Reg Servicing Blunders

[Eric Sedletzky]

Acquired an old Aqualung Conshelf XI from a friend. This is an old reg from the 60’s with a thin yolk and only two LP ports. This particular reg has historical provenance, it was used to assist in landing the largest jade boulder in recorded history, over 9000 lbs.
It has historical value to me and I enjoy using it on occasion.
I knew it needed a rebuild, so one day I tore it down and had discovered that the diaphragm was completely crusty and had welded itself to the body. I had to literally carve it out of the body and doing so I accidentally put a pretty good gouge in the land. Damn it!!
So out came the micro mesh and I got it all smoothed out no problem, but now the land is brass not chrome. At least it seals and works.
I’m not worried about it and it’s still a joy to use.
My philosophy is that dive gear was made to be used until it is completely worn out. Then it can go to an assemblage artist to make sculptures so it can take on a new life. Having it sit in a box in a closet is as bad as it being buried in a landfill in my opinion.

 

[iointerrupt]

Was trying to service a ScubaPro power inflator. Documentation said to tighten a tiny screw to something like 10 inch-pounds. My torque wrench had 10 inch-pounds as the minimum setting, so I set it to that, and proceeded to instantly snap that little screw in half. Last time I trusted a torque wrench at it's extreme range setting.

 

[happy-diver]

I used the black end of the hammer to open this reg

I cussed as I knew I should have used the yellow end

What a blunder

Or was it the other way around

 

[johndiver999]

I worked on an old Scuba pro metal second stage and replaced the seat and removed and reinstalled the volcano orifice. The regulator seemed to work fine afterwards, but I was having occasional periods where it performed poorly and seemed to struggle to deliver enough air. Switched first stages and the same thing. It felt like it was getting stuck and would sorta pop sometimes when I sucked hard. No freeflows and no stoppage of air flow.

Finally after a few dives, it did it really bad and I was convinced something was seriously wrong, although the issue were intermittent. Took it all apart and found a big chunk of pencil eraser in the tube. A large piece must have broken off when I used a pencil to push the orifice into place. The eraser would somehow bounce around with the air flow and cause intermittent blockage of flow depending on its orientation. I'm still amazed I could screw up that bad and not notice right away.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

Thinking I was infallible The first time I rebuilt a 1958 single stage US Divers Mistral doublehose regulator (after all there are only three moving parts and one o-ring) I adjusted the lever height on a tank with 2250 psi forgetting it was an upstream design regulator. Thus, at the end of the dive at 500 psi the reg was free-flowing substantially since on an upstream design the work of breathing gets easier as tank pressure decreases. Lessoned learned. Thereafter I always adjust lever height on upstream single stage regs on a tank with 300 psi. I stand chagrined.

 

[Scared Silly]

I haven't seen a thread on mistakes specifically, and thought it may be useful as well as entertaining.

I started a similar thread a while ago in DIY section. George, your thread is the confessional.

 

[Geo7]

Oh how cool, we should revive your thread!

 

[Johnsonsa93]

I might be able to write a book on the things that I've "learned the hard way" over the years of doing this but a few that come to mind...

Pencils and chopsticks are great for removing an orifice that is stuck inside the inlet fitting of a 2nd stage. Not so great if the orifice is made of plastic and its REALLY stuck. That's a great way to crack or split a plastic orifice.

Inspect all critical threaded pieces and springs for cracks, preferably with magnification. Will you likely find a crack? No. Will it save a serious problem from occurring if you do find one? Yes. (I had a old MK20 that must have had a crack in the turret retaining screw as it sheared off a few days later when the kit was pulled out of the water by grabbing the 1st stage. Also found a handful of main springs from 1st stages with dangerous cracks in them)

Test everything in a leak bucket before you send it out, even if you didn't work on it. Not all leaks can be heard, but all leaks can be seen.

AquaLung Airsource 3's... do NOT overtighten the inflate button screw, not even a little. It will crack and fall apart in your hands.

Apeks Flight (and now the Ocea also) 2nd stages, hot water will help with getting the front cover off. tools are never the answer here.

MK25's IP adjustment screw, avoid running in through the cleaners. It will remove the gunk that helps hold the screw in place and when the piston applies upward force onto the seat, which in turn applies force to the adjustment screw, it will push the screw out raising the IP. This one is only really an issue after several times cleaning it but it will eventually be an issue.

ScubaPro springs with coatings (EVO & others). Never run them through an ultrasonic. They'll still work but they lose the coating and become more prone to rust & freezing.

Find yourself stumped on how to get something apart? Don't keep guessing. Stop, go read the manual, then come back. Strong chance that part is a reverse thread and you're about to break it better.

1st stage balance chambers are no joke. Learn the proper & safe technique to remove those O-rings or risk waiting for a new one to arrive. Additionally check these surfaces for scratches under magnification. If you find a scratch it will save you from wondering why your IP isn't stable after reassembly.

I'm sure there are more...

 

[steinbil]

Back when the DIR-gospel was first getting spread via the internet, old-hand cave divers talked about finger tightening second stages on stage bottles so that they could be swapped without tools during dives if needed.

I remember one newbie confessing that he had misunderstood the concept and had finger tightened all the hoses to his primary first stage. All the hoses loosened up during a dive .... causing much excitement.

Haha, I did that to my deco reg in my Tech 1 class. First gas switch drill was entertaining...