Stuck Mouthpiece

Grahjam · 8th January 2007, 12:51

Hi all

This could be a real numptie question but here goes anyhow

I was out over the weekend building up the hours in a quarry, (water temp approx 6-7 degrees C) and had a problem shutting off the mouthpiece on my inspo vision.

The mouthpiece opened and closed fine when I was setting the unit up at the car, but once underwater I could not close it off, no matter how much I wrestled with it. The mouthpiece would n't budge until it had been out of the water for about 30 minutes and is now fine.

I've not stripped it down yet, but oddly enough my buddy also had the same problem on his classic - anyone esle had similar problems or could advise a solution?

Br & safe divin

Grahjam

***Beanie*** · 8th January 2007, 13:01

yeah i think I've had similar ish problems, a strip and rebuild seems to sort it.

I don't know how cold your hands were but one of these: narkedat90 DSV / Mouthpeice screw makes the mouthpeice opening / closing really easy.

Kim H · 8th January 2007, 15:25

I had a student with the same problem. He had just serviced the mouthpiece and used silicone grease for lubrication. It got a lot better when it was lubricated with O2 compatible grease.
Hope it works for you as well.

Best regards Kim Heigren.

IART Regional Office Scandinavia

KevDD · 8th January 2007, 15:47

Try O2 grease. I had the same problem diving in 6deg water.

Tino de Rijk · 9th January 2007, 00:40

Well..... beg to disagree. Although I am generally a big fan of using O2 grease just about everywhere in a Rebreather (if only to avoid making mistakes), the Inspo mouthpiece is just about the only part I use silicone grease on. I use the very thin kind that comes in small black tubes, not the thick German stuff.
O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use.

Ciao,

Tino.

Quote: (Originally Posted by KevDD)

Try O2 grease. I had the same problem diving in 6deg water.

decoweenie · 9th January 2007, 06:32

Quote: (Originally Posted by Tino de Rijk)

O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use.

Same here...

divetheworld · 9th January 2007, 08:33

Quote: (Originally Posted by Tino de Rijk)

Well..... beg to disagree. Although I am generally a big fan of using O2 grease just about everywhere in a Rebreather (if only to avoid making mistakes), the Inspo mouthpiece is just about the only part I use silicone grease on. I use the very thin kind that comes in small black tubes, not the thick German stuff.
O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use.

Ciao,

Tino.

Bang on, good advise.
Experience shows.

Brent

jhaaja · 9th January 2007, 08:47

Quote: (Originally Posted by Grahjam)

Hi all

This could be a real numptie question but here goes anyhow

I was out over the weekend building up the hours in a quarry, (water temp approx 6-7 degrees C) and had a problem shutting off the mouthpiece on my inspo vision.

The mouthpiece opened and closed fine when I was setting the unit up at the car, but once underwater I could not close it off, no matter how much I wrestled with it. The mouthpiece would n't budge until it had been out of the water for about 30 minutes and is now fine.

I've not stripped it down yet, but oddly enough my buddy also had the same problem on his classic - anyone esle had similar problems or could advise a solution?

Br & safe divin

Grahjam

One reason could be that the o-ring that seals the mouthpiece was displaced. This sometimes happens with older rings and if the mouthpiece is not correctly lubricated.

I have had this problem a few times. Cleaning all the bits helps usually and usually I have also changed the o-ring.

Silicon grease seems to work best as others have also said. Use quite thin grease and don't use much.

JH

Grahjam · 11th January 2007, 13:11

Cheers for the replies and suggestions,

I spoke to APD who indicated that it may be a problem of tight tolerances on the mouthpiece resulting in the outside of the mouthpiece shrinking with the cold water, while at the same time the inside piece expands, or stays the same size due to the warmer gas being breathed / passed through it, with the result of mouthpiece locking up. The chap I spoke to came to this conclusion without much ummmin & arrrrrghin, so whether this is a problem they've seen before who knows?

APD suggested I send the mouthpiece back to them, which given that my Inspo was new in Oct 2006 and has only done around 15 hrs, I'll probably do. Anyway I'm full of the Man Flu at the moment so that ain't gonna affect my divin, I'll post the outcome when its returned

cheers all & safe divin

MAD · 11th January 2007, 14:13

I've had the same problem in the past...

Stripping and regreasing has little effect, tried it lots of times.

In the end it turned out that it was indeed down to the "tight tolerances".

The resolution was to slightly (VERY slightly) slacken off the threaded rings (collars) that attach the assembly to the hoses.

Remove the two little screws, slacken the rings by a degree or so (VERY slightly) put the two screws back.

Reassemble the 'breather and do a normal positive and negative check.

If all OK, stick the hose and mouthpiece in the freezer for 20 minutes and see if you can still move it.

If so, then job done....

Worked for me.

As the unit get's very cold, the material contracts, pulling the collars tighter onto the central cylinder of the mouthpiece making it impossible to move. Do make sure you do you positive and negative checks though.

I know lot's of people who have had much heartache with this, including the use of sandpaper

Mark

8th January 2007, 12:51	#1 (permalink)
Grahjam New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Warrington (a delightful Cheshire Hamlet) - UK Posts: 31	Stuck Mouthpiece Hi all This could be a real numptie question but here goes anyhow I was out over the weekend building up the hours in a quarry, (water temp approx 6-7 degrees C) and had a problem shutting off the mouthpiece on my inspo vision. The mouthpiece opened and closed fine when I was setting the unit up at the car, but once underwater I could not close it off, no matter how much I wrestled with it. The mouthpiece would n't budge until it had been out of the water for about 30 minutes and is now fine. I've not stripped it down yet, but oddly enough my buddy also had the same problem on his classic - anyone esle had similar problems or could advise a solution? Br & safe divin Grahjam
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8th January 2007, 13:01	#2 (permalink)
*Beanie* Gallery Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In da house! yeah baby! Posts: 3,293	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece yeah i think I've had similar ish problems, a strip and rebuild seems to sort it. I don't know how cold your hands were but one of these: narkedat90 DSV / Mouthpeice screw makes the mouthpeice opening / closing really easy. __________________ Beanie Gallery Admin & Library Assistant. www.outlawdivers.org.uk www.beandiving.co.uk www.beanengineering.co.uk Last edited by Beanie : 8th January 2007 at 13:04.
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8th January 2007, 15:25	#3 (permalink)
Kim H New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 14	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece I had a student with the same problem. He had just serviced the mouthpiece and used silicone grease for lubrication. It got a lot better when it was lubricated with O2 compatible grease. Hope it works for you as well. Best regards Kim Heigren. IART Regional Office Scandinavia
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8th January 2007, 15:47	#4 (permalink)
KevDD Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 99	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Try O2 grease. I had the same problem diving in 6deg water.
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9th January 2007, 00:40	#5 (permalink)
Tino de Rijk Old, maybe one day wise Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Evolution Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 372	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Well..... beg to disagree. Although I am generally a big fan of using O2 grease just about everywhere in a Rebreather (if only to avoid making mistakes), the Inspo mouthpiece is just about the only part I use silicone grease on. I use the very thin kind that comes in small black tubes, not the thick German stuff. O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use. Ciao, Tino. Quote: (Originally Posted by KevDD) Try O2 grease. I had the same problem diving in 6deg water.
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9th January 2007, 06:32	#6 (permalink)
decoweenie Crash Test Dummy Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cairo Posts: 5,487	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Quote: (Originally Posted by Tino de Rijk) O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use. Same here... __________________ "...after a while you get bored offering advice to a bull that like to keep butting the fence with its head rather than walking through the open gate..." - Rebreather World PM
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9th January 2007, 08:33	#7 (permalink)
divetheworld Dive porn pimp Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Classic Kiss Other CCR Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leeds, England Posts: 1,630	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Quote: (Originally Posted by Tino de Rijk) Well..... beg to disagree. Although I am generally a big fan of using O2 grease just about everywhere in a Rebreather (if only to avoid making mistakes), the Inspo mouthpiece is just about the only part I use silicone grease on. I use the very thin kind that comes in small black tubes, not the thick German stuff. O2 grease tends to get thicker and less greasy over time - at least my experience with the O2 type I use. Ciao, Tino. Bang on, good advise. Experience shows. Brent __________________ Attitude and self praise is no reccomendation. Dont try to be a great man, just be a man and let history be the judge of you. *WWW.NARKEDAT90.CO.UK* *http://www.grpservices.com/pursuit/* Supporting Shearwater Research Products in Europe
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9th January 2007, 08:47	#8 (permalink)
jhaaja Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 885	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Quote: (Originally Posted by Grahjam) Hi all This could be a real numptie question but here goes anyhow I was out over the weekend building up the hours in a quarry, (water temp approx 6-7 degrees C) and had a problem shutting off the mouthpiece on my inspo vision. The mouthpiece opened and closed fine when I was setting the unit up at the car, but once underwater I could not close it off, no matter how much I wrestled with it. The mouthpiece would n't budge until it had been out of the water for about 30 minutes and is now fine. I've not stripped it down yet, but oddly enough my buddy also had the same problem on his classic - anyone esle had similar problems or could advise a solution? Br & safe divin Grahjam One reason could be that the o-ring that seals the mouthpiece was displaced. This sometimes happens with older rings and if the mouthpiece is not correctly lubricated. I have had this problem a few times. Cleaning all the bits helps usually and usually I have also changed the o-ring. Silicon grease seems to work best as others have also said. Use quite thin grease and don't use much. JH
(Offline)

11th January 2007, 13:11	#9 (permalink)
Grahjam New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Warrington (a delightful Cheshire Hamlet) - UK Posts: 31	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece Cheers for the replies and suggestions, I spoke to APD who indicated that it may be a problem of tight tolerances on the mouthpiece resulting in the outside of the mouthpiece shrinking with the cold water, while at the same time the inside piece expands, or stays the same size due to the warmer gas being breathed / passed through it, with the result of mouthpiece locking up. The chap I spoke to came to this conclusion without much ummmin & arrrrrghin, so whether this is a problem they've seen before who knows? APD suggested I send the mouthpiece back to them, which given that my Inspo was new in Oct 2006 and has only done around 15 hrs, I'll probably do. Anyway I'm full of the Man Flu at the moment so that ain't gonna affect my divin, I'll post the outcome when its returned cheers all & safe divin
(Offline)

11th January 2007, 14:13	#10 (permalink)
MAD RBW Writer Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Evolution Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Home Build Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northampton Posts: 71	Re: Stuck Mouthpiece I've had the same problem in the past... Stripping and regreasing has little effect, tried it lots of times. In the end it turned out that it was indeed down to the "tight tolerances". The resolution was to slightly (VERY slightly) slacken off the threaded rings (collars) that attach the assembly to the hoses. Remove the two little screws, slacken the rings by a degree or so (VERY slightly) put the two screws back. Reassemble the 'breather and do a normal positive and negative check. If all OK, stick the hose and mouthpiece in the freezer for 20 minutes and see if you can still move it. If so, then job done.... Worked for me. As the unit get's very cold, the material contracts, pulling the collars tighter onto the central cylinder of the mouthpiece making it impossible to move. Do make sure you do you positive and negative checks though. I know lot's of people who have had much heartache with this, including the use of sandpaper Mark __________________ 1007 dives and finally I'm a novice... www.divejunkie.com
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