A recalled diving regulator can stop delivering air while a diver is underwater

A scuba regulator is the link between a diver and the breathing gas in the tank. Hollis 200LX second-stage regulators were recalled because an inlet tube can crack and break, interrupting air delivery underwater.

About 7,200 regulators sold in the United States are covered, along with roughly 370 in Canada. The failure has been reported 17 times, although no injuries were reported when the July recall was announced.

The 200LX model and serial ranges

The CPSC recall covers Hollis 200LX second-stage regulators made of black and red plastic and metal. “200LX” and “Hollis” are engraved on top, and the serial number is located beneath the mouthpiece.

Covered serial ranges are C3753 through C77735, S73202 through S84427, HA00001 through HA14873 and LX001698 through LX009896. Divers should compare the full serial number rather than assuming that every 200LX or every Hollis regulator is included.

The inlet tube is part of the breathing path

The second stage reduces intermediate-pressure gas to breathable pressure as the diver inhales. Its inlet tube connects the hose to the regulator body. A crack or complete break can compromise that connection and stop the regulator from delivering air normally.

Underwater gas loss is an emergency even when a buddy and alternate air source are nearby. Depth, current, visibility, entanglement and stress can complicate a response. Removing the affected equipment before a dive is safer than relying on emergency training to manage a preventable failure.

Seventeen breaks were reported

Huish Outdoors received 17 reports of inlet tubes breaking. No injuries had been reported, but the consequence of a break during a dive can be drowning. A regulator that passed a predive breath test or completed earlier dives without trouble may still contain a part capable of cracking.

Visible inspection alone cannot establish that the metal or connection will tolerate pressure throughout a dive. Hairline cracking may be difficult to see, and flexing or pressurization can worsen a defect. The serial-number check is therefore more important than a quick surface look.

Stop diving with the regulator

CPSC directs owners to stop using a recalled 200LX immediately and return it to an authorized Hollis dealer for a free repair. Huish Outdoors can also provide a prepaid shipping label for mail-in service. The regulator should remain depressurized and clearly tagged while awaiting repair.

Substituting another second stage or opening the housing without proper training can introduce new hazards. Diving regulators are life-support equipment, and service should be performed by an authorized technician using the recall procedure and specified replacement parts.

Rental fleets and shared kits need a complete sweep

Dive shops, instructors, public-safety teams and clubs may own several identical regulators distributed among storage bins and rental bags. Each unit needs its own serial-number check. A repaired regulator should be documented so it is not repeatedly removed from service or confused with an unrepaired one.

Personal gear can also move between primary and backup kits. Checking only the regulator currently mounted on a cylinder may miss a recalled spare. Purchase records from dive shops and service logs can help account for equipment that is off-site or loaned to another diver.

A repair is only one part of dive readiness

After the recall repair, the regulator should return to the normal inspection and service schedule recommended by the manufacturer. Hoses, mouthpieces, gauges and alternate-air components deserve the same predive attention, particularly after storage or travel.

Buddy checks and gas-sharing practice remain essential, but they do not justify entering the water with a known recalled component. Completing the free repair removes a documented failure point before depth turns a mechanical defect into a time-critical emergency.

Travel can separate a regulator from its paperwork, so divers preparing for a trip should check serial numbers before packing. Discovering a recalled second stage at a remote destination can cancel dives or tempt an unsafe substitution. Early dealer contact leaves time for the free repair and a post-service test.

A functioning alternate-air source is intended for unforeseen emergencies, not as permission to dive with a known fault in the primary second stage. Gas-sharing requires proximity, communication and controlled ascent, conditions that may be difficult in overhead environments or poor visibility.

After service, a technician’s invoice should identify the recall work and serial number. That record matters when equipment is sold, loaned or placed in a rental inventory. The next diver can then distinguish a completed remedy from a regulator that merely looks clean and recently maintained.

Secondhand buyers should inspect the serial number before accepting a 200LX, then ask for documentation of the free repair. A recent annual service receipt may not include the recall unless the technician specifically performed it. Verification protects both the buyer and future dive partners.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

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