Repairing missing inhalation valve (Oceanic Delta 4)

[lagomorpheus]

Inhalation valve lost 15 hours before liveaboard (Oceanic Delta 4)

I am far away from home and due to get on a liveaboard tomorrow morning. On todays morning dive I noticed water entering my reg, particularly on sharp inhalation. Surfaced to find the inhalation valve missing. Regs have been serviced recently.

A potential spare part has been located, and I am aware that servicing my own gear comes with risk. However, this looks to be attachable with the corresponding screw in a straightforward manner.

Can anyone give me insight on whether this missing part is in fact responsible for the water inflow and if this attemptable with an Allen key and a bit of common sense?

Thanks very much in advance for your knowledge

 

[happy-diver]

Mate you can handle it just chill you'll be fine and the liveaboard will know what to do and have a spare reg

Enjoy

 

[lagomorpheus]

Mate you can handle it just chill you'll be fine and the liveaboard will know what to do and have a spare reg

Enjoy

Thanks, I’m aware of that. I prefer my own gear which is why I’m hoping someone can answer my question.

 

[Tanks A Lot]

The knob that you are missing is not responsible for water ingress.

You regulator is still fully functional with it missing. It only aids in in adjusting the cracking resistance, but you can probably still turn the adjustment shaft by hand, even with the knob missing. If the regulator is a bit crusty inside that may prove difficult by hand, but it doesn't affect the regulators performance.

Water ingress can come from the following sources. Make sure you check thoroughly, as the culprit will be very small and hard to see (You indicate that this happens mainly during sharp inhalation).

• Remove your mouthpiece and carefully stretch it between your fingers. Oftentimes it a leakage will show a crack or tear somewhere in the mouthpiece.
• Inspect the body of your regulator carefully. Impact damage can lead to cracks developing in the main housing. These can be hard to spot with the unit still assembled.
• An incorrect sitting main diaphragm (#5236). Unscrew the cover ring (#6949.23) counter-clockwise and inspect the seat of the diaphragm (#5236). Sometimes the edges fold inwards and allow water ingress. An insufficiently torqued cover ring (#6949.23) will cause this.
• A torn main diaphragm. Unscrew the cover ring (#5234.07) counter-clockwise and remove the diaphragm. Now carefully stretch some portions between your fingers and look for a crack.
• An incorrect sitting exhaust diaphragm (#6326). Un-clip the exhaust cover (5234.07), a tool may proof useful. Sometimes the edges fold inwards and allow water ingress.
• A torn exhaust diaphragm. Un-clip the exhaust cover (5234.07), a tool may proof useful. Now carefully stretch some portions between your fingers and look for a crack. Sometimes cockroaches or others like to nibble on the edges of the exhaust diaphragm. Inspect it carefully.
• There are 4 O-rings sealing against water intrusion. One on the very top where the dive/pre-dive switch sits. One on the side where the hose comes from. Two are on the side of your lost adjustment knob. Unfortunately your unit requires partial disassembly to check some of these O-rings.

Another trick in narrowing down from where the water enters is the following:

• Remove the hose from the Delta 4. All that needed is a spanner.
• Block the hole of your Delta 4 that you just exposed with your thumb.
• Inhale from your regulator.
• If there truly is water intrusion, you are now sucking in air from the same passage that the water will have to take.

It can be helpful to have another person listening to the sound that the entering air makes, as you are sucking on your detached second stage. This whole procedure can also be done with the regulator left completely assembled and blocking the first stage entry with your thumb. However, if there is a slight leak anywhere else in the system, this makes it harder to perform.

The attached files may be useful in sorting this out.

 

[lagomorpheus]

The knob that you are missing is not responsible for water ingress.

You regulator is still fully functional with it missing. It only aids in in adjusting the cracking resistance, but you can probably still turn the adjustment shaft by hand, even with the knob missing. If the regulator is a bit crusty inside that may prove difficult by hand, but it doesn't affect the regulators performance.

Water ingress can come from the following sources. Make sure you check thoroughly, as the culprit will be very small and hard to see (You indicate that this happens mainly during sharp inhalation).

• Remove your mouthpiece and carefully stretch it between your fingers. Oftentimes it a leakage will show a crack or tear somewhere in the mouthpiece.
• Inspect the body of your regulator carefully. Impact damage can lead to cracks developing in the main housing. These can be hard to spot with the unit still assembled.
• An incorrect sitting main diaphragm (#5236). Unscrew the cover ring (#6949.23) counter-clockwise and inspect the seat of the diaphragm (#5236). Sometimes the edges fold inwards and allow water ingress. An insufficiently torqued cover ring (#6949.23) will cause this.
• A torn main diaphragm. Unscrew the cover ring (#5234.07) counter-clockwise and remove the diaphragm. Now carefully stretch some portions between your fingers and look for a crack.
• An incorrect sitting exhaust diaphragm (#6326). Un-clip the exhaust cover (5234.07), a tool may proof useful. Sometimes the edges fold inwards and allow water ingress.
• A torn exhaust diaphragm. Un-clip the exhaust cover (5234.07), a tool may proof useful. Now carefully stretch some portions between your fingers and look for a crack. Sometimes cockroaches or others like to nibble on the edges of the exhaust diaphragm. Inspect it carefully.
• There are 4 O-rings sealing against water intrusion. One on the very top where the dive/pre-dive switch sits. One on the side where the hose comes from. Two are on the side of your lost adjustment knob. Unfortunately your unit requires partial disassembly to check some of these O-rings.

Another trick in narrowing down from where the water enters is the following:

• Remove the hose from the Delta 4. All that needed is a spanner.
• Block the hole of your Delta 4 that you just exposed with your thumb.
• Inhale from your regulator.
• If there truly is water intrusion, you are now sucking in air from the same passage that the water will have to take.

It can be helpful to have another person listening to the sound that the entering air makes, as you are sucking on your detached second stage. This whole procedure can also be done with the regulator left completely assembled and blocking the first stage entry with your thumb. However, if there is a slight leak anywhere else in the system, this makes it harder to perform.

The attached files may be useful in sorting this out.

This is amazing. Thank you!