Scuba Pro MK 25 First Stage Question

[Nemrod]

I generally prefer turret up on a Mark 5/10/20/25 but with some occasional exceptions I may run it down.

Swapping hoses to the correct ports is awfully easy. Just do not use pliers please. Use a proper wrench. Hoses do not need to be tight, just beyond finger tight. The ongoing discussion of to lube or not to lube hose end O-rings is mostly esoteric as it really does not matter. Static O-rings, such as these are, generally do not require lubricant but whatever.

I will probably be told again, like I was with the fellow who had a very slight leak in his regulator second stage to adjust the orifice, that I would probably cause your/his death to which my reply is whatever. Nobody lasts forever and safety is way overrated IMO.

 

[davehicks]

I just experienced this with my s600 2nd stage last week. But for 1st stages …

This may be “more” true for 1st stages… (ignoring binary logic for the moment)…

On that note I am pretty much uncomfortable with the few tools I got for hose tightening. One is a slim jaw flat adjuatable wrench ( (from TW) that works when handled delicately but it feels too sharp and hard for the hose nuts, and I don’t fancy using it on parts that requires just a little more than finger tight, or carrying that hard chrome alloy piece of heavy metal originally built to withstand a mechanics abuse, on International flights, even with its reasonably small size.

And yeah I’ve been to multiple dive shops over the last few years, where I discovered that they don’t have a right sized wrench at hand, or an adjustable slim jaw wrench either, on day-one of the trip. On my last trip, I had a boat captain dig into really dirty old torn out cloth, unwrapping greasy tools that had not been used in a while to find an appropriately sized wrench to tighten my hoses while heading out to the first dive of the trip.

Most common tools are too thick and heavy to correctly deal with hose nuts. Still searching for a travel wrench kit that does not cost me a 42% tarrif on (RRP+ shipping combined) to my country.

The thing about “finger tight” Is that the original quote was probably phrased by a sailor or mountaineer with sturdy hands and grippy fingers centuries back and that recommendation has been thrown about like it’s a golden rule since then. But it’s not good enough for a softie computer nerd like me who only uses his fingers at the keyboard (if not with a girlfriend ). I found out only recently for it to be a source of gas leak when testing my newly serviced regulators for IP lock and stability over many hours - the tank nearly emptied out over a couple of days of obsessive purging and re-testing… and later with the tank valve shut off …

Next I am hoping that finding the right wrench will improve my gas consumption and SAC rate on my next dive trip…

People make things so hard for them selves and justify with ridiculous statements. Buy a 4" adjustable crescent wrench for $10 from any hardware store on planet earth and go on with life. Or one of those swiss army style scuba tools if you want to pay extra. Not so hard!

 

[Pearlman]

People make things so hard for them selves and justify with ridiculous statements. Buy a 4" adjustable crescent wrench for $10 from any hardware store on planet earth and go on with life. Or one of those swiss army style scuba tools if you want to pay extra. Not so hard!

Well I have searched on and off over many months now - and will you believe it? Nothing for $10 in my country with a slim jaw! The 4” slim jaw adjustable wrenches I can buy online are all above $40 - add $20 shipping and $30 customs duty. Now thats a $90 expense to use a tool for just 10 mins per dive trip to make things just a little more snug than finger tight!

There is this other thread about how Shearwater is now “unaffordable” with the new 25% Tarrif on Canadian imports… well I’ve been paying a 42% tariff all my life with the exorbitantly priced international shipping being billed that 42% tarrif as well! And with one of the world’s most underperforming currencies in the international market it pinches a bit hard for every whim and purchase I make when the rest of the world gets it so cheap - that was really my lament in the previous post. All the little knick-knacks and minor diving accessories you folks can lay your hands on cost me a mini-fortune in comparison. For example - The $800 worth of repair tools I got to service my regs actually cost me $1300 considering multiple shipments.

The reason why a seemingly inconsequential topic feels like a big deal for me … anyways let’s not derail this thread further.

 

[davehicks]

Well I have searched on and off over many months now - and will you believe it? Nothing for $10 in my country with a slim jaw! The 4” slim jaw adjustable wrenches I can buy online are all above $40 - add $20 shipping and $30 customs duty. Now thats a $90 expense to use a tool for just 10 mins per dive trip to make things just a little more snug than finger tight!

There is this other thread about how Shearwater is now “unaffordable” with the new 25% Tarrif on Canadian imports… well I’ve been paying a 42% tariff all my life with the exorbitantly priced international shipping being billed that 42% tarrif as well! And with one of the world’s most underperforming currencies in the international market it pinches a bit hard for every whim and purchase I make when the rest of the world gets it so cheap - that was really my lament in the previous post. All the little knick-knacks and minor diving accessories you folks can lay your hands on cost me a mini-fortune in comparison. For example - The $800 worth of repair tools I got to service my regs actually cost me $1300 considering multiple shipments.

The reason why a seemingly inconsequential topic feels like a big deal for me … anyways let’s not derail this thread further.

Exactly what i am talking about. You don't need a special "slim jaw" tool. And those cheap scuba multi tools are always very thin.

Moving on.

 

[Umuntu]

Well I have searched on and off over many months now - and will you believe it? Nothing for $10 in my country with a slim jaw! The 4” slim jaw adjustable wrenches I can buy online are all above $40 - add $20 shipping and $30 customs duty. Now thats a $90 expense to use a tool for just 10 mins per dive trip to make things just a little more snug than finger tight!

These are inexpensive and are fine for just a travel “save-a-dive” kit.

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[Ukmc]

I agree with the above comments. Just a simple hose swap. I like it up so I can take advantage of turret’s movement - it doesn’t bump my head. When the stage is down, the hoses jam turret’s movement, which is not terribly important if your hoses are routed right, but then it negates the benefit of having one.

 

[halocline]

Yep, tighten them too much and they squeeze out the side. And YUP, those hose fittings have snapped, cross threaded etc. More often than not, regs have been brought in with the orings torn and FLAT from over tightening.

That’s nonsense.

 

[USdiver1]

It doesn't affect performance, up or down the first stage will function like a SP Mk25. If I am diving doubles, I will use the down position exclusively; singles really depends on tank size and what I am using for a BCD. BPW down, poodle jacket, either way. When diving singles, the down position is usually at 30 degrees so as not to interfere with the back plate / plastic back pack of the BCD.

As this is only aesthetics, you will find a happy place and use your setup to reach spiritual nirvana. Ohmmmmm.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

how many here can change a light bulb?
I'm starting to wonder.

 

[Still Kicking]

how many here can change a light bulb?
I'm starting to wonder.

I wonder if some people here even know when a light bulb needs changing.