The damn dip tube on my single 130 unscrewed itself and is rolling around in the tank. I had to drain the are and bring it to a local shop for a quick fix.
Damn, that never happened to me before. Has anyone ever had a dip tube failure?
Dip Tube...
Started by
VADiver
, Jul 12 2006 05:03 PM
28 replies to this topic
#1
VADiver
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:03 PM
#2
WreckWench
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:21 PM
Ok I gotta ask...what the heck is a 'dip tube'???? Yep this is your resident blonde asking a silly question and I know you'll call me the 'dip'...but....I still gotta ask!!! 
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#3
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:24 PM
A dip tube (also known as a down tube or siphon tube) is there to prevent foreign stuff that may be in your tank, that shouldn't be there but could be there (i.e. water, that cockroach Walter found in his tank 
...etc.) from getting into the valve, first stage and ultimately your regulator as it descends down about 2" into the center of the tank. Water would, for example, in an inverted diver position fall below the tube, so the tube acts as a sort of snorkel.
Look at the photo below and it is the cylindrical stick pointing out of the tank valve threads.
...etc.) from getting into the valve, first stage and ultimately your regulator as it descends down about 2" into the center of the tank. Water would, for example, in an inverted diver position fall below the tube, so the tube acts as a sort of snorkel.Look at the photo below and it is the cylindrical stick pointing out of the tank valve threads.
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#4
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:27 PM
Thank you DG!!! You are the best...and now I don't feel like a DIP trying to know what a 'dip tube' is.
Now my question is...how the heck do they fall off???
Now my question is...how the heck do they fall off???
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#5
gcbryan
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:31 PM
It's never happened to me but it has happened to a buddy. Before then I'd never even though about it.
#6
dad+2(.5)
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:44 PM
Yes, as matter of fact, mine went to go rattling around the bottom of my brand new tank just a few weeks ago....I live pretty far from any LDS ..so I fixed it myself......do not attempt unless you have an understaning of O rings and putting things back togeather..the way they came apart..before today I though it was a common problem.....oh yea the reason they fall off they are just like nuts and bolts ..time loosens things.....becarefull not to crush or damage the tube if you tighten it yourself
Edited by dad+2(.5), 12 July 2006 - 05:48 PM.
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#7
Twinklez
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 05:50 PM
Happened to one of the divers over Memorial Day at Ouachita. I heard the rattle in his tank carrying it up to the shop for a fill. When I expressed concern his buddy explained to me what it was. He still dove the tank for our last day there but fixed it once he got home.
Like everyone else I'm wondering how they end up coming off. Are they not secured in place properly to start with?
Like everyone else I'm wondering how they end up coming off. Are they not secured in place properly to start with?
#8
ScubaDadMiami
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 06:00 PM
They can vibrate pretty hard when gas is being put into the tank. They also heat up during fills and cool down if you rapidly drain the tank (emptying to do a fill). All of this causes them to eventually loosen up.
The shop that preps the valves for me uses a loctite type of material that is safe for oxygen service once dry. That seems to work well to keep them from backing off over time.
It's a good idea to have your cylinder inspector check the snorkel when doing the annual tank inspection (VCI, VIP).
The shop that preps the valves for me uses a loctite type of material that is safe for oxygen service once dry. That seems to work well to keep them from backing off over time.
It's a good idea to have your cylinder inspector check the snorkel when doing the annual tank inspection (VCI, VIP).
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#9
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 06:51 PM
Had a much worse experience with dip tube (we also call 'em debris tubes) failure. Some foreign matter clogged mine and was the reason I had an "OOA" experience at 70 ft only 3 1/2 min into the dive. It may have clogged because I did a head down descent. Ever since then I float down like I'm free falling on a parachute jump.
#10
Geek
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 07:14 PM
The damn dip tube on my single 130 unscrewed itself and is rolling around in the tank. I had to drain the are and bring it to a local shop for a quick fix.
Damn, that never happened to me before. Has anyone ever had a dip tube failure?
Here is how to deal with it next time:
Drain the gas and get the biggest crescent wrench you have available. Put the wrench on the flat part of the valve. Gently tap the wrench with a rubber mallet. The valve will come loose easily. Remove the valve. Turn the tank over and dump out the dip tube. Screw the dip tube into the valve as tightly as you can using just your hands. Do not put any sort of pliers on the dip tube. It will bend or break easily. If you have a new tank o-ring handy you might want to use it. Screw the valve back into the tank. Screw the valve down hand tight. Put the wrench back on and tap with the rubber mallet very lightly. Depending on who you ask the valve should be either hand tight or just past hand tight.
Go get your tank refilled.
If you are really motivated to avoid such hassles, take a tank inspection course, so you can check out the tank while you have it open.
Dr. Bill if you had a dip tube clog up, the implication is that you had some crud in your tank. You dive a lot so that is not a huge shock, but you might want to consider more frequent VIPs just in case. I don't know if you do your own inspections or not, but if you have a shop do them, I suggest watching on the next few VIPs so you can get a look at what is inside there.
#11
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 07:15 PM
Now my question is...how the heck do they fall off???
tank gnomes
OK, lets make a deal. If you stop telling me how to dive, I'll stop going down to the bus station at 2am to slap d***s out of your mouth.
#12
VADiver
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 07:18 PM
Yeah, I O2 cleand these tanks earlier in the year and inspected them. I was going to fix the tanks at the hotel but I didn't bring my tools to remove the valve. I figured a LDS could knock it out for me and when I get home I'll take it apart and O2 clean it again.
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#13
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 07:40 PM
Ok I gotta ask...what the heck is a 'dip tube'???? Yep this is your resident blonde asking a silly question and I know you'll call me the 'dip'...but....I still gotta ask!!!
I was going to ask the same thing!!! Horray Blondes!!!!
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#14
Lubold8431
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Posted 12 July 2006 - 07:57 PM
(Snip)
Screw the dip tube into the valve as tightly as you can using just your hands. Do not put any sort of pliers on the dip tube. It will bend or break easily.
(snip)
I always wrap a towel around the dip tube and use pliers to tighten it up a little bit more than finger tight. Be careful with pliers though, you dont need to be he-man about it, you dont want to strip the threads or damage the tube itself. Just gentle pressure and a little turn. Ive never had one loosen up when assembled this way. I dont like to use any type of loctite material because I want to be able to get them apart again for O2 cleaning.
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#15
solodiver in nj
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Posted 13 July 2006 - 12:18 AM
bring bring (phone)
lds-uh, mark?
me- yes.
lds-this is steve at -- please don't be alarmed, but at your earliest convenience could you bring you pony in?
me- what's up?
lds- well, we have this dip tube on our bench, and since you just picked up a pony, it may not have been installed. we built up a couple of tanks today and unfortunately are calling each person to ask them to bring them in.
i love my lds...
how does it come unscrewed...Scubadad probably has the best answer...expansion and contraction...just something else to think about...
lds-uh, mark?
me- yes.
lds-this is steve at -- please don't be alarmed, but at your earliest convenience could you bring you pony in?
me- what's up?
lds- well, we have this dip tube on our bench, and since you just picked up a pony, it may not have been installed. we built up a couple of tanks today and unfortunately are calling each person to ask them to bring them in.
i love my lds...
how does it come unscrewed...Scubadad probably has the best answer...expansion and contraction...just something else to think about...
Edited by solodiver in nj, 13 July 2006 - 08:01 AM.
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