Servicing your own regulators

[Garth]

I attempted this in 2011. I had no training and didn't even have a book so I did what i thought would make sense to me. I video taped it. The video was me taking it apart because I figured if i reviewed the film i could figure out how to put it back together. Well after watching it I figured i would post it on youtube because at the time there were no videos to be found. Its not a recommended video for how to service your regulator but i kept it up anyway. I think the manufacturer supported it and later developed a class for HOG regulators which is a better option of course. At the time of the video there were no classes that i'm aware of for people outside of the industry. Below is the original video.


Remember, this was me not knowing anything about regulators so there isn't any talking and there are moments where i clearly am putting it up to the camera for documentation... lol.
I've gotten a lot better of course over the years and now the main thing i would suggest on reassembly is to ensure you are purging the regulator as you are setting the IP... that was the biggest "learning" tip i had to learn the hard way while ruining a few high pressure seats..

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

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 automotive regulator, some copper tubing and an old first stage.

Rob what’s your opinion/thoughts on adjusting 2nd stage’s with various IP’s using this method with the micro pump. Turn the tank on, pressurize the 1st stage then shut the tank valve off. Purge until you reach your test IP, now test cracking effort with mag/IP gauge using the micro pump for suction?

 

[happy-diver]

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.
View attachment 643839
Scuba Tools PN 20-500-200
View attachment 643840

I have my gauge mounted near my magnehelic.
View attachment 643843
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 1.5" dynamic effort at 4cfm flow. That Venturi vane needs a little tweaking!

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 automotive regulator, some copper tubing and an old first stage.

This stuff really is ultra magnificent!

 

[happy-diver]

I attempted this in 2011. I had no training and didn't even have a book so I did what i thought would make sense to me. I video taped it. The video was me taking it apart because I figured if i reviewed the film i could figure out how to put it back together. Well after watching it I figured i would post it on youtube because at the time there were no videos to be found. Its not a recommended video for how to service your regulator but i kept it up anyway. I think the manufacturer supported it and later developed a class for HOG regulators which is a better option of course. At the time of the video there were no classes that i'm aware of for people outside of the industry. Below is the original video.


Remember, this was me not knowing anything about regulators so there isn't any talking and there are moments where i clearly am putting it up to the camera for documentation... lol.
I've gotten a lot better of course over the years and now the main thing i would suggest on reassembly is to ensure you are purging the regulator as you are setting the IP... that was the biggest "learning" tip i had to learn the hard way while ruining a few high pressure seats..

and this is more magnificent!

 

[rsingler]

Rob what’s your opinion/thoughts on adjusting 2nd stage’s with various IP’s using this method with the micro pump. Turn the tank on, pressurize the 1st stage then shut the tank valve off. Purge until you reach your test IP, now test cracking effort with mag/IP gauge using the micro pump for suction?

I think you'll frustrate yourself. That IP will last for only the tiniest of cycles even with the micro pump. If you have to test again after an adjustment, you'll have to repressurize and bleed down to desired IP a second or third time. The automotive regulator toy is cheap enough that for an experimenter like you, I'd recommend you put one together.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I think you'll frustrate yourself. That IP will last for only the tiniest of cycles even with the micro pump. If you have to test again after an adjustment, you'll have to repressurize and bleed down to desired IP a second or third time. The automotive regulator toy is cheap enough that for an experimenter like you, I'd recommend you put one together.

True enough it has limits. Wasn't sure it was safe to run breathing gas through one of those small regulators. Do you prepare, clean it in anyway before using it?

 

[The Chairman]

assuming you're not like @The Chairman , who has enough experience to get it right the first time

It's really not that hard. I watch the 2nd stage lever as I screw in the seat. You'll see it rise and rise and then it simply stops rising. Back off until it starts falling, now tweak it back until you get it just as it stops rising. Using your lips, try to blow thru the port that would normally be on the hose. If air passes, you're too far in. If you've been careful, you're all done. Put the front of the reg together and check your work. I usually hold the reg with the lever pointing straight up so I can look straight across the reg.

 

[rsingler]

True enough it has limits. Wasn't sure it was safe to run breathing gas through one of those small regulators. Do you prepare, clean it in anyway before using it?

You can use it straight out of the box. It has no oil to contaminate the second stage. To confirm, just crank it up to max and put a wadded paper towel over the outlet. Waste 10cu ft of tank air at max flow and see if there's anything on the white paper towel.

 

[CycleCat]

Does anyone use a digital manometer instead of the magnahelic?

 

[The Chairman]

Does anyone use a digital manometer instead of the magnahelic?

It would be hard for it to be useful. The digitals are used for quickly measuring fairly static readings, like the difference in pressure before/after a catalytic converter. When you're playing with a reg, you want to see the dynamics of it all, as well as see a final number.