13 mm Hex Key

[Mark Y]

I've had recent issue with the Oxygen Manual Inflator Assembly on my Inspiration - it would become loose and allow small amounts of water into the lung, nothing dangerous, just annoying. >

The assembly (AP35E - Cylinder Post Base, AP35D - Lock Ring & AP35L - Inner Locking Ring) can be tightened by hand or by a 13 mm hex key. As it turns out, the assembly locks counter-clockwise, which took me awhile to figure out. Well, the assembly would loosen if only hand tight, so I looked to purchase a 13 mm hex key. It is not a stock hardware item. ???

I'll get to the point: a 13 mm hex key is rather difficult to find. I eventually found one, for about $31 (including S/H) from BTI Inc. (Better Tools For Industry). Phone number: 619-562-3071. Or, if you need to, you can use mine. ;D

[Inspirationdiver]

I looked for one of those for quite some time and came up with the same results you did, they're hard to find and expensive. I made my own out of a wooden dowel. I just bought a dowel from the hardware store and used my dremel tool to shape the end of it into a hexagon. Cost me .99 and a little sweat. Works great.

[Mark Y]

So much for my ingenuity! But the one I purchased can also be used as a Shark Bat. The thing is HUGE. Oh well, give me a C+ at least for finding the d@mn thing.

What other tools might be helpful in my tool kit for Inspiration maintenance? Of course I already have the basics, i.e., spare 'O' rings, O2 sensors, etc.

[john j]

I suggest a hose end removal tool from as well. Also, if you want to do any work on those damn Apeks first stages, you will need the special spanner wrench to remove the diaphragm cap. I tried strap wrenches, vise grips and other modified common tools and ended up wrecking one of my diaphragm caps. Why they would design something like that that needs a special tool is beyond me. The parts kits for those regs are outrageously expensive and very hard to find too.

Probably one more thing that you might want someday is some replacement gold plated terminals for inside the O2 cell connectors. The wires are really fragile and they can break. In a pinch, you could solder another gold plated connector on, but if you want to do it right, there is a very special crimp tool you can buy that crimps both the wire and insulation at the same time. Extra crimp terminals only cost a few cents each, but the crimp tool costs like $140. However, there is no other tool that will substitute. If you want, I can tell you where to get that tool and some extra terminals direct from an electronics supply house. This is the kind of thing that could screw a dive trip potentially if you don't have one. I admit though, I haven't yet shelled out the cash for one, but I'm sure I will regret it someday if I don't.

Lastly, Inspiration sells spanner wrenches for the T pieces, the BC vent valves and the counterlung vent valve. I made the mistake of buying them. They are about $20 each, but are the cheapest, crappiest, most flimsy pieces of junk you could imagine. I doubt I'll even use them once before they break. Avoid them.