Is SCBA nipple a wear item?

[tojohn]

I have an inexpensive SCBA fill adapter for firefighter type valves. It worked great for me for a few years. One day it started to leak at the nipple when I was filling a gun. I replaced the o-ring with a spare that came with the adapter, but it still leaks. The o-ring is orange and pliable, unlike the hard Teflon ring on another adapter I own.

Are these nipples (not the o-ring, but the actual metal) wear items? I noticed many nipples of this type on EBay, including some without o-rings of any type (all steel nipple with rounded end) which is leading me to believe that the metal nipple could be a a wear item.

While I have your attention, what is the purpose of the oil in the pressure gauge? I have another adapter without oil and it works the same.

 

[6gun]

The metallic part shouldn't be a wear item, but i have the same fill station. Glycerin filled guages dampen the needle movement and for me it helps show you when the bourdon tube is leaking. My guage popped on the first high psi loading and blew glycerin all over my garage.

I removed the chinesium tip and replaces it with a legitimate unit, including the nut that a friend gave me. Then my paintball guage sprung a leak that I put in place of the original. No bologna I just cut the bourdon tube to 1/4 inch off the feed point in the guage, smashed it flat, soldered the end and then rolled it up like a cinnamon roll and soldered it again because I didn't have a 1/8 npt pkug at the time.

I found that if you rock the fill station a little as you tighten the nut it helps the seal seat better, also make sure the taper on the scba valve is clean and smooth and it should help. In a pinch having a near perfect sized oring to blow up against that fill tip on the taper can seal it off too but they don't last too long if you bump the fill station.

Pic is my ghetto scba and the chinesium fill station. Never mind that massive cylinder.

 

[DesertSilver]

I turn the whole fill station a little bit to stop it from leaking also. I have the same model as in the picture.

 

[tojohn]

I used to be able to stop the leaks with a turn of the fill station, but it no longer seals on a dozen different bottles, so I'm thinking those turns have worn the nipple enough to let air pass. A replacement nipple is in the mail and it has the better Teflon seal. Thanks for the replies!

 

[Gerry52]

The ones you've seen with the metal tip & no o-ring are USUALLY the fill adapters that have a hex nut for tightening instead of a hand tightening nut. A wrench & slight pressure is sometimes required to get a good seal. With the hand tightening rig the o-ring or nylon ring is what creates the seal, opposed to metal on metal. Sure, there's some wear but usually more with the hex nut rigs.
BTW, if you happen to find nylon ring replacements PLEASE let me know! I can't find em anywhere. They're slightly beveled on one side.