How much do you pay for servicing your regs?

[gopbroek]

In my limited experience over the last 3 years I seen 4 2nd stages 'fail', in each case the owner stated 'I just got it serviced'. I now believe in the theory of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

 

[Bigd2722]

What is swarf?

 

[Peter69_56]

My customers get their old parts back but I'm not sure they'd appreciate a CD of my tuneless humming and whistling.

If a regulator is particularly bad then I'll take before and after pictures of the internals for the customer.

If they want to be really bored then they're perfectly welcome to watch the service process; I don't find watching an ultrasonic bath buzzing away particularly interesting but some people might.

That's what I like from a genuine tech. Old parts back as proof of fitting a kit. Shows honesty and genuine to be fair and above board.

Had a friend who took his car in for an oil change once, after marking the oil filter discretely. On getting it back he found nothing had been done. Oil was still dirty and filter was the same one as before the "service". He had to argue for 30 min before the supervisor agreed that the service had not been done.

I have also seen LDS being back reg sets with the comment "Its fine mate all well breathes ok, $135 thanks". Although it was not my reg set, I didn't have that warm cuddly feeling that anything had actually been done to the regs for the money. Call me suspicious if you like

---------- Post added September 27th, 2014 at 09:17 PM ----------

My customers get their old parts back but I'm not sure they'd appreciate a CD of my tuneless humming and whistling.

If a regulator is particularly bad then I'll take before and after pictures of the internals for the customer.

If they want to be really bored then they're perfectly welcome to watch the service process; I don't find watching an ultrasonic bath buzzing away particularly interesting but some people might.

I might like to hear you whistle, do you do it with a Scottish accent?

---------- Post added September 27th, 2014 at 09:19 PM ----------

What is swarf?

Swarf is a general term to describe the material removed with a machining process. Bits of steel/brass etc. Ever seen the material that comes off a lathe or a drill, that's swarf.

 

[Hickdive]

That's what I like from a genuine tech. Old parts back as proof of fitting a kit. Shows honesty and genuine to be fair and above board.

Some might argue that giving the bits back encourages re-use by the owner. However, I figure that the only people who would re-use parts are those who are servicing for themselves in the first place. Incidentally, I also use the packaging from the new kits I've just installed to bag the old parts. This re-assures the owner that genuine parts have been used. I also give a written checklist/report on performance and any issues before/after servicing.

My technician instructor originally got into servicing his own regs when he handed a set in to his LDS and it turned out the "technician" there simply dropped them, without disassembling anything, into a bucket of cleaning solution then took them out, dried and polished them.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I take pictures of anything unusual like excess salt build up, junk I find in the seconds, etc. and send those in an email with the service estimate. Used parts get returned. Also do the written report plus they have a copy of the email with the work to be done in their files. Unless they delete it. Not all sets need to have all stages rebuilt. Used parts imo belong to the reg owner. Not me or not even the mfg. They get to throw them away after they get to look at them. I write on the bag - used parts- do not re use.

 

[soccerrefjason]

My LDS takes them in the pool and uses them. He also gives them a good exterior visual inspection. If the regs do not in his opinion need servicing he returns them at no charge.

 

[Hickdive]

My LDS takes them in the pool and uses them. He also gives them a good exterior visual inspection. If the regs do not in his opinion need servicing he returns them at no charge.

I hope they also check the IP and cracking pressures.

 

[Nemrod]

My customers get their old parts back but I'm not sure they'd appreciate a CD of my tuneless humming and whistling.

If a regulator is particularly bad then I'll take before and after pictures of the internals for the customer.

If they want to be really bored then they're perfectly welcome to watch the service process; I don't find watching an ultrasonic bath buzzing away particularly interesting but some people might.

I will stay with what I said, I would want a video or photographs at intervals of the work from beginning to end and all parts back and the packages from the new ones.

Nowadays, I want photos, when it comes to peoples lives, I do not trust anybody unless they are personally introduced to me by somebody who I trust and know is competent. Otherwise, I assume incompetence and keep a close eye on them, or in the case of my scuba equipment, I would rather just do it myself.

N

 

[Rich Keller]

Anyhow I was charged $80 for labor and $50 for parts + taxes.

I have been doing my own service for decades so I have no idea what they charge now but I do buy my own parts and $50 seems very high to me. I am assuming that you are only talking about soft parts like O rings and seats, not damaged parts that would normally not be involved in a standard overhaul. If you are taking proper care of the reg after each use it should last for years between overhauls. Learning to do your own service would be the best way to go not just to save money but to insure the highest level of service. The reg is not just life support it is MY life support. I am untimely responsible for my own safety and I choose not to delegate this aspect of my responsibility to someone else.

 

[Degenerate]

I'm rocking a Poseidon Jetstream and getting it serviced at my LDS here in Sweden is 1590SEK, or ~220USD.
I'd be over the moon if I could get away with 140USD

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