Anglesey Divers

Porthole

TOP TIPS

Top Tips For Your Regulator
(How to Save Money!)
  Once we have serviced your regulator we return it to you with 3 months parts and labour warranty against faulty service parts or workmanship. However it does not guard against damage to your regulator caused through misuse nor neglect. It is life support equipment so please adopt the following tips:
 
  1.   DO rinse your regulator in warm fresh water for at least 20 mins (preferably for as long as you dived) after every dive. Salt water will sit inside confined areas, especially valve housings in balanced 2nd stages and cause corrosion and poor performance. A splash with a hosepipe is not enough to displace the salt. After a good soak dry with a clean cloth and purge the air through the regulator.

  2.   DO NOT allow water to enter the 1st stage via the filter. The second you take your regulator off the cylinder, dry the cap and fit it before the regulator falls in the water, sand, mud, grass, grit, or anything else that we have found inside regulators (trust me, you don’t want to know). Incidentally, Anglesey Divers have sourced some waterproof caps for owners of regulators with DIN connections, they’re cheap too!

  3.   DO NOT leave regulators with their hoses tightly coiled inside bags. The stress may cause the hoses to crack and fail prematurely.

  4.   DO NOT leave aqualung equipment standing up. Lay your equipment down with all 2nd stages and direct feeds inside the BC away from any sand and grit.
  5.   Regulators are not gardening tools! Talking of sand and grit, where do you secure your alternative air source? Hopefully it’s close to hand within 12 inches of your mouth. If it’s not, it might be dragging underneath you ploughing a neat furrow through the sand. It’s a bad enough day when you run out of air, but to then have to breathe an aerosol of air, water, and grit is probably going to cause a sense of humour failure.

  6.   DO use the correct size tools when changing hoses. Regulators and their fittings are made from plated brass that is easily damaged. Also, do not over-tighten fittings. Hose protectors have their uses but don’t push them over the hose nuts. When you subsequently need to change a direct feed, pulling on the hose protector can cause unnecessary stress to the hose.

  7. DO NOT attempt to adjust the interstage pressure nor any other settings yourself. ‘nuff said. No really, I mean it.

  8.   Do present your regulator for service annually and get 10% off the next bill!! Is this a gimmick? No, because regular maintenance means we can offer advice to avoid expensive problems. We can also help to make sure that your regulator is in a hygienic condition and fit to be in you mouth.
 
Using Your Regulator In Cold Water
CEN Standards define cold water as 10 degrees centigrade or less. It is not possible to guarantee against freeflow in cold water. To minimise the risk of freeflow when diving adopt the following advice:
  1. Avoid discharge of air whilst on the surface.

  2. Enter the water and submerge without delay.

  3. Avoid high breathing rates, the deeper the dive the greater the risk.

  4. Caution! Practicing alternate air source skills, filling lifting bags and Delayed SMB’s can cause high airflow and extreme cooling of your regulator. Consider using a fully independent air source and keep your regulator in your mouth.

  5. Modern regulators are very sensitive. A freeflow can be initiated simply by holding the regulator mouthpiece upper most. In these circumstances the freeflow should stop when the regulator is turned mouthpiece downwards or when the regulator is replaced in the divers mouth. Do Not hit the second stage in an attempt to stop the freeflow.

  6. In the pursuit of easy breathing characteristics manufacturers have succeeded in producing regulators capable of very high flow rates. Consequently, a free flowing regulator can empty a cylinder very quickly. Cold water diving requires preparation beyond the selection of a suitable regulator.


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Anglesey Divers
If you require further advice please contact us on  01407 764 545 or  info@diveanglesey.co.uk