Question Skipping 1st stage Maintenance?

[rsingler]

what if the diaphragm is permanently deformed over time by horizontal storage?

I know the Dwyer manual talks a lot about it being essential to use the magnehelic vertically, to take the strain off the diaphragm.

But I have to tell you, while I have my gas bench magnehelic mounted vertically, I've been using a horizontal magnehelic for four years now, because it's easy to focus the overhead camera on the gauge while I'm demonstrating second stage tuning.

So I checked that both gauges were zero'ed in their respective orientations, and hooked up my little suction pump on a union, so both gauges were exposed to the same vacuum while I photographed.

After four years of being in the "wrong" position, my horizontal magnehelic is 0.05" less than my properly mounted bench magnehelic.

Jes' sayin'...

 

[Pearlman]

Did I damage the body??

The dry chamber tool was out of stock when I was ordering the specialised tools many months back and then I clean forgot about it until I tried opening my MK19EVO this week (as well as the substitute flat thin slim jaw wrench - which sadly is nowhere to be found online in my country). And so I tried a regular adjustable wrench which slipped a few times (given that it was torqued to 35n.m originally) and now I am afraid I have flattened the threading above it that the environmental seal retainer screws into? Please zoom-in and take a look folks, because I don’t remember if the sides were flat to begin with. The diaphragm retainer screws in smoothly though without getting stuck - is it safe to use as is as long as I torque the retainer to spec?

I have since then ordered the Dry Chamber and Diaphragm Retainer Socket tool this week which will take a few weeks to arrive by regular post… Scubapro Dry Chamber Tool

 

[rsingler]

We'll, the good news is that even if you've damaged the threads, the only thing you're holding down is that hand-tight environmental seal. I'm sure you can reattach with enough tightness to seal.

 

[Pearlman]

Well, the good news is that even if you've damaged the threads, the only thing you're holding down is that hand-tight environmental seal. I'm sure you can reattach with enough tightness to seal.

Thank You! That’s a relief… Siiigh! I’ve been seeing nightmarish dreams of the retainer socket popping off behind my head while on a dive, the last few days …

PS: Any chance of water ingress through the flattened threading?

 

[rsingler]

No. The seal seals at the top flat edge of the diaphragm clamp. It's a poor seal, and needs resealing every 3 months, but you're fine.

 

[BoltSnap]

It's a poor seal, and needs resealing every 3 months

What does this mean? What happens if you don't reseal it after 3 months (or never)?

 

[happy-diver]

Nothing fine there surely you lot could crack your manicure sets open and spread some nail files around
next to the torque wrenches and other no nonsense purpose built stuff for the people that can't do stuff

Get with the strength bank Commonwealth, and get a vice, not that piddly stuff, you screw up into ports

and if anyone tells you not to use a shifter they have zero clue

It is big stuff you need, when it is big stuck you wish to relieve


A few taps with the black end and you're open

A few taps with the yellow end and when it stops it stops so you must be closed, torqued to perfection

And remember your DIR Master Diver Tourniquet, caus all the rest is, baloney

See if you don't have soft jaws like I do you can wrap your tourniquet around
your reg, tap it on like a master diver, doing it right, and then to congratulate
yourself as a true diver you can go diving

Hope you are going to be right to dive for next season, happy tool collecting

 

[rsingler]

What does this mean? What happens if you don't reseal it after 3 months (or never)?

It doesn't mean much. Scubapro has lousy environmental seals. They develop an air pocket after 3 months because they don't hold a vacuum. So with a little air in there you have to compress the bubble before the reg begins to respond to depth. The reg is off maybe 3-10 feet in depth response, which means that absolute IP may lag 1.5 to 5 psi, and so the IP your second stage sees may drop the same amount. Your second stage won't care.

But if a HOG, or Apeks, or Aqualung, or Deep6 environmental seal can hold, why can't Scubapro's?

 

[BoltSnap]

It doesn't mean much. Scubapro has lousy environmental seals. They develop an air pocket after 3 months because they don't hold a vacuum. So with a little air in there you have to compress the bubble before the reg begins to respond to depth. The reg is off maybe 3-10 feet in depth response, which means that absolute IP may lag 1.5 to 5 psi, and so the IP your second stage sees may drop the same amount. Your second stage won't care.

But if a HOG, or Apeks, or Aqualung, or Deep6 environmental seal can hold, why can't Scubapro's?
View attachment 876121
View attachment 876122

So one just have to remove the seal and put it back in every 3 months nothing else?

 

[rsingler]

So one just have to remove the seal and put it back in every 3 months nothing else?

Yep.
But remember to replace the seal with the reg pressurized.