Reg Servicing Blunders

[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...

 

[Mobulai]

lookie what I found (an oceanic mk5 clone that came with a 40€ g250 on ebay)

Now this reg spent around 4 month going back and forth between the freezer and boiling water, a few rounds soaking in WD40 (ambient chamber and the yoke nut were both infinitely stuck)

I’ve never seen corrosion so bad it turns blue (ok I’ve seen that on Anodized Aluminum, but never that much as well) — I’m sure I’ll end up with almost no chrome

But the cherry on top:
Someone decided a cutout of a plastic bag would be a good tolerance shim between the turret and the ambient chamber— or is that by design?

Edit: I’m the idiot, the blue is some sort of paint, maybe scratch proofing?

 

[happy-diver]

Now this reg spent around 4 month going back and forth between the freezer and boiling water, a few rounds soaking in WD40

Dude WD40 is a con job like paracetamol that targets specific pain at specific points of your body
It does not actually get in as it is too thick, and does not have the dissolving power of Phosphoric

Whilst there is a place for freezing and boiling, most of the time people are doing it on the wrong
stuff the wrong way where if you could freeze the male thread and boil the male at the same time

Dude the black end for no time wasting and no damage

and once you crack the verdigris it will absorb chemicals

but why bother, once free it's screw back then unscrew and again and again crumbling the crud until it is off

You know the one where you're struggling to get something undone and your mate comes along and it's off
About as much science in that as people fiddling with freezers, it comes off, it was ready to come off any way

1100W Induction Heater Tool 10 Coils Magnetic Induction Heater Kit Heating NEW | eBay Australia

Power: 1100W. Our Magnetic Induction Heater Kit is designed with reinforced heat-stabilized material, and it has a slip-resistant handle, fan cooling, and LED light. Magnetic Induction Heater Kit. Our magnetic induction heater kit can help you remove rusty bolts and nuts much more quickly, and...

www.googleadservices.com

lookie what I found

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

You're always so quick and miss my coup de grâce edits