Something funny my regulator did last weekend

[josh b.]

  What is probably wrong, or what was probably wrong, is the spring in your 1st stage that regulates air flow.  Although, it did chomp on a few o-rings so thats probably the result of tightening the 1st stage too hard.  I would not recomend that you fix that part unless you are properly trained, otherwise...take it to a shop to have them take a look (which you did).

  There might have also been the problem of the 1st stage flooding.  In that case, you should unscrew all the ports in the 1st stage and attatch that to your tank and turn it on for a bit to allow air to pass straight through it with no attatchments on it (AKA hoses).  This will dry it out pretty good and should fix it.

  Also consider the fact that with many people using the rental gear, that some of the ports on the 1st stage could be loose and that can leak air as well.

Yay for DIN VALVES!!!


Hopefully you'll have better luck with future equiptment, but good job on the weekend!


Josh at GUDC

[Chuck_Northrup]

First of all on the O-ring issue:

Elkman from your post I can't gleam any indication the you, personally, did anything to cause the failure.  One of the steps I encourage all of my students to practice is a pre-dive bubble check to identify problems like this ahead of time.  This will not, of course, prevent a traumatic in-dive failure but it is a good first step 

As was mentioned DIN valves are less prone to this type of failure because of a captured O-ring.  Unfortunately these are only popular among the "tech" crowd 

Springs, flooding, or any type of internal malfunction (which are best dealt with by a professional) would have absolutely no bearing on an O-ring seal.  Some possible causes include: 

Warping of the seating surface on either the tank or regulator (which can be caused by dropping, rolling around in a truck bed, or other cases of missuse and abuse)  :'(

Faulty O-rings (my personal opinion of the dilemma) although rare it would not be unreasonable to see 3 or more tank O-rings fail, especially if these are rental cylinders.  This is a good reason to carry a properly stocked "save-a-dive" kit.  If the O-ring appeared flat or "chewed up" it is probably just a case of average wear and tear  8)

Missalignment of the first stage (although this would be almost immediately identifiable by the audible loss of gas)

In some cases the lock nut on the first stage can become loose and create similar symptoms.  This is usually a result of twisting the first stage to remove the yoke nut when the regulator is still pressurized.  Be sure ALL of the gas is depleted from the first stage before removing  ;D

There may be other instances I'm not thinking of I'm sure others will chime in  :

On to the training issue:

SDI (and some other agencies) view the advanced as a rating not a class.  PADI, as you know, gives out the Advanced Card after a 5 dive specialty course consisting of dives in 2 required and 3 chosen categories.  There is absolutely nothing "wrong" with this process and I commend you on choosing to continue your diving education.  With proper training and opportunity you will have many enjoyable years in the sport (although I would second an earlier comment of getting your own equipment sooner rather than later  )

In the SDI process a diver is required to complete 4 specialty courses (of their choice) and log 25 dives before they receive the Advanced Card.  I believe this process produces a more "well rounded" diver.  Not only is there more education involved, but by having a 25 dive requirement it encourages the diver to get out and experience the diving world without the guidance of an Instructor or DM.  Even though the dives may not be as smooth or comfortable as a guided dive they are often the dives that will teach you the most about your personal ability and comfort in the water 

I hope this opinion reads as unbiased as I intend it to (I am an instructor for both agencies) after all there is very little difference in the content of courses agencies offer, it is more a difference of philosophy/politics.  The most important thing is to keep diving and keep learning.  I always say money spent on education is never wasted  >

Safe Diving,

CN3

[DiverQueen]

Hmmmm now, that really stirred up the hornet's nest didn't it!!

So Todd, when you say the shop checked out the reg when you brought it back....Did they check it out with the first stage that was involved in the "O" ring damage, or the first stage that they replaced it with for the rest of your dives?  One of the down sides of rental gear is that "Who used it last and with what kind of care?" 

Even my spare gear gets the same kind of care, rinsing and annual maintenance that my "Personal and Primary" reg set gets! 

[DiveCaptDean]

attention all!!!!!!!!!

the flame thrower Dean and the fire extinguisher Michelle have officially made nicey nicey again...all concerned parties rest peacefully regarding this topic......

GAME ON

[Michelle Crowe]

Oh is that so Duluth Boy?
  and to think we missed the best part....


                                make-up se...$%^*

[wtdrm]

Your right Deano, that person is a real extinguisher, Typical for a Transplant Michigander.
She's a wanna be Yuuuper
Ya shure

[Elkman]

Thanks for all the responses.  I'll make sure I don't tighten the regulator on too tight next time.  And I'll also make sure I don't drop it, but I'm pretty sure I didn't.  In fact, I was trying so hard to avoid smacking anything on the ground that I hit myself with the SPG at one point.  In a sensitive spot, to boot.

DiverQueen -- The regulator they tested on the bench was the first stage that I had rented, which was the one with the O-ring damage.  I still don't know why it didn't fail there, unless maybe it was a temperature-related thing.

[MAXFACTOR]

Elkman,

1.  CONGRATULATIONS.....  way to go....  dat a boy.  keep up the training and diving.

2.  With regard to surfacing.......The only thing I would say is that you should have got the attention of the instructor, or  more importantly, all of you could have been a bit closer so that they would have been able to see that you were having a problem.    Its a very uncomfortable feeling for dive buddies and instructors to look around and not see the other diver.  I think thats what CROWE was trying to say.

3.  I was in a training class this past weekend and had 2 students with similar problems.  Sometimes,  its just from the unintentional neglect from student's being hard on rental equiptment,   .... in that  they don't properly seat the gear and then it makes a slight indent of sorts on the equiptment.  This tends to make future seatings, slightly our of complete flat, flush.  Be sure to do that initial bubble check before your dive.

AS ALWAYS......  CN3   makes the most complete statement of probable problems and solutions.

CN3... its good to see you back on the board.  I'm sure you caught the post about the Aligator python update that NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DID.     he he

maxfactor