I hate to say it, but someone needs to. Please don't take this personally. We all started somewhere. But it's tuning
theory that counts, not heights on a gauge.
I remember photographing several setting tools next to a micrometer during my manufacturer seminars, so I could make my own. In the years since, and having attended the same for a dozen manufacturers,
I don't even use a single one.
The ONLY manufacturer's preset I pay attention to is the poppet spring initial setting, just so there's enough pressure on the poppet to initially seal on the orifice.
So here's how to adjust virtually every barrel design second stage with a micro adjust out there:
1) if I don't have the manual, preset about 1/3 of the way on the adjustable poppet spring tension range. Many regs (like the venerable G250) don't even have a micro adjust, so the adjustment knob starts all the way out;
2) using mouth pressure, alternately blow in the hose end and screw in the orifice until it just seals; this doesn't work for seat-saver designs like Atomic and Sherwood - skip it and just pick any orifice position -
it doesn't matter.
3) pressurize the reg and since it'll probably leak under the added pressure from the first stage, screw in the orifice until it just seals, then add 1 hour on the clock more (1/12 turn). If you just guessed at a position and it
doesn't leak,
unscrew the orifice (while pressing the purge button) until it leaks, then seal it again and add 1/12 turn.
4) with the reg
unpressurized, put the diaphragm loosely in its final position, and see if the lever is still so high that the diaphragm's dangling. If so, add 1/12 turn at a time to the orifice, until the lever is just kissing the diaphragm. Remember how much you added. This is done so that the diaphragm sits properly in its land when you screw the case together.
5) screw the case together and (while pressing the purge) remove the added turns you might have placed to seat the diaphragm. Pressurize and shake it. If the lever rattles, back the orifice out until the lever rises just against the back of the diaphragm. If it leaks before the rattle goes away, then you might not have enough pressure on the poppet spring with the micro adjust. Add a bit more and try again. Otherwise you're stuck with "seal + 1/12 turn" as your best orifice adjustment.
6) tune the micro adjust for desired cracking effort.
Done. No special tools. It applies to every barrel design with a micro adjust.
For a non-micro-adjust like like the G250, it's just steps 2, 3, 4 & 5.
The tools make it mysterious and brand-specific.
The theory makes it simple and universal:
a) sufficient orifice position to seal under pressure
b) sufficient lever height to get full valve opening
c) sufficient spring pressure for cracking effort
Yes, gauges and setting tools get you in the ball park if you are servicing the same reg several times a day. They save time. But final adjustment should always be like the above.
If the discussion above is confusing, spend the money on Pete Wolfinger's Regulator Savvy, sold by Scuba Tools (
www.scubatools.com). It's the Bible.