Unexpected IP drift in a newly-serviced first stage

[BoltSnap]

dive a lot from the california (where diving started / Sam Miller just popped into my mind ) and you’ll be filling your reg with abrasives fast enough, it take years for sure but it does happen and is preventable.

It can't get worse than diving in Libya with the fine sand above and below surface and all crap floating around in water. I have two MK2+ that I have had in Libya since circa 2002 without ANY issues. They get used frequently and serviced every once a while. No issues whatsoever with pistons or anything else. Libyan sand, especially when southern wind is blowing from the Great Sahara, is known through history. Just like a snow storm but fine sand making the world look dark red/brown. It would clean pots and pans if left hanging on a rope outside

 

[Nemrod]

No, you're not. My dive buddy @Nemrod is just a curmudgeon, even if he's right 51%of the time.

And deco on single tank? Shoot! By the time my deco cleared, I still had 1000psi in the bottle, and there were a dozen spare regulators within 20 feet. I'll bet @Nemrod was better, and my wife still had 1250.
Christine dropping into Devil's Throat right behind @Nemrod :
View attachment 811440

I think I was back aboard, feet on deck, at 1100 or 1200, not recalling exactly, certainly over 1000, no less.

Y'all realize I am mostly just stirring y'all up for fun .

Geeez, only 51% of the time, Geeez . That much huh . I better audit that course again so I can get that percentage up to like 56%, that can be this coming year goal!

I still like my piston regs, they make me warm and fuzzy inside , I do not care what y'all say .

The oxide blasting of the piston knife edge is disturbing. My last dive in Coz last week I noted the filter on my Kraken was green and brown. Dissassembly showed some saltwater had gotten in but there was this fine dust on the crown block. But the Mark 2E and Mark 17E I had used the majority of the week showed clean filters. Contaminated tanks are out there, could play that Jaws theme song right about here because you just never know what is lurking (in your tanks) when diving in resorts, live aboards and renting.

 

[Geo7]

There are a few variables that probably lead to different outcomes and varying perspectives. It makes a difference if the owner is meticulous about rinsing. And the mk2 is great, having no HP o-ring on it's piston (flow-by piston). I had an Atomic leak past the HP piston that needed polishing. I tried diaphragm regs, but Ti piston regs won me back...

I imagine the beach diving in Libya to be in blue clear water? I suspect the waves on a typical day in SoCal are of a different order, in fact the waves make beach diving here quite challenging. Students regularly lose a fin or a mask getting out of the water, never to be found again. The water is often brown and full of suspended particles, and after the dive we sometimes have sand all over the gear, including inside the suit. When rinsing and soaking the gear at home I once had a third of a tea cup of sand in my rinse bin (I think I got wiped out by a wave while trying to help a student in the surf zone that was slow to take off fins).

 

[BoltSnap]

There are a few variables that probably lead to different outcomes and varying perspectives. It makes a difference if the owner is meticulous about rinsing. And the mk2 is great, having no HP o-ring on it's piston (flow-by piston). I had an Atomic leak past the HP piston that needed polishing. I tried diaphragm regs, but Ti piston regs won me back...

The standard regulator used by the experienced divers here is the MK25/S600. They NEVER have them serviced. It is the most sought after regulator in Libya. No issues with it despite the fact no one service them. We get varied visibility here, few meters to 20 meters so it is different. When we come out of the water, or before going in, sand gets into everything especially if the wind is blowing. We are not the tropics by any means (I wish we were however).

 

[Nemrod]

If the French do it it’s not diving

steady IP in respect to servicing and indicating stability over time and it’s not fair to compare the cockroach of Regs (mk2) to anything,

Nailed it . Yes indeed, the cockroach of regulators, perfect! The Mark 2 has been here forever, lasts forever and will be here forever, just like the cockroach. As Eric has said, someday 50,000 years from now an archeological site will be excavated and a Mark 2 will be unearthed along with a set of Scubapro Jet Fins. And these future archeologists will then take it for a dive. Like cool man, who knew ancient humans were so advanced as to design something so simple, so perfect that it lasts forever, really has no need for service aside from lawyer inspired BS and just works . As a cockroach goes crawling by and nods it's antennas in agreement .

 

[lexvil]

Nailed it . Yes indeed, the cockroach of regulators, perfect! The Mark 2 has been here forever, lasts forever and will be here forever, just like the cockroach. As Eric has said, someday 50,000 years from now an archeological site will be excavated and a Mark 2 will be unearthed along with a set of Scubapro Jet Fins. And these future archeologists will then take it for a dive. Like cool man, who knew ancient humans were so advanced as to design something so simple, so perfect that it lasts forever, really has no need for service aside from lawyer inspired BS and just works . As a cockroach goes crawling by and nods it's antennas in agreement .

they will be found in the front of a VW bug.

 

[rsingler]

The standard regulator used by the experienced divers here is the MK25/S600. They NEVER have them serviced...No issues with it despite the fact no one service them...sand gets into everything especially if the wind is blowing.

My good friend, you can't have it both ways.
Take one of those instructional unsealed Z2's that hasn't been serviced in 3 years.
"Sand gets into everything" plus long service interval can not equal "No issues".
There HAS to be some IP drift, even if it's only 3 psi. Take the cap off and look at the piston head land. If it's shiny, I'll be quite surprised. Beyond surprised - flabbergasted.

 

[TrimixToo]

<snip>

Or just dive with a diaphragm, nah, those rubber ambient diaphragms could explode or unseat or leak and then there is that push pin through the orifice, oh dear, they are just a kludge.

This reminds me of something sort of fun. I once retrieved a friend's lost inflation bottle after it had been in the water for about a year. The diaphragm was distended from the first stage by maybe an inch. It was intact and the (pressurized, of course) stage and tank were dry inside. We were amazed it hadn't blown out or leaked!

 

[BoltSnap]

Take one of those instructional unsealed Z2's that hasn't been serviced in 3 years.

Perhaps I didn't mention it but ALL Atomic regulators I have are sealed including the Z2. I believe that all Atomic regulators sold in the EMEA region are sealed (not certain however). The Atomic regulators I bought in the US are sealed also since I always buy sealed first stage Atomics. I have never noticed "drifting" not even a little. I check my regs. and school's regs, before start of a course and before a weekend of diving. The only regulators that have giving trouble were the Cressi's and Mares but they were diaphragm first stages. It was either the second stage leaking air because of bad SS seat or due to IP issues due to first stage issues.


P.S. Now you are making me nervous, I am going to the dive locker this week and will be checking ALL personal and dive school's regulators AGAIN

 

[rsingler]

Well, then if the Atomic's are sealed, you and I have been agreeing all along!

As for those unsealed abominations called Mk25's...