Problem with my new Apeks

[cgrosart]

Hi
Those who were out in France with me recently will have heard my frustrations at first hand......but, being powerless to help they just listened and smiled sweetly before running away................
I bought, at the end of May, a pair of Apeks XTX40 regs on DS4 first stages. I used them 5 times in spacious, clear caves and once? in the sea. On their 6th outing, I was surprised to find that, on descending to barely 3m they BOTH began a gentle freeflow. Regardless of which way the switch was set, they freeflowed regardless. On the surface, it was less easy to detect but after a few experiments they were hissing away happily both underwater and above. So, I used my trusty poseidons for the remainder of the trip and, not knowing what could possibly be wrong with them, took them on another short dip where the same thing happened. Not a hiss to start with but, once at -15m this time, they began shoving more air down my throat than I wanted.
Now. My poseidons can do pretty much whatever they like and I can usually either ascertain what's upsetting them and at least put it half right in the field or know a man who can put them right full stop.
As for these Apeks, I'm really a bit stumped. I bought them from Go-Dive so no need to guess why I am asking for tips here instead of expecting some sort of customer service.
(The user manual disks btw which accompanied both regs were smashed to f**k in the boxes when they arrived !!) I informed GD who told me to f**k off and look it up online.
So, chaps, knowing nowt about my new fangled apeks' and not wanting to spend £80 apiece to get them serviced after 5 1/2 outings.......Is it just a case of them 'bedding in' and needing a tweak ?? If so, what type of tweak ?? Or is it something more sinister ?? Bit odd that they should both play up at the same time.............but I know little about these things. Any help much appreciated.
Chris

[HP]

Take them back to Go Dive tell them they're in breach of the Sale Of Goods act and demand a refund or a new pair. You're perfectly within your rights even though they're a crap shop with crap service - they're not immune.

Amphibian Watersports in West Norwood would undoubtedly sort them out for you if they refuse to help and then send them the bill along with notice that if it's not paid within 14 days then you'll issue a County Court Summons (Small Claims)

They really are shocking that lot - FFS

[fade]

They sound like the interstage pressure is a little high and need adjusting, this can happed after a few dives as they settle down and bead in. It is done with a pin spanner and you friendly LDS should be able to do it for for while you wait for a small fee of you could find some technical minded friend with the right tools to do it for you.

I'm curious to see how long it is before some one comes in and disagrees with me, though it is past midnight so might be a while

Cheers,
Pete

[TerryH]

Dont think anybody is going to disagree as long as its really clear that
if you dont know what you are doing, leave it alone !!!!!

http://www.frogkick.dk/manuals/apeks...h%20Manual.pdf

[cgrosart]

lol Howard...I'd love to, but that's not the quickest or most pleasant way to have my regs back working again. My poseidons got a hell of a trashing abroad (I mean an actual, physical mud-smothered beating) so they really need a good service which means I'm regless for a while if I can't sort this pair out
Thanks Pete, I had a feeling it would be something along those lines. I have an interstage pressure guage and I suspect you are right that it is a little high while they settle down being new. I know what poseidons should be set at ....any idea what apeks should be ?

[HP]

Mine are usually around 9.5-9.6 bar - I've got about six sets of DS4's or equivalent - HTH

[cgrosart]

Dont think anybody is going to disagree as long as its really clear that
if you dont know what you are doing, leave it alone !!!!!

http://www.frogkick.dk/manuals/apeks...h%20Manual.pdf

Oooh.....thankyooooou.....xx

[cgrosart]

Mine are usually around 9.5-9.6 bar - I've got about six sets of DS4's or equivalent - HTH

yup, just found that in the tech manual.......but ta for the info all of you...at least now I can have a shot at a diagnosis...hopefully it is just the IS pressure......
And don't worry Terry, I'm not going to piss about with them myself....I just want to know if my gut feeling of the problem was right. It's nice to know the ins and outs of the second stage at least. I was stuck in an airbell on my own last week, looking at rescue, when I did as I'd been taught and stripped down my second stage to find - guess what - it was full of stones which I'd scooped up in a gravel squeeze earlier !! And there was a lovely big one under the diaphragm as well !! I'd like to at least be able to perform the same sort of basic get-you-home surgery on my new regs at some stage.

[Brian of Aquanauts]

This is an extremely simple and unfortunately common problem with all new regs.

The issue is more likely in the 2nd stage than in the first although both are possible.

Most likely the 2nd needs adjusting so that the lever is a smidgen less high, this is done by moving the oriface and seat closer together.

It is possible but unlikely that the interstage pressure in the 1st stage is too high. This can be checked with an interstage pressure gauge connected to one of the LP ports. But is also very easy to fix with a pin spanner and allen key.

As an earlier poster said, it's a 5 min job. All local dive centres that sell Apeks should do this for you easy... although knowing you got them from an internet company may cause them to charge.

It's just as likely to happen to any set of regs from any company.


Most probably caused when they set them up in the factory when they try to get your breath as easy as possible, a 1/16th turn too far during the initial setting would do this.

[cgrosart]

Uh huh. All understood. I'll check the 1st stage pressure first and then I can at least ascertain where the problem is. It sounds even more likely that it's a 'new valve' syndrome as they have both been used for the same amount of time on each dive. Which was frustrating as they both freeflowed at almost the same time and certainly on the same dive !!