How To Prep Your Brand-New Regulator for Scuba Diving
Make sure your reg is ready to go for your next dive.
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1. Check the first stage to make sure all ports have plugs that are screwed in tight. Inspect the second stage for a tight casing cover and exhaust tee, and make sure the mouthpiece is secured with a clamp or zip-tie. Some divers take this opportunity to gently wash the mouthpiece in warm, slightly soapy water.
2. Mount the first stage on a tank, then install the primary second stage and octopus to the low-pressure ports on the right side that offer the best hose routing. Do the same with the BC and drysuit inflator hoses on the left side, while connecting your SPG/console to the most convenient high-pressure port.
3. With all hoses tightened, slowly turn on the tank valve. Depress the purge button, work the user controls, and breathe through both the primary second stage and octopus to make sure everything functions properly.
4. Visually inspect all regulator hoses to ensure there are no crack, and make sure there are no holes or tears in the mouthpiece or cracks in the second-stage housing.
5. Disconnect the regulator from the tank, replace the dust cover, inhale forcefully and hold a vacuum. The reg should let in either a small trickle of air or no air at all.
More on Regulators:
Have a leaking reg? Here are some tips on how to fix 'em!
Easy tips on how to keep your reg in tip-top shape.
ShutterstockMake sure your reg is ready to go for your next dive.
1. Check the first stage to make sure all ports have plugs that are screwed in tight. Inspect the second stage for a tight casing cover and exhaust tee, and make sure the mouthpiece is secured with a clamp or zip-tie. Some divers take this opportunity to gently wash the mouthpiece in warm, slightly soapy water.
2. Mount the first stage on a tank, then install the primary second stage and octopus to the low-pressure ports on the right side that offer the best hose routing. Do the same with the BC and drysuit inflator hoses on the left side, while connecting your SPG/console to the most convenient high-pressure port.
3. With all hoses tightened, slowly turn on the tank valve. Depress the purge button, work the user controls, and breathe through both the primary second stage and octopus to make sure everything functions properly.
4. Visually inspect all regulator hoses to ensure there are no crack, and make sure there are no holes or tears in the mouthpiece or cracks in the second-stage housing.
5. Disconnect the regulator from the tank, replace the dust cover, inhale forcefully and hold a vacuum. The reg should let in either a small trickle of air or no air at all.
More on Regulators:
Have a leaking reg? Here are some tips on how to fix 'em!
Easy tips on how to keep your reg in tip-top shape.
