You can exchange regulators on hoses underwater ...?

[ScoobieDooo]

I just read the following on a Tech Diving (perhaps DIR) web site that said:

"You can exchange regulators on hoses underwater as the regulator should be on the hose only finger tight."

HOW could anyone change a hose underwater with the 1st stage and 2nd stage pressurized?

 

[detroit diver]

ScoobieDooo once bubbled...
I just read the following on a Tech Diving (perhaps DIR) web site that said:

"You can exchange regulators on hoses underwater as the regulator should be on the hose only finger tight."

HOW could anyone change a hose underwater with the 1st stage and 2nd stage pressurized?

You can't do it pressurized (not if you want to use it again that dive). If you turn off your valves, you can remove the second stages from the hoses, open the reg and clean it, and re-install it. It's mostly used with doubles as you can breath off your other reg while doing this. Certain regs are easier to clean than others, thus one of the reasons that they're suggested (amongst other reasons).

If you try to do it pressurized, even slightly, it will rip your o-ring. Take if from someone who found out....

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Why would you need to take hoses off just to open up your 2nd stage and clean it out?

Also, wouldn't doing that underwater introduce H2O into the LP hose?

 

[DiveTub]

Say you had a Second stage faliure on your Deco Gas ??

You would take one of the second stages from your Back gas and screw it onto the first stage of your Deco gas.

Or you can just swap the whole spare first and second stage from the back gas and replace it with the buggered one on the Deco Bottle.

This is why using the same gear all the way through is an advantage, same Regs and Same first stages on everything.

Yes you would get H2o in the first stage and would need to get it serviced once the dive was completed, but it is better than getting bent.

 

[RichLockyer]

George has now indicated (couple of months ago) that regs should be properly tightened... cited a couple of reasons:

#1 - You carry a wrench anyways since the reg MAY be too tight.
#2 - Reports of wannabe DIR divers having regs come off.
#3 - The likelyhood that you will need to change a reg under water is extremely low.

In practice, I wouldn't want to do it in salt water anyways... Fresh water wouldn't be a problem. If it's a matter of a reg rebuild or a trip to the chamber, the choice is obvious, but under managed circumstances, one could always use the next-deeper mix and alternate with their buddy... not a true buddy breathe... just something like 5 minutes on, 5 minutes off, and extend the deco.


Absolutely no reason for an OW diver to not have them properly tightened.... you've got at least 3 regs available.

 

[Waterborne]

I never did subscribe to the "finger tight" method. I have a SS 6" adjustable wrench clipped off in my pocket. I've never had to use it yet but it's always there.

 

[AquaTec]

I recently did a 380 foot dive in the Cayman Islands.
as I went to switch to my 80% deco bottle/reg at 30 feet, with about 60 minutes to still spend in the water.

I found my reg breathing water, even though i could get some gas through the reg I had to boil it through.

this was quite laborous and took a bit of effort.

I chose to switch with my travel mix reg. 36%.

I went back on back gas of 10/50 and took the two regs 1st stages of their respective bottles.

I switched the two regs complete with first and second stage and secured them to the bottles.

I then flushed the water out of the 1st stage, hose and 2nd stage. I then breathed off that reg quite comfortably.

I also flushed the water out of the bad reg incase i needed it again, i still had two bag gas regs, but if i needed to use those i would be able to breath off the bad 80% reg while making other changes.

as a footnote, i sent in the two regs that were exposed to salt water, the original 80% reg was replaced completly by the manufacturer, and the one i ended up using was simply serviced and put back into use.

I do not beleive in the hand tight 2nd stage, but if one was to bring a wrench then maybe, but how do you know if the problem is in the 1st or second stage.

Also I have had the 1st stage fail suppling tank pressure to my 2nd stage reg, and had to shut down that post. doing a switch behind your back can be interesting

 

[O-ring]

I always carry enough reserve gas (including my buddy's tanks) in my backgas that I can deco out on that if there is a problem with a deco reg and I am carrying one bottle.

If I am carrying two bottles (always o2 and EAN50), I can switch the regs between them (I have yoke deco bottles) by just unscrewing the yoke and moving the reg to the other bottle at that gas switch.

Anything else more CF'ed than that and I am signalling my buddy and getting some of his gas..

My second stages are all tight and I don't carry a wrench on me when I dive..

 

[MikeFerrara]

I don't think there is any need to change regs on a recreational dive. On a dive with a decompression obligation or in an overhead it may be different.

In cave diving I think the most common reg failure is debries in the second stage or damage to the reg. This is most common on tanks that are left like a stage or decompression bottle. Flow can bang them around damaging a second stage housing or the tank may end up in clay or silt. The reg may be damages hitting a rock while being carried especially in restrictions or while scootering. I suppose that debreis can even puncture a diaghram. I think all these failures are more common when tanks are left for an extended period of time. The face plate can be removed to clean out a second stage but that can be hard with heavy gloves (we dive some cold caves) or second stages can be exchanged. The entire reg can also be exchanged but not only will you get water in the reg you may also get water in the tank. Not a big deal as long as you take care of it right away.

A lose hose can be more trouble than it's worth. They need to be checked often and I've seen them come way lose.