regulator, octopus and gauge assembly; DIY?

[CODMAN]

Hey all, another newbie question from a newbie...

I'm looking over diving gear on internet and noticed that when you order reg, Octo and gauge from internet diveshops, they are often sold separately. After reading the manuals downloaded from the manufacturers website (in this case Mares), It pretty much seems that all you need to do for assembly is to screw the hoses into the 1st stage ports, according to the manufacturers specs for tightness.

It seems dead simple, so I just wanted to confirm that this is all you have to do? Or am I missing out on something here?

Oh, and another question... When buying over the net, does the BC inflator hose usually come with the regulator? Or do you have to buy it separately? Cause I haven't seen many of these hoses on websites such as leisurepro and others...

Thanks for your help everybody!

Luego!

 

[CODMAN]

Doh!!!!! I just saw in the fine print that the LP BC hose is included with the regulator when you buy it...:shakehead :shakehead So that question is answered...:shakehead Man, I need a nap...

 

[CWMurf]

You got it ! Just put a little silicone grease on the o-ring and thread it in place. Be careful not to overtighten it, as this will damage it. Regs and hoses get swapped quite regularly as gear configurations change with needs. If you go dry you will need to add a hose For the next dive you may stay in warmer, shallow water and use a wetsuit so you will need to remove your extra inflator hose. etc...

As for the hose, I don't know if it comes with a bc or not but you should be able to find them by doing a search. If LP doesn't have them try ScubaToys, Oxycheq, and DSS to name only a few. They come in various sizes to fit your specific setup.

Best of luck to you!

 

[CODMAN]

Thanks for your input MRF!

 

[scubatoys]

Well, actually the way it works is a LP inflator hose is included with a BC. Every BC comes with one... no matter how cheap or expensive - and they don't come with a regulator. A regulator is simply a 1st and 2nd stage, then you add octo, gauges, and take the inflator hose that came with the bc and install that.

As far as assembly - we put together the packages anytime someone orders a setup, and after assembling, we bench test the reg on a flow bench. (Then actually toss in a free reg bag with any package.) You'll see right on the receipt the serial number, 1st stage IP and crack pressure on the second stages. Normally regs are pretty good out of the box, but we probably have to tweak 1 in 10 or so to pull the intermediate pressure into the factory spec range.

So you can install the stuff yourself, but if you do, I'd have some tech do a quick bench test to make sure your set right before you dive it.

 

[redacted]

If you do your own assembly, you do need to test the end result. Harlow's book will discuss the procedures. Basically, it's a matter of making sure there are no leaks (pressure & vacuum). Then verify IP (will need a guage) and cracking pressures of the 2nds. A sink full of water is the DIYer's substitute for the professinal's flow bench for checking cracking pressure.

 

[CODMAN]

Thanks so much for all your input/help guys! I really appreciate it!