Shoddy gear service- what would you do?

[Scared Silly]

I am not, by any means, getting the technician off the hook. I am saying that both parties have to check everything. The technician must check it as if he is working on his little precious daughter's equipment and not assume that she will double check his work and that you, the user, must check it and not take anybody else's word or trust anyone else with your life.

The technician should do their job competently. The user should then make a functional test of the work. That does not mean check every mechanical connection (i.e. the HP hose) or check IP and lock-up. If one has to do that then there had damn well be a discount. The person is paying for a service and should get done with some competence. The OP has described were multiple issues some of which show a lack of competence.


OP: As for the lose hose connections I typically make then snug tight. The connectors are brass which is a soft metal and easy to mar. 40 in-lbs is more than enough.

 

[BoltSnap]

The technician should do their job competently. The user should then make a functional test of the work. That does not mean check every mechanical connection (i.e. the HP hose) or check IP and lock-up. If one has to do that then there had damn well be a discount. The person is paying for a service and should get done with some competence. The OP has described were multiple issues some of which show a lack of competence.

I teach my clients/customers and students to do proper "owner" check of their equipment. The need to check their equipment before going on a dive outing/trip. In fact, I spend 2 - 3 hours on preventive maintenance and equipment check at the beginning of our NAUI Advanced Diver course.

The technician should do their technician job properly but also the owner/end user must know how to check and what to check and when for their equipment not only after picking up their equipment from service but before going diving in between LDS service of their equipment. I do check the parts of my car I can and know how to check before any long trips.

 

[KDAD]

I find it odd that the SPG console was loose enough to come off between the end of the dive and the dunk tank but did not leak at all during the dive? Was it leaking during the dive and not noticed? Or did something nefarious happen between the dive and the dunk tank?

 

[redacted]

I find it odd that the SPG console was loose enough to come off between the end of the dive and the dunk tank but did not leak at all during the dive? Was it leaking during the dive and not noticed? Or did something nefarious happen between the dive and the dunk tank?

Because the o-ring on the spool make the seal, that connection can be loose with no leaks. It is much like the LP hose to 2nd stage connection. With a longer spool, I can see it happening. Some spools are quite long.

 

[Rred]

"was reassembled upside down. No big deal I thought"
A long time ago I was doing a building rewiring project and the guy supervising us stopped me and said "If an inspector sees that tape he'll flunk the whole job, because he knows someone with training always wraps in Clockwise. Rewrap it." You learn that the little things count.
If you ever see the Spirit of St. Louis, or any example of custom gunsmithing, you'll see something that even electricians do today: They "regulate" the screw heads. Every slotted head is tightened down to the same angle, either perfectly horizontal or vertical, all matching. (And in gunsmithing that may mean custom grinding the length of each screw to make it fit properly.) If the screws are regulated...you know the guy who worked on the job probably was paying attention to details!

Scuba gear? A sad comment that pretty much any time I let a shop touch a piece of gear, no matter how good their rep is, it isn't done 100% right. Every time a regulator was serviced, it was either stiff or freeflowing in a surf, I could re-adjust it and tweak it better. So now...that's right, I learned to DIY.

It isn't just the dive industry. Think of how many auto repair shops botch brake jobs (which one might consider essential to safety) and other work. You may be better off just keeping it clean and selling it off instead of having it serviced, unless you want to send it back to the maker.