5
introduction
This manual provides factory prescribed procedures for the cor-
rect service and repair of the Aqua Lung or Apeks regulator prod-
ucts described in this manual. It is not intended to be used as
an instructional manual for untrained personnel. The procedures
outlined within this manual are to be performed only by personnel
who have received factory Authorized training through an Aqua
Lung service & Repair seminar. If you do not completely under-
stand all of the procedures outlined in this manual, contact Aqua
Lung to speak directly with a Technical Advisor before proceeding
any further.
Scheduled Service
If the regulator is subjected to less than 50 dives per year, it is
permissible to overhaul it every other year with an inspection
procedure being performed on the “off” years. for example:
Year #1: Inspection
Year #2: overhaul
Year #3: Inspection
Year #4: overhaul, and so on.
both Inspections and overhauls need to be documented in the
Annual service & Inspection Record in the back of the owner’s
manual to keep the Limited Lifetime warranty in effect. If a
regulator is subjected to more than 50 dives per year, it should
receive the complete overhaul.
An Official Inspection consists of:
1. A pressurized immersion test of the entire unit to check
for air leakage.
2. checking for stable intermediate pressure that is within
the acceptable range.
3. checking for opening effort that is within the acceptable
range.
4. A visual inspection of the filter for debris or discoloration.
5. A visual inspection of the exhaust valve to see that it is in
good shape and that it’s resting against a clean surface.
6. A visual inspection of the mouthpiece looking for tears
or holes.
7. checking that the hoses are secure in the hose clamps.
If a regulator fails item #1, 2, 3 or 4, the entire regulator should
be overhauled. If a regulator fails 5, 6 or 7, it will be up to the
technician’s discretion whether or not a full overhaul is required.
general guidelines
1. In order to correctly perform the procedures outlined in
this manual, it is important to follow each step exactly in the
order given. Read over the entire manual to become familiar
with all procedures before attempting to disassemble the
product in this manual, and to learn which specialty tools and
replacement parts will be required. Keep the manual open
beside you for reference while performing each procedure.
do not rely on memory.
2. All service and repair should be carried out in a work area
specifically set up and equipped for the task. Adequate light
-
ing, cleanliness, and easy access to all required tools are
essential for an efficient repair facility.
3. As the regulator is disassembled, reusable components
should be segregated and not allowed to intermix with
nonreusable parts or parts from other units. delicate parts,
including inlet fittings and crowns which contain critical seal
-
ing surfaces, must be protected and isolated from other parts
to prevent damage during the cleaning procedure.
general guidelines (continued)
4. use only genuine Aqua Lung parts provided in the over-
haul parts kit for this product. do NoT attempt to substitute
an Aqua Lung part with another manufacturer’s, regardless
of any similarity in shape or size.
5. do not attempt to reuse mandatory replacement parts
under any circumstances, regardless of the amount of use
the product has received since it was manufactured or last
serviced.
6. when reassembling, it is important to follow every torque
specification prescribed in this manual, using a calibrated
torque wrench. most parts are made of either marine brass
or plastic, and can be permanently damaged by undue
stress.
general Conventions
unless otherwise instructed, the following terminology and tech-
niques are assumed:
1. when instructed to
remove
,
unscrew
, or
loosen
a thread-
ed part, turn the part counterclockwise.
2. when instructed to
install
,
screw in,
or
tighten
a threaded
part, turn the part clockwise.
3. when instructed to
remove
an o-ring, use the pinch
method (see illustration below) if possible, or use a brass
or plastic o-ring removal tool. Avoid using hardened steel
picks, as they may damage the o-ring sealing surface. All
o-rings that are removed are discarded and replaced with
brand new o-rings.
4. The following acronyms are used throughout the manual:
Mp
is medium Pressure;
hp
is high Pressure;
Lp
is Low
Pressure.
5. Numbers in parentheses reference the key numbers on
the exploded parts schematics.
For example
, in the
statement, “...remove the o-ring (7) from the crown (8)...”,
the number 7 is the key number to the crown o-ring.
Pinch method
Press upwards on sides of o-ring to
create a protrusion. Grab o-ring or
insert o-ring tool at protrusion.
