Servicing your own regulators

[BackAfter30]

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

...and those parts are? (for those of us trying to just get a sense of all of this) I'm following that "those parts" are solving the adjusting-under-pressure issue discussed above, but I don't recognize what was cobbled together there.

 

[rsingler]

...and those parts are? (for those of us trying to just get a sense of all of this) I'm following that "those parts" are solving the adjusting-under-pressure issue discussed above, but I don't recognize what was cobbled together there.

That's why you need my Super Duper
Yet To Be Created Scuba Technician's Zoom Seminar!
Stand by!

Seriously...
The parts are: a slide on/off switch attached to the back of an inline adjuster.
Here's the reasoning:
- turning the orifice in the barrel of a standard balanced second stage may cut the seat, because spring pressure pushes the rubber pad hard against the knife edge used to seal.

- pressing the purge button is the recommended practice to lift the seat off the knife edge when tuning (assuming you're not like @The Chairman , who has enough experience to get it right the first time)

- pressing the purge button is noisy and wastes a lot of tank air for many of us who don't have unlimited gas supplies in our home shop

- you can adjust, pressurize, test cracking effort, turn off tank, purge, readjust, repressurize, test, etc., etc., but it's very cumbersome (and even worse if you don't have an inline adjuster, and have to take the hose off each time to use a screwdriver on the orifice).

SOOO...
It's simpler to use an inline on/off switch with your inline adjuster.
Pressurize, and hearing a hiss, slowly close the knife edge against the seat. When the hiss stops, close the on/off and purge the tiny bit of air between the switch and the reg (no waste).
With the seat lifted, add 5 minutes on the clock to the orifice (1/12 turn). Repressurize and check cracking effort. For further fine tuning, just slide the switch off, purge and do whatever is needed with the orifice or poppet spring.

Scuba Tools PN 20-500-200

 

[formernuke]

That's why you need my Super Duper Yet To Be Created Scuba Technician's Zoom Seminar! Stand by!

Seriously...
The parts are: a slide on/off switch attached to the back of an inline adjuster.
Here's the reasoning:
- turning the orifice in the barrel of a standard balanced second stage may cut the seat, because spring pressure pushed the rubber pad hard against the knife edge used to seal.

- pressing the purge button is the recommended practice to lift the seat off the knife edge when tuning (assuming you're not like @The Chairman , who has enough experience to get it right the first time)

- pressing the purge button is noisy and wastes a lot of tank air for many of us who don't have unlimited gas supplies in our home shop

- you can adjust, pressurize, test cracking effort, turn off tank, purge, readjust, repressurize, test, etc., etc., but it's very cumbersome (and even worse if you don't have an inline adjuster, and have to take the hose off each time to use a screwdriver on the orifice.

SOOO...
It's simpler to use an inline on/off switch with your inline adjuster.
Pressurize, and hearing a hiss, slowly close the knife edge against the seat. When hiss stops, close the on/off and purge the tiny bit of air between the switch and the reg (no waste).
With the seat lifted, add 5 minutes on the clock to the orifice (1/12 turn). Repressurize and check cracking effort. For further fine tuning, just slide the switch off, purge and do whatever is needed with the orifice.

So is the Guage needed attached to the inline adjuster?

 

[rhwestfall]

Thanks @rsingler - I wouldn't have time to type that....

 

[rsingler]

So is the Guage needed attached to the inline adjuster?

I have my gauge mounted near my magnehelic.

So does @The Chairman.
Others like seeing it right next to the adjuster.
Tomaytoes, tomahtoes.

By the way, you can put together a $3000 gas bench for very little money. That's a brass welding gas manifold that I use to provide any tank pressure from 0-2500 psi from a tank ($50 used). Two magnehelics (0-3" and -5"-0-5") for $30 each. An old precision 0-300psi gauge for $40 and a cheap large face 0-300psi gauge for $15. The only new parts are the rotameter (0-15 cfm) for $150 and the mounted tank valve equivalent for $80. I use a $40 mini Shop-Vac to generate suction for the rotameter.
In that pic I'm testing a Mk10/G250 at low tank pressure (500psi) showing what looks to be 1.4" dynamic effort at 4cfm flow. That Venturi vane needs a little tweaking!

 

[rhwestfall]

So is the Guage needed attached to the inline adjuster?

tamales...

If you don't have one already, it can be helpful there. There is some opinions that the gauge on the LPI hose may not be accurate as there could be a venturi type action on the first stage ports that over represents a possible pressure drop to the LPI hose... I too have a large gauge pair for IP and vacuum...

Others will have more to say...

 

[rsingler]

If you want to get a little more creative with test equipment, go to Home Depot and get a $40 pneumatic regulator for air drive equipment. Take an old Conshelf or other first stage and crank the spring down tight so it generates, say, 180 psi.

Use the first stage to generate IP from that tank on the left, and the cheap regulator to adjust to any desired output pressure from, say, 110‐160 psi. At the twist of a dial you can tune your second stage without your first, or easily tune both a Poseidon Cyklon that wants 161psi, and 5 minutes later a G260 for ice diving at 120psi IP.
Total cost: $40 automotive regulator, some copper tubing and an old first stage. The only odd piece is a 1/4"NPT male to 3/8"UNF female adapter to go from the copper tubing to the blue regulator hose. $5.

 

[jakehbk]

If you want to get a little more creative with test equipment, go to Home Depot and get a $40 pneumatic regulator for air drive equipment. Take an old Conshelf or other first stage and crank the spring down tight so it generates, say, 180 psi.
View attachment 643853
Use the first stage to generate IP from that tank on the left, and the cheap regulator to adjust to any desired output pressure from, say, 110‐160 psi. At the twist of a dial you can tune your second stage without your first, or easily tune both a Poseidon Cyklon that wants 161psi, and 5 minutes later a G260 for ice diving at 120psi IP.
Total cost: $40, some copper tubing and an old first stage.

What's your opinion on tuning the 2nd stage according to the case geometry fault in a bucket of water? Tuning juuust till the bubbles stop burping out the exhaust? Too unstable? Too light? Too much hassle?

I'd def be down for a Zoom course for the record.

 

[rsingler]

What's your opinion on tuning the 2nd stage according to the case geometry fault in a bucket of water? Tuning juuust till the bubbles stop burping out the exhaust? Too unstable? Too light? Too much hassle?

I'd def be down for a Zoom course for the record.

Good thinking! Really good thinking!
In practical terms, that's probably 0.1" light, IMO
You must have read Regulator Savvy!

And thanks for the Zoom support. I'm starting to put this together and investigating Zoom license costs. I'm working on connections for a starter tool set for those that don't yet have tools at home. I think maybe 3-4 months to get this together and smooth out the presentation wrinkles. Just in time for summer!

Get vaccinated, as soon as it's offered! Ocean, here we come!

 

[formernuke]

Get vaccinated, as soon as it's offered!

Can't so I'm going for herd or a safe one for me.


I'm liking zoom