SPG blow

[FFMDiver]

Hello:

After exchanging my Suunto SPG with my Tusa SPG, the Tusa blew out.
Air is coming out of the top. But, it still works on its original hose.
I'm not sure what has happended. Regardless, I'm throwing it out (right?).
Can anyone explain what happened? The inner parts to both my TUSA and Suunto SPGs look identical. Well the couplings and inner shafts are the same.
After breaking down the Tusa as much as I could I realized they have 5 o-rings I could see. Do these get annual service with my regulator or does it depend on the LDS?
Do folks replace SPGs after so many years?

Thanks.

 

[Tamas]

If it still works with it's original hose, then it could be simply o-rings or the coupling that have gone on the SPG or the hose. Inspect them and make sure they are ok, as well make sure the fitting is ok. That it is taut and not cross threaded.

SPG's should last forever, unless the face is broken or it has gone out of whack and cannot be adjusted.

 

[FFMDiver]

I dove w/ the SPG this evening (shallow 20' dive). All was well until I noticed water inside the lense. It worked for the duration of the dive anyhow. Looks like I must have burst the plastic body seal. Oh well - just tossed it.

 

[mike_s]

The only "hard" failure I've had (besides a tnak o-ring) is my SPG failing.
Here's the story if you're intersted...

But I didn't get any air blowing out of it. I just noticed that it was filled
with water on a dive this past May. The gauge still worked perfectly
even though filled with water. I think the waterproofing on the housing
went out and not the high pressure air line system. I noticed it on
a dive, but did not abort the dive as it was still working. I just kept
a very close eye on it and made sure that the pressure was going down
at a normal usage rate.

I even made a 2nd dive with it that day and it still worked. Still being
very cautious to notice it sticking etc.

Of course it's now been replaced.

now... those dives were in salt water... so a few days later after the
gauge was completely dried out, there was a "salt residue" inside the
gauges. Soon to be followed by rust/corrosion in the gauge.
I still don't know the original source of the leak, but it must be
a crack in the plastic housing or where the housing joins the clear
plastic to the black plastic.

 

[FFMDiver]

Same deal sounds like.
I realized during the first exchange that the SPG was much hard to spin on so I must have forced it in. Perhaps the plastic body was spinning wrong on its nut and when the air came in it the seat wasnt closed and it made its way out into the body. and pop...
leson: never force it..

 

[redacted]

After breaking down the Tusa as much as I could I realized they have 5 o-rings I could see. Do these get annual service with my regulator or does it depend on the LDS?
Do folks replace SPGs after so many years?

Thanks.

Where did you manage to uncover 5 0-rings associated with your SPG. Replacing the hose o-ring and the 2 spools o-rings should be a part of periodic service.

 

[FFMDiver]

I'm not an LDS mech, but once the SPG housing has its own coupling removed there are an additional 3 o-rings on the exterior barrel (this barrel is what the spool fits into).

 

[redacted]

I'm not an LDS mech, but once the SPG housing has its own coupling removed there are an additional 3 o-rings on the exterior barrel (this barrel is what the spool fits into).

Those were the seals that keep the water out. They are not normally serviced or disturbed. They have nothing to do with the HP circuit where your first leak occured.

 

[JS1scuba]

Hello:

After exchanging my Suunto SPG with my Tusa SPG, the Tusa blew out.
Air is coming out of the top. But, it still works on its original hose.
I'm not sure what has happended. Regardless, I'm throwing it out (right?).
Can anyone explain what happened? The inner parts to both my TUSA and Suunto SPGs look identical. Well the couplings and inner shafts are the same.
After breaking down the Tusa as much as I could I realized they have 5 o-rings I could see. Do these get annual service with my regulator or does it depend on the LDS?
Do folks replace SPGs after so many years?

Thanks.

It sounds like you have plastic SPGs The Suunto and Tusa gauges are nearly identical (Suunto makes them for TUSA) If the hose was attached to the unit and there was no back-up wrench used on the stem it's possible the case got cracked. It's important to always use a back up wrench here. Plastic gauges have a tendency to get mangled when hoses are improperly installed. Also should these gauges get dropped sometimes the faceplate will seperate from the casing. If you have water in the gauge the unit is shot. Suunto units should provide you many years of service. If it was a new unit bring it back to your PDC and they should replace it for you if it is still under warranty.

Regards,

 

[FFMDiver]

Well, not sure I'll ever understand the exact cause.
Sounds like I did screw it up.
Thanks for all the input.