Dive Tools - Scuba Tech Tips: S04E15

Alec shows a range of scuba tools every diver should have for minor repairs like swapping hoses or tightening port plugs.
To disassemble most North American scuba regulators today you need four wrenches; 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", 11/16", a 5/32" allen key and a philips head screw driver.
**** Alec Peirce Scuba ****
SCUBA TECH TIPS playlists
▶︎ Series 6: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 5: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 4: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
▶︎ Series 1, 2 & 3: • Scuba Tech Tips - Seri...
VINTAGE SCUBA playlists
▶︎ Series 3: • Vintage Scuba - Series 3
▶︎ Series 2: • Vintage Scuba - Series 2
▶︎ Series 1: • Vintage Scuba - Series 1
SEA HUNT REMEMBERED playlists
▶︎ Series 2: • Sea Hunt Remembered - ...
▶︎ Series 1: • Sea Hunt Remembered - ...
SCUBA 2000
▶︎ Website: www.scuba2000.com
▶︎ Facebook: / scuba2000
▶︎ SEA HUNT COLLECTOR website: seahuntcollector.com

[@kathyweigelhi-lophotovideo2984]

You're so informative and funny....can totally relate to your Harbor Freight shopping addiction:)

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Place is dangerous if you're a do-it-yourselfer! Thanks for watching. Alec

[@ronbeatty516]

Buying tools is an addiction and I'm addict. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the rest of us!

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I'm at the stage where I can now walk through a Canadian Tire, Harbor Freight or even Princess Auto and not see anything I need. I still see stuff I want. I have the same disease Ron. I can't resist a neat tool - even if I can't think of a use for it. Take care. Alec

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

I carry a couple of tools in my SADK. 1.5mm Allen key for the transmitter housing when you need to replace a battery. No imperial equivalent. 3/64" will strip the nut. 3mm Allen key for the Goodman handle of my dive light. No imperial equivalent. 7/64" is likely to strip the nut. 5mm Allen key for the port plugs. 3/16" will fit, not perfectly but it'll do the job. 8mm Allen key for Pro-Valve inserts. 5/16" is the exact same size, or near as makes no difference (0.0625mm smaller). 14mm wrench for HP hoses. 9/16" will work as well, but I'm anal about fitting the right wrench to the right nut. 9/16" wrench for LP hoses. 11/16" wrench for LP swivel hoses. Philips No.1 screwdriver for the EezyCut Trilobite line cutter. Brass O-ring picks, no stainless steel picks. Stainless steel is harder than brass and chrome and can damage your regulators. In addition, and as redundancy, I carry an XS Scuba Star Tool (5/32", 3/16", 1/4" hex, valve tool, 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", 11/16" wrench). And a small IST Sports tool kit with a couple of adjustable wrenches, Allen keys, pliers, bit holder and bits, and zip ties.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

You must be the most looked for guy before diving!! Great tools to have hands in your SADK. A

[@moclepocle]

Thanks for sharing. Maybe you can start a series of videos of maintenance of each individual most popular brands out there, even double hosers.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Hi again Miguel. For the record, a double hose is a regulator in the vintage style. A double hoser is a diver using one of those regulators, probably from the mid-West! I'm working on the idea of more repair and service vids. They seem the most popular. Maybe I was wrong when I said that dvers are not handymen anymore. Alec

[@karlmarx7450]

Thanks. Actually, you did give me, free of charge, a lot of port plugs when I came to buy one, and you did not take any money. And showed how to use them. You are always amazing; thanks.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

When your LDS sets up your regs, they should provide you with all the parts left over. You should not leave without getting the port plugs they took out. It's different when you buy a complete regulator set from a manufacturer. Those don't come with the port plugs. They should, but they don't.

[@TomKnudsen]

Excellent show, more tech and service tips to make us more reliant to our gear

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I have a whole list Tom. More on fixing things, service, repair, etc. Anything specific? Coming soon.

[@TomKnudsen]

Nothing special, perhaps something about maintenence for DVPs could be int. for some. (underwater scooters) And of course, as a tool geek I would love to see a tour of your workshop, what kind of tools you have, what do you use them for and it can be of course included with tip on maintenence, storage etc.

[@allotrope]

Was thinking if you could do a video on how to memories all the steps before descending and ascending for new divers. I find it hard to remember all the steps

[@alandantoni686]

Love these videos, I couldn't place who he reminded me of, then it hit me, He is the WALTER WHITE of Scuba!!! Heisenberg!

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

No one has ever though of me that way, your the first so thank you Alan.

[@kevinsmith2377]

I honestly thought of two people watching this video (which I appreciated, btw). Walter White and Norm McDonald.

[@ultimatevintagescuba925]

great video

[@Dive_Me_Crazy]

Love that tool. Steve and I are fixing up a couple of old Apollo scooters at the moment. Yesterday we replaced the trigger and discovered it uses a magnetic switch. We will be doing our first sea trial in the ocean pool in a couple of weeks, I'll put a video up on my channel so you can see it. It's a fun project and a great excuse to get "grubby" in the workshop :)

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

The Apollo is the latest version of the good old DACOR Sea Scooter which I used for many years. I just sold my last two, 1 near perfect, the other for parts. They were easy to work on and very rugged. We did some pretty crazy stuff with them - 11 divers behind one holding on to each others fins. It wasn't fast but it worked. We used to dive with a weight so we could "park" them on the bottom and return later. Sometimes we used a neoprene "vest" on them so they'd float. We'd tie them to our dive flag and use them to get back to shore. That switch was available at any good electronics store - standard 4" magnetic switch. You just solder it in line and glue it back in place. I have a manual for the Sea Scooter if you need it. Alec

[@Dive_Me_Crazy]

Alec Peirce Scuba a manual would be so good. The scooters we have are second hand and older but most of the parts seem to be available. We have managed to get them going and will be putting them in the pool next week. They have been sitting in the back of Steve's shop for a few years gathering dust and it will so good to finally get to use them. I'm putting together a video of our project and should have the first one up on my channel next week.

[@alfreddurmeier4178]

Very well and informative show,just as an idea, make a show about the does and don'ts in maintaining the own equipment

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Don't disassemble your first or second stage. Keep unused ports plugged so dirt and moisture can't get in there. Some second stage regulator you can take the front cover off quite easily. That's great for cleaning the second stage (you'd be amazed what grows in there after a couple of dives), and service the mushroom exhaust valve. Don't dunk your first stage if it's not pressurized. The dust cap is meant to keep out dust, it's not guaranteed to keep out water. Don't use chemical solvents or abrasive materials. They'll damage the finish and O-rings. Just soapy water will do fine. You can use an old toothbrush to get into the smaller parts. Rinse out the inside of your BCD with fresh water to prevent salt crystals from forming inside the bladder. That's the number one cause of BCD failure. Allow everything to dry before you put it in storage, and keep it in a dark, cool, dry place, away from animals. Mice love neoprene. You don't want to come back to your wetsuit and find it has more holes than when you bought it.

[@chrisbuck2918]

I would also add a pair of soft jaw pliers, had a moment where I couldn't take the regulator off the tank, my guess is it shrunk due to it being cold, idk. I couldn't loosen it by hand but a pair of channel locks got it off. I suggest using rubber jaw pliers to protect the knob.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

That's a good point too. If it happens to me, I just call my wife over! A.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

More likely there was still pressure on the first stage.

[@diematte1]

Could we see some more technical setups? Backmounted vs Sideslung twins for example?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

We'll see Matt. We like these vids to appeal to all divers and those set-ups have limited popularity. As I run out of ideeas I'll look more into those. Thanks for watching. Alec

[@VictorGarciaR]

Can you please explain diving lights in a video? What features are useful, what lumens and luxes are, etc. I have a simple diving light and I am going to buy another one for christmas. I know it should have strobe mode in order to draw attention (my current light is just on/off) but what else shoud I look for?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I did a light vid some time ago Victor. Look carefuly at the Big Blue Dive Lights. Their 1100 rechargeable series is crazy bright but very compact and rugged. There are lots of others. Alec

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Look for a light with a narrow beam angle. Around 10° is the sweet spot, with some flood. Too wide an angle, and in murky waters you'll get a lot of backscatter, basically blinding you and reducing your vision. Don't get too hung up on lumens. A focused 500 lumen light is brighter than a 2000 lumen floodlight. Floodlights are only useful for underwater video- and photography, and they need a lot of lumen to light up a large area. Video lights are usually 5000 lumen and up, but they suck for signaling and pointing stuff out. Some lights can switch between narrow beam and flood if you're unsure which one to get.

[@allotrope]

Also any tips on equalising. I squeeze my nose and blew but nothing happens. Is there a way to practice on dry land and how hard should I blow ?

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Not hard. If you're unable to equalize under water, you've probably left it too late. You should start equalizing the moment you hit the water. The pressure increases fastest near the surface. In the first 33ft you double the pressure, in the next 33ft it only increases by half, in the 33ft after that only by a third, and then only by a quarter (and then you're at the recreational dive limit). Equalize early and often. If you can't equalize, ascend and try again.

[@bassh8me1]

My Cressi AC2 reg needs a spanner wrench to remove the end cap. Do you know of a way to remove the cap without having a spanner?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

If you really need the spanner, you can buy it from www.tridentdive.com. Look on page 34, part S117, it's an adjustable 1st stage spanner. A

[@pf6819]

these tool packs and multi tools might be ok if you're on a budget but in my experience the quality is usually not that good. I think some companies like to make their allen wrenches out of cheese. I'd also recommend open end spanners over a shifter. use quality tools and you're less likely to damage your expensive equipment.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

You are so right PF. Unfortunately that is a sentiment learned by experience. Most divers want the cheapest tool available and that's what they get. Fortunately they don't need it often if at all so don't learn the valuable lesson you refer to. Nice bike BTW. I've been a biker since 1965. Thanks for watching. Alec

[@pf6819]

thanks alec maybe you should make a channel for biker tech tips I know I'd watch

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

These multi tools are more for convenience, and when you're in a pinch. You can't bring an toolbox when you're flying to your dive destination, or on a day boat. If you're diving locally, or a service technician, get real tools. Preferably stainless steel ones to prevent little particles on the nuts that will corrode when they hit salt water.

[@AtraxJoe]

Does anyone know the name of this handy tool with the wrench? 🤔 Cheers

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I do, I do!

[@AtraxJoe]

@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter grat 👍

[@EmpiricalPenguin]

Another good vid, Alec! How about a giveaway for reaching over 3k subs?! (I wouldn't mind one of those oceanic biolite BC's you showed in a previous vid! 😉)

[@Dive_Me_Crazy]

EmpiricalPenguin I love how the English language is evolving, today if you say "3K subs" or "texting" etc, everyone knows what you mean. 20 years ago they would have looked at you as if you came from another planet. Actually I think a better give away would be a sea scooter - save me trying to fix this bloody second hand one 😖

[@alexscamell4520]

EmpiricalPenguin Keep up the good work Alec, would it be possible for you to do a vid on full face masks?

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

Sure. Good idea. Thanks for noticing. I never imagined how popular these little videos would be. I'm doing this just for fun. I don't know why Kevin works so hard at it. I'll speak to Oceanic about a donation.

[@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter]

I used Full Face masks many years ago when they were quite popular among recreational divers. We're talking the 60's and 70's here. There were several available including one from Scubapro called the Visionair. In my Full Face Diver speciality course I talk about them. Today there's really only 2 affordable and deceent Full Face masks suitable for recreational divers and they are quite similar. You vcan fidn them on-lne. Also, the use of Full Face masks for recreational diving is very limited. The odd diver wants to try it for the communication available but it's quite expensive ($2000+ per unit - you need 2!), requires training and a lot of care. It's not something that would be attractive to many divers. Alec

[@EmpiricalPenguin]

Great stuff! I'm always looking forward to the next video, I'm sure that goes for a lot of others too!