, I was thinking about buying the Yoke conversion for my upcoming blackbeards trip. I'm not so sure now.

We've pulled the soft yoke knob out of inventory.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Hi Bill,

I just pulled up your customer history, and unless the product was purchased under a different name, it wasn't purchased from us. That is most likely why you were charged for the service. Feel free to email me at mike@diverightinscuba.com and we can talk more about this. Your Main Spring and LP Seat had to be replaced. Again, if you can let us know your receipt or purchase order from us, I can take the charges away.

---------- Post added July 8th, 2013 at 01:19 PM ----------

For #1, my octo from DRIS free flowed a little when I got it. A quick detune fixed it but I did wonder if this should have got caught when it was assembled.

For #2, I try to always remember to do a vacuum test as part of my predive assembly / inspection checklist. I've had my exhaust flaps fold back more then once and I don't know why they would be doing that.

For #3, I was thinking about buying the Yoke conversion for my upcoming blackbeards trip. I'm not so sure now.

The one that was leaking, was that the Duroc purchased during the Black Friday sale?

 

[chrpai]

The one that was leaking was on my singles package purchased last spring. I'd have to look for old emails between us to remember if it was the primary or the seconday.

The DUROC is on a BP2 now and it's fair to say all regs are very well broken in and tuned now.

The DUROC is the one that seems to fold over the most. Who knows... maybe it's some kind of user error?

I need to get off my butt and order that Yoke conversion while it's still on sale. I don't really want to dive yoke for a week.

 

[cerich]

Do you tend to rinse your regs with a hose? Just trying to know what happens. it's also only happening one one of your HOG regs? I may trade ya a new one for it to see what's happening...

The one that was leaking was on my singles package purchased last spring. I'd have to look for old emails between us to remember if it was the primary or the seconday.

The DUROC is on a BP2 now and it's fair to say all regs are very well broken in and tuned now.

The DUROC is the one that seems to fold over the most. Who knows... maybe it's some kind of user error?

I need to get off my butt and order that Yoke conversion while it's still on sale. I don't really want to dive yoke for a week.

 

[chrpai]

Do you tend to rinse your regs with a hose? Just trying to know what happens. it's also only happening one one of your HOG regs? I may trade ya a new one for it to see what's happening...

I think it's just the one but I haven't taken a journal so I'm not sure. I usually use a hose on soaker or the kitchen sink on soaker. I read that thread about an older model that did this and what the housing looked like and that doesn't look like any of my cases. Also I don't get any current in Lake Travis and I'm rarely moving fast.

The DUROC is on my BP2 which is on an AL40 side slung. I'm not opposed to the possibility that maybe every in once in awhile I do something stupid like drag it in the silt or fold it over with the garden hose. Hence why I've gotten into the habit of a predive vacuum test on all my 2nds before each dive.