Hi all, what is an inline adjusting tool use for on the 2nd stage? Is it used to adjust airflow? How do you use this tool properly and if an IP gauge is needed to monitor the adjustment? Lets say for example I want to use it on my Oceanic alpha 8 2nd stage to fine tune it and make sure that it is working ok. Thanks.
What is an inline adjusting tool?
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Peter_C
Contributor
Scuba Tools - Scuba Tools Custom
You can see the tool in the top row middle. I didn't give a direct link because the picture is better on that part of the webpage.
They are not necessary to have. Although I want one and have pretty much everything else to rebuild regs, it only takes another couple of minutes to pull the reg hose off, make the adjustment and retest. There is a slotted screwdriver fitting in the second stage that allows the adjustment.
An IP pressure gauge is something everyone should have in their save a dive kit and it should be used every day of diving. Making sure that everything is in spec on the first stage is very important to me. The IP gauge does not need to be mounted on the second stage adjusting tool.
I would say though that if you have not done reg servicing, you buy Air Speed Presses book about reg rebuilding and find a mentor or someone to help you do a couple of regs. Although rebuilding a reg is really easy, it is the only thing supplying YOU with air. Not something to take lightly.
You can see the tool in the top row middle. I didn't give a direct link because the picture is better on that part of the webpage.
They are not necessary to have. Although I want one and have pretty much everything else to rebuild regs, it only takes another couple of minutes to pull the reg hose off, make the adjustment and retest. There is a slotted screwdriver fitting in the second stage that allows the adjustment.
An IP pressure gauge is something everyone should have in their save a dive kit and it should be used every day of diving. Making sure that everything is in spec on the first stage is very important to me. The IP gauge does not need to be mounted on the second stage adjusting tool.
I would say though that if you have not done reg servicing, you buy Air Speed Presses book about reg rebuilding and find a mentor or someone to help you do a couple of regs. Although rebuilding a reg is really easy, it is the only thing supplying YOU with air. Not something to take lightly.
I totally agree with Peter. They are nice to have rather than a must have for those of us who do our own gear, a reg tech who has to turn out a lot of regs is another matter. Your money would be much better spent on a couple of books. "Regulator Savvy" from Scuba Tools (link above) and "Scuba Regulator Maintenance and Repair" found at Airspeed Press Homepage - Books For Serious Divers I suggest both books as opposed to just one of them. RS is a little more technical- the hows and whys of regulators as opposed to SRM&R which leans more to the "how to" side. Both of them together give you a very good basis to work from.
Am I correct in understanding that this inline tool is used to adjust the position of an orifice, moving in or out, so as to control the 2nd stage from free flowing? I read another way is to use a flat head screwdriver that would fit the slot in the orifice and manually adjust it in small increment, reconnect hose, test it, and adjust again until free flow stops. Is this what the sink test is about. If it's, what is the proper way to do a sink test?
I agree with the Usual Suspects. Get both books and enjoy reading them. While your are waiting for them, go to this site http://www.scubatoys.com/manuals.asp and read through a few of the service manuals to give you an idea of what to expect. Try to get a few cheap used regulators from eBay and practice on them.
Welcome to the Dark Side,
Couv
Welcome to the Dark Side,
Couv
Thanks everyone. This will be my first project to practice so I decided to start with Scubapro Mk2+ and Oceanic alpha 8 both very simple in design and easy to service. I have read thru both repair guides and schematic diagrams that I downloaded, not the books yet, and following the instructions OK. Mk2+ seems simpler, add or subtract shims to get proper IP readings after assembly but 2nd stage seems a bit more involved. Is cracking pressure the only thing to adjust for the 2nd stage, in this case my alpha 8, or there are other things to fine tune this reg? Yes, Im very close to getting my list of tools together and hit the buy button at scubatools.com
Peter_C
Contributor
Get the books first, read and understand what they are teaching you. IMO if you truly understand HOW something works then you can do a good job repairing/servicing it. On the other hand, monkey repair (read manual, do what manual says- no clue of why) with out actually understanding what you are doing and why is going to fail sooner or later. 90% of the time it will likely work but it's the other 10 % that separates the techs from the monkeys.
Texfrazer
Guest
rcs9250
Contributor
Some regulators are single adjustment some are two. Know your regulator design before you start arbitrarily turning the seat to make and adjustment. By turning the seat you can change the diaphragm lever height out of proper adjustment. The books mentioned will help. The best thing you can do after reading those books is obtain a shop service manual for your reg. The manual will guide you through preliminary settings and sometimes specific order in which things must be done. For example , some reg manuals instruct that it is necessary to press the diaphragm before you turn the seat so as not to damage the soft seat. Many will debate this but it is easy to do and doesn't hurtto doit right. Ultimately it's up to you.
Besides the advice on checking your IP before you dive it is also very easy to check your cracking pressure with simply a pan of water. Some even prefer it to a magnahelic.
Just take a pan or bucket of water 6 inches or so deep. Hold your regulator so that
the diaphragm is parallel to the surface of the water. Slowly lower the reg into the water. When the diaphragm is about 1'' to 1 1/4'' deep you should hear air starting to flow. If it does your reg is going to breathe very comfortably. If it doesn't it may need servicing.
Octos are usually detuned so they will breathe a little harder. Meaning , you may have to push the reg a little deeper to get it to flow. Octos often will breathe harder but if someone is on an octo the dive is over, and if they needed the octo because of some emergency they won't notice it harder to breathe. They probably could have sucked a golf ball through the second stage hose.
Randy
Randy
Besides the advice on checking your IP before you dive it is also very easy to check your cracking pressure with simply a pan of water. Some even prefer it to a magnahelic.
Just take a pan or bucket of water 6 inches or so deep. Hold your regulator so that
the diaphragm is parallel to the surface of the water. Slowly lower the reg into the water. When the diaphragm is about 1'' to 1 1/4'' deep you should hear air starting to flow. If it does your reg is going to breathe very comfortably. If it doesn't it may need servicing.
Octos are usually detuned so they will breathe a little harder. Meaning , you may have to push the reg a little deeper to get it to flow. Octos often will breathe harder but if someone is on an octo the dive is over, and if they needed the octo because of some emergency they won't notice it harder to breathe. They probably could have sucked a golf ball through the second stage hose.
Randy
Randy
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