Worried about my Scubapro R380 Reg second stage.

Hi folks,

Am going to go on a photo trip soon, and am just a wee bit worried.

I have dived with the above reg. for many years now and it has never let me down. I have had it serviced numerous times.

I just got it serviced and now notice a rattling sound coming from both my main R380 second stage and r380 octopus, particularly when I hold them vertically and shake them from side to side.

This sound occurs when the regs are pressurised. It sounds like there is something loose.

I can't remember my R380's ever doing this before, or maybe they did all along, and just I didnt notice it.

I havent dived with the reg. yet. The regs purge and I can breath from them on land.

So, just to ask...

does anyone own a scubapro R380 reg like and if so, does it make a rattle sound if you shake it vertically when pressurised?

I have found on another forum of someone noticing a similar instance, but only when the reg. is pressurised, and some posters were saying the 'lever bar(?) is set low'- saying its nothing to worry about, other's saying bring it back.

Just wondering if anyone else experienced this with Scubapro R380 regs?

Tanx

Hi folks,

 

Am going to go on a photo trip soon, and am just a wee bit worried.

I have dived with the above reg. for many years now and it has never let me down. I have had it serviced numerous times.

 

I just got it serviced and now notice a rattling sound coming from both my main R380 second stage and r380 octopus, particularly when I hold them vertically and shake them from side to side.

This sound occurs when the regs are pressurised. It sounds like there is something loose.

I can't remember my R380's ever doing this before, or maybe they did all along, and just I didnt notice it.

I havent dived with the reg. yet. The regs purge and I can breath from them on land.

So, just to ask...

does anyone own a scubapro R380 reg like and if so, does it make a rattle sound if you shake it vertically when pressurised?

I have found on another forum of someone noticing a similar instance, but only when the reg. is pressurised, and some posters were saying the 'lever bar(?) is set low'- saying its nothing to worry about, other's saying bring it back.

 

Just wondering if anyone else experienced this with Scubapro R380 regs?

Tanx

No, mine don't rattle. They're fairly simple things to take apart and have a look see what's rattling.

The 'rattle' is because the 2nd stages haven't been adjusted properly. It happens when the second stage seat has been over-tightened. The seat needs to be backed off. If you do not know how to do this yourself, then you should take it back to be adjusted.

FWIW - just before a trip is the _worst_ time to get gear serviced. Seen more 'just serviced' regs die on trips than I would believe possible.

HP seats on fist stages often need re adjusting after 'bedding in' for a couple of dives. On my own regs I often do not bother replacing the HP seat for this reason.

Re builds on the back deck of a livaboard with a knife and spoon as tools hold up OK but are far from ideal.

Try and get services done well before trips if possible or schedule them just after a trip is a better bet - some compressors on these boats are cleaner than others.

Paul C

FWIW - just before a trip is the _worst_ time to get gear serviced. Seen more 'just serviced' regs die on trips than I would believe possible.

 

HP seats on fist stages often need re adjusting after 'bedding in' for a couple of dives. On my own regs I often do not bother replacing the HP seat for this reason.

 

Re builds on the back deck of a livaboard with a knife and spoon as tools hold up OK but are far from ideal.

 

Try and get services done well before trips if possible or schedule them just after a trip is a better bet - some compressors on these boats are cleaner than others.

 

Paul C

just bend a lever but you must know how to do it or have a proper tool for it

what first stage do you use?

dont bent your lever. i am a regulator technician and i promise that is not the answer, the problem is that your technician screwed in the orifice to far lowering the lever height ,the orifice needs to be backed out until the lever height is appropriate and then if you have a freeflow the spring tension needs to be adjusted to fix that , many techs just screw in the orifice till it stops leaking and call it good, i would absoloutely take it back and have them adjust it properly,also check the breathing resistance on a magnahelic it should breathe at about 1.5 or so inches of water anything over 2.0 is too much resistance for a primary second stage but 2.0 to 2.5 is okay for a octo.if he cant get it right have him call scuba pro for advice their tech support should be able to guide him through adjustments and what to replace if it is out of spec.