tiny holes in reg hose

[lolskim2008]

I just purchased a used USD aqualung regulator set, and got it in the water to try out and my dive buddy noticed I had small bubbles coming up from around my first stage, after closely examining everything we found the problem were little pin sized holes going down the hose evenly spaced out a good inch apart from each other. My questions are, is this some safety feature in the hose? and is there any cheap way to replace the hose between the first stage and the second stage regs? preferably I'd like to change the hose out myself, but if necessary I would pay for the extra help.

 

[scubafanatic]

...that hose is giving out....replace it ASAP.....a new conventional hose should run you $ 20 -$ 25...a MIFLEX hose will cost about twice that if you want to spring for the newest generation hose...otherwise a 'conventional' runbber hose will be fine....hose replacement is about the easiest 'home repair' you can do on a reg...although if there is any question/doubt in your mind about how to do it, better to pay a dive shop a few extra $ to do it for you....do it wrong and the hose could blow out = possible drowning...or you could wreck the 1st and/or 2nd stages of the reg.

 

[Peter_C]

The only time I have seen a hose with evenly spaced holes it was a high pressure hose for the pressure gauge. Does it stop bubbling after a minute of being submerged? It may not be a problem if it stops shortly after submersion.

Changing hoses out is very easy. All you need is a wrench that fits or an adjustable wrench. The key is don't over tighten it and they do not need to be very tight. I only hand tighten my second stage regs on.

Heck I probably have a hose that would work I would be willing to sell for cheap. Some of them are brand new even since I dive a long hose. What length do you want?

 

[fppf]

Another change the hose ASAP, don't dive it.
That is the final sign the hose is about to burst. There is a leak in the main liner and it is separating the outer liner from the main inner liner. The gas finds its way out between the weave fibers.

 

[Tom Smedley]

The high pressure hose has pin holes as you describe to keep the rubber sheath from balooning if there is a leak. You have a leak. Replace the hose. The Miflex hose is lightweight and I like the low pressure ones but the high pressure hose is small and gets tangled in everything. You can change the hose yourself but pay special attention to the spindle on the gauge end. The tiny o-rings need to be lubricated or replaced as necessary. For cheapness - well I don't know your definition of cheap but you may be able to find one on e-bay. Remember that this is a life support system. Is your life worth cheap?

 

[Belce]

The high pressure hose has pin holes as you describe to keep the rubber sheath from balooning if there is a leak. You have a leak. Replace the hose. The Miflex hose is lightweight and I like the low pressure ones but the high pressure hose is small and gets tangled in everything. You can change the hose yourself but pay special attention to the spindle on the gauge end. The tiny o-rings need to be lubricated or replaced as necessary. For cheapness - well I don't know your definition of cheap but you may be able to find one on e-bay. Remember that this is a life support system. Is your life worth cheap?

As described correct, but it is not unusual for air to be between the rubber sheath and the actual hose, when pressurized the air there is forced out causing bubbles for a period. What you are seeing is technically the response of a properly working certified hose if the bubbles only last for a few minutes. Replace it with a new one and see the same. One way to self check is to pressurize your system by attaching to a tank, turning the tank valve on and turning the tank valve off and not purge the system. While it is not unusual for the system to loose pressure over time, with a leak it will be quick. If you have access to a second rig you have greater confidence with you can attach and do this test and compare results. Please note that the tune of your total system is checked and if the 2ndary or bcd inflate are leaky in one set it could impact the test.

 

[RJP]

Remember that this is a life support system.

Ah yes...that ol' chestnut.



It's a reinforced rubber hose with crimped metal fittings at either end. It's not any much different than the hose that runs from the hot water faucet to your washing machine. The only difference is that if the one running to your washing machine fails unexpectedly you've got a REAL problem on your hands. (The other one failing is merely a nuisance.)

It's not a life support system, it's a hose. Buy a new one, toss the old one. No big deal.

 

[laguna230diver]

hose swapping is easy, but dont do what i did the first time, get help for attaching the hose TO the second stage. Two nuts lock against eachother (need two wrenches) and if you just tighten both you can really mess up the inside of a reg. luckily my mc5 only cost 30$ to fix after that but it could be much worse with more expensive regs

=brandon

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Here's how to install the new hose...

• On the first stage end of the reg hose, make sure that there's an appropriately-sized o-ring there. Screw the male end of the hose into a low pressure port by hand. Then take a wrench and tighten it up just a smidge (not any more than that).
• On the second stage side of the hose, check to see that there's an o-ring inside the recess. If the o-ring isn't there, get someone knowledgeable to help you position a lubricated replacement o-ring of the right size in the groove. By hand, screw the second stage into the female end of the reg hose. Then, using two wrenches, snug up the connection a smidge (not any more than that). That's it.

FYI, if you use only one wrench to tighten the hose-second stage connection, you could accidentally drive the screw assembly too far into the plastic reg housing. The housing will crack, and you'll have to replace it (laguna230diver's cautionary tale).

Hope this helps...

 

[phras]

Spend the money GO MIFLEX!!