Top of regulator has a rubber piece. While in cozumel on third dive.Dive op turned on air tank and it blew up like a balloon and popped. Any idea what would cause this? Had regulator serviced at authorized dealer before dive trip. Used the regulator for two more dives with the dive master keeping an eye on it. It didn't seem to effect the performance of the regulator. What is the purpose of that part? Do I need to have it serviced at a different authorized dive shop? Is it possible to send in directly to sherwood for repairs?
Regulator balloon
- Thread starter mrmiller
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
runsongas
Contributor
that is the dry seal diaphragm for the sherwood sr1/2. the reg still works with it failed, you just lose the dry sealing. a sherwood dealer can get you a replacement, but i would talk to the shop that serviced the reg. did you see bubbling coming out from the top? do you remember if the rubber was sucked down a bit with the reg not pressurized? did it bulge outward the first two dives before it popped?
snowdog61
Contributor
That area is responsible for depth compensation - increases your IP as you go deeper. It gets installed after the IP is set and must be done with pressure applied to the regulator. Once you shut the supply off and vent your 2nd stage, it should be slightly depressed (concave). If it was installed with the tank pressure off, it will bulge once the 1st stage sees pressure. The only other way to pressurize this would be a leak past/through the diaphragm which sees full tank pressure. If this was the case, you would have lots of gas exiting that area and would likely be a catastrophic type failure - diaphragm fails completely. This is the reason diaphragms are a single use item - it will never get clamped correctly a 2nd time and will pull out. If there's no gas escaping while it's pressurized, the reg function nominally and yes, you could dive it - it just isn't sealed and water will get into the backside of the diaphragm. Best to replace and keep the corrosion out of your 1st stage.
Both of the above replies are right on the mark.
Since your reg functioned during the next two dives, your main (EDIT: piston o-ring) is intact and the reg is safe.
However, the failure means that your secondary diaphragm was not installed correctly (with the reg pressurized). That is a rookie mistake.
You have two choices:
1) Return it to the shop, and have them clean the previously dry environmental chamber, add a new environmental seal diaphragm and install it correctly, or
2) Take it to another shop for the same thing.
Me? While it might be tempting to return it to the shop and have them fix their mistake for free, I'd bite the bullet and find another shop that does things properly the first time, and pay for the replacement parts and service. Maybe $50 total.
Since your reg functioned during the next two dives, your main (EDIT: piston o-ring) is intact and the reg is safe.
However, the failure means that your secondary diaphragm was not installed correctly (with the reg pressurized). That is a rookie mistake.
You have two choices:
1) Return it to the shop, and have them clean the previously dry environmental chamber, add a new environmental seal diaphragm and install it correctly, or
2) Take it to another shop for the same thing.
Me? While it might be tempting to return it to the shop and have them fix their mistake for free, I'd bite the bullet and find another shop that does things properly the first time, and pay for the replacement parts and service. Maybe $50 total.
Last edited:
runsongas
Contributor
Snowdog61/rsingler, the sr1/2 is a piston reg btw. It is an odd duck.
Of course it is. What a brain fart I just had!
Just edited my stupid entry. Thanks.
EDIT: Previous incorrect conjecture deleted.
Just edited my stupid entry. Thanks.
EDIT: Previous incorrect conjecture deleted.
Last edited:
Jonny Wishbone
Contributor
Just another example of why I learned to service my own regs.
@runsongas , think along with me on this one...
The OP said that "it blew up like a balloon" before it ruptured. That suggests a transient leak into the environmental chamber, more than just piston movement inflating an already full environmental diaphragm.
@mrmiller , how big did it balloon up before it ruptured? Did you see it? Or did it pop immediately as the tank was turned on?
The OP said that "it blew up like a balloon" before it ruptured. That suggests a transient leak into the environmental chamber, more than just piston movement inflating an already full environmental diaphragm.
@mrmiller , how big did it balloon up before it ruptured? Did you see it? Or did it pop immediately as the tank was turned on?
Last edited:
runsongas
Contributor
it is going to be a failure in the dry sealing in some way. either the schrader valve, vent hole, or the spring chamber equalization channel.
Last edited:
When the air pressure was turned on it would raise about 1/2 inch immediately and then return to normal. Third time it blew up to 1 inch and popped. It seemed to me that something was leaking air at a low pressure and then corrected itself at a higher pressure. There was no air leaking during dives.
Thanks for all the information shared. I'm going to try and take it to a different dive shop that will hopefully have higher standards and do a correct service job.
Thanks for all the information shared. I'm going to try and take it to a different dive shop that will hopefully have higher standards and do a correct service job.
Similar threads
