Question on Regs, hammering!

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lsorenson

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Regs have about 150 dives on it and just serviced (can we leave the manufacture out of the equation for the moment?)

Anyway, in the water (warm) and during a inhale, I heard this hammering sound; felt like a good rattle and then a "bam!" It was coming from the first stage and lasted pretty much the entire dive (@ 1 hour or so) Stopped doing it on the next dive (I think but did stop) but I did keep my buddy close during the dive...

I read about the harmonic but found nothing about this hammering sound... Not sure what I can equate this sound to but maybe a pile driver off in the distance...

Any thoughts on this? lee
 
Did you check the "static" i.p.?
What about i.p. recovery after inhalation?
Is there any i.p. creep?
Other than the noise, did the reg breathe OK, subjectively speaking?
Could your buddy hear the noise emanating from your first stage?

I'd take the reg back to whomever serviced it last and describe the issue.
Hammering, rattling, and "bam!" sounds aren't normal.
 
Sounds alot like IP creep.
 
Did you check the "static" i.p.?
What about i.p. recovery after inhalation?
Is there any i.p. creep?
Other than the noise, did the reg breathe OK, subjectively speaking?
Could your buddy hear the noise emanating from your first stage?

I'd take the reg back to whomever serviced it last and describe the issue.
Hammering, rattling, and "bam!" sounds aren't normal.

I hate looking stupid but I do it so well...

Bubble, sorry but I am not familiar with I.P...., looking it up, Intermediate pressure?
Other than the noise, did the reg breathe OK, subjectively speaking?
Yea, for the most part but maybe a bit of a "push" at the end of inhale...
Could your buddy hear the noise emanating from your first stage?
I did not ask her to but she said her reg did the same... Couple of times and she said it sounded like something hit her tank with a pipe... I remember her saying something at the time but like most husbands, forgot! I feel pretty comfortable saying it was the 1st stage as I reached around and grabbed it and could feel it vibrate to some degree...

and yes, I will take it back... I feel that something may have been improperly adjusted during the servicing since I only had one dive prior to our trip however, out of 35-40 dives in Bonaire, I believe it only happened on one dive...

Hmmm... don't know at this point! :idk: Thanks for taking the time!!!

lee
 
Regs have about 150 dives on it and just serviced (can we leave the manufacture out of the equation for the moment?)

Anyway, in the water (warm) and during a inhale, I heard this hammering sound; felt like a good rattle and then a "bam!" It was coming from the first stage and lasted pretty much the entire dive (@ 1 hour or so) Stopped doing it on the next dive (I think but did stop) but I did keep my buddy close during the dive...

I read about the harmonic but found nothing about this hammering sound... Not sure what I can equate this sound to but maybe a pile driver off in the distance...

Any thoughts on this? lee

Lee, It may have been the tank valve not the first stage making the noise.
 
It’s hard to diagnosis a problem without seeing it but my best guess is you are not looking for a reg problem at all. Nothing in your description "sounds" like any kind of reg issue I can think of, esp. since it went away. Mechanical issues do not fix themselves. In any case, it's not IP creep or an IP problem of any kind. If I had to bet, it was a local ambient noise of some kind- cruise ship maybe- that you thought was your reg.
 
Just to clarify,

You were hearing this "bam" sound throughout the dive? Only during inhalation or during the entire dive?

I know you didn't want to introduce the brand into the question, but do you happen to own a reg that has an OPV in the first stage or hose?

I only ask because I have seen/heard this happening before......A steady, loud, and continuous "pop"-"pop"-'pop"-"pop" throughout the dive.

Did you dive buddy happen to see or hear anything while looking at your first stage underwater? Some more information might be useful.

Also, did you notice any different in breathing resistance?

-Mitch
 
Do both of you dive identical regs ? And it's gonna be hard to help if you're 'hiding' the identity of the manufacturer...certain regs are known for having certain issues, and also knowing if the 1st stages are piston vs. diaphragm are useful clues, especially if we're trying to trouble shoot via the WWW.
 
Thanks for chiming in folks...
it's gonna be hard to help if you're 'hiding' the identity of the manufacturer...
and y'all are probably right about not naming the manufacture... We both have Sherwood SR1's, approximately 1.5 years old and have been taken very well care of. Serviced last month since we both put 100 dives on them.
Do both of you dive identical regs ?
They are the diaphragm style and both of ours are identical...
especially if we're trying to trouble shoot via the WWW.
Very fair statement Scubafanatic...!

Just to clarify,

You were hearing this "bam" sound throughout the dive? Only during inhalation or during the entire dive?
Mitch, mine was through the entire dive to the best of my memory, my wife said it happened 2 or so times to her.... Me, well over a dozen... I could also recreate by inhaling quickly...

It’s hard to diagnosis a problem without seeing it but my best guess is you are not looking for a reg problem at all. Nothing in your description "sounds" like any kind of reg issue I can think of, esp. since it went away. Mechanical issues do not fix themselves. In any case, it's not IP creep or an IP problem of any kind. If I had to bet, it was a local ambient noise of some kind- cruise ship maybe- that you thought was your reg.
This was definitely not external e.g. cruise ship or such... It sounded metallic in nature, loud sharp pop or bang as I suggested earlier, a pile driver makes a loud crisp pop... and my wife said it "startled" her...!

Again, thanks so much for the help and effort with this... Its been a very hectic 3 weeks (2 weeks of diving and 1 week of Merlefest) so I will see what my shop and Sherwood may have to say about this....

lee
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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