To be, finger tight or wrench tight is the question ?

[Nemrod]

A little thing and just a curious question. It came up with a dive buddy and friend of mine who was helping me set up one of my regulators. He asked upon completion of adjustment because he had noted that the second stage to hose swivel connection had been only finger tight, if I wanted it to be snugged down. My answer was that I usually leave them finger tight. The more complete answer is that any primary regulator I leave finger tight, any stage or pony bottle regulator I snug down. For secondary regs necklaced I go finger tight and for octopus regs I snug down (with a wrench).

This comes from my cave era (she who came into my life has forever put a stop to that foolishness) when there was some belief that the ability to shut down air and swap out a balky second stage was some advantage. Well, I do not carry spare regs with me during a dive (but there is a spare usually in my bag) but yet I still follow from habit my early and mostly school of hard knocks and emulation of those who did not die methods and training and leave the second stage to LP hose connection finger tight. Yes, it is a pre-dive check that the connection has not unscrewed and is still finger tight.

Odd how we often think we are normal or that everyone does things the same way until you discover differently! How distressing. Why do I still do this left over habit? Well, I like to remove the hose connection and clean the threads after use in saltwater to prevent corrosion and galling and inspect for water. And it helps with general cleaning and servicing during a dive trip. I also usually leave second stage purge retainers, covers and such things finger or palm tight for the same reasons, easy entry for post dive cleaning.

I am not inferring a right or wrong way, just curious.

James

 

[Akimbo]

It all comes down to how strong your fingers are and what "snugged-down with a wrench" means. Anything that prevents the nut from backing off is "adequate".

I use a wrench grasped near the jaw and lightly "snug it down", whatever that translates to in torque. So far, it has proven adequate.

 

[Nemrod]

By snugged down or snugged down with a wrench I mean a light torque greater than finger tight or that can be accomplished with fingers only. Snugging down would not mean to reef on it until smoke comes out or I would have said reef on it! As a third choice, lol.

James

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

i go only finger tight on all my reg connections.. first and second stages. I have sausage fingers so that usually results in a level of tightness for which others might need a wrench. Once pressurized, they all get tight, anyways.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've seen more than a few hoses and 2nd stages come off under pressure due to only being finger tight. I use a wrench. I dont torque it just make it snug and secure with a wrench.

 

[Akimbo]

Snugging down would not mean to reef on it until smoke comes out or I would have said reef on it!

Considering that metal 2nd stage housings are a distant memory, reefing down would just twist the demand valve out of the injection molded plastic housing.

Maybe @rsingler knows if a torque is specified by manufacturers?

 

[Nemrod]

i go only finger tight on all my reg connections.. first and second stages. I have sausage fingers so that usually results in a level of tightness for which others might need a wrench. Once pressurized, they all get tight, anyways.

I do use a wrench on the first stage, most of the time. I bottom the fitting and then a skosh more. A skosh is a little bit, just enough that I cannot break it loose by twisting on the hose as might occur in use.

I was a working mechanic for a bit, an A&P, my hands are pretty strong and I can use them to sand with equal to 600 grit, lol. Finger tight with me is not some limp wristed attempt. It is pretty dang tight.

Interesting answers. Thanks.

James

 

[macado]

Honestly I've seen way way too many hoses, second stages leak or come apart or o-rings extrude due to "finger tight."

I remember the BS justification back in the day used to be "you could swap second stages" or something.

I put a wrench on everything. I also keep a multitool in my wetnotes if i need to tighten things.

 

[johndiver999]

I use a wrench(s).

 

[elan]

I tight them with a wrench on all my backgas regs and finger tight on stage/deco bottles.

One important step that I was taught in my tech classes is to check all these connections as well as BCD threaded connection before the dives. These will catch all the connections getting loose. And they do