Servicing your own regulators

[GJC]

So, I just got my head wrapped around the much shorter than expected list of tools that @The Chairman put out and you go and throw in a magnetized helix! But seriously, is a magnehelic a must have, should have or comes in handy type of gauge? I’ll do a search for what it is so that you don’t have to explain.
Thanks

You can make your own vacuum gauge with a loop of clear plastic tubing and a ruler.

https://opentextbc.ca/chemistry/wp-content/uploads/sites/150/2016/05/CNX_Chem_09_01_Manometer.jpg

Substitute the label "Gas" for "Regulator Second Stage Mouthpiece" and make a T piece to fit to your regulator with an opening to put in your mouth.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Yet the entire world was mapped and navigated centuries ago by ships using ropes with knots in them. It may not have the precision of GPS but it was good enough to find small islands across thousands of miles of ocean. Crude does not mean ineffective.

Agreed and you can still use a sextant for navigation.

 

[Danny D]

What is the difference in Magnahelic gauge ranges? Why would one select one over another? I see 0-3 and a 5-0-5’s for example on Scuba Tool’s site.

 

[rsingler]

With a common cracking effort of 1-1.5", a 0-2" or 0-3" magnehelic puts your desired reading midscale.
Since some out-of-tune regs will crack at 3" or higher, I think a 0-3" is better, while a 0-2" might allow slightly more precise readings.
A 0-5" will keep you from pinning the gauge with a stiff reg, but may be harder to read in the desired 1" range.

A -3"-0"-3" or -5"-0"-5" mag will allow you to read exhalation effort as well as cracking effort on the same gauge, at the cost of difficulty seeing precise values in the 1" range.

Short answer, get a 0-3" magnehelic.

 

[Danny D]

With a common cracking effort of 1-1.5", a 0-2" or 0-3" magnehelic puts your desired reading midscale.
Since some out-of-tune regs will crack at 3" or higher, I think a 0-3" is better, while a 0-2" might allow slightly more precise readings.
A 0-5" will keep you from pinning the gauge with a stiff reg, but may be harder to read in the desired 1" range.

A -3"-0"-3" or -5"-0"-5" mag will allow you to read exhalation effort as well as cracking effort on the same gauge, at the cost of difficulty seeing precise values in the 1" range.

Short answer, get a 0-3" magnehelic.

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[rsingler]

If you want to go all in, here's a list of tools that will allow you to spend up to $600 or more to service multiple brands of regs.
Or pick and choose for just the brand you own.

 

[The Chairman]

On the other hand, a scratched old HVAC magnehelic for $60 on eBay

Did you pay THAT much? I think I got two for $25 dollars one day. One was given away and the other mounted onto that plate. Yeah, most people don't realize that measuring the depth in a pot of water will give you the exact same reading. You don't have to worry about the rate of inhalation affecting it at all. If you buy one, 3 inches is perfect and anything over 5 inches makes it hard to be precise. Oh yeah, there's usually an inlet for measuring vacuum and one for pressure. Choose wisely.

 

[Angelo Farina]

You can make your own vacuum gauge with a loop of clear plastic tubing and a ruler.

https://opentextbc.ca/chemistry/wp-content/uploads/sites/150/2016/05/CNX_Chem_09_01_Manometer.jpg

Substitute the label "Gas" for "Regulator Second Stage Mouthpiece" and make a T piece to fit to your regulator with an opening to put in your mouth.

Or you can buy an U-tube differential manometer on Amazon for 15 USD:
https://www.amazon.com/RadonAway-50...ywords=u-tube+manometer&qid=1614077261&sr=8-3

 

[The Chairman]

Or you can buy an U-tube differential manometer on Amazon for 15 USD:
https://www.amazon.com/RadonAway-50...ywords=u-tube+manometer&qid=1614077261&sr=8-3

Or build your own with a ruler and a tube. Or just a tub of water.

 

[rhwestfall]

View attachment 643684

Having both those parts, why the heck I never thought of that......