Should I have reg put together at LDS or DIY???

[D_O_H]

Am I missing something?

Other than not winching anything down so tight that you strip the threads and making sure you don't hook an LP hose up to an HP port (which I don't think is even possible on my 1st stage) what could go wrong here? I don't see it as being any more difficult or dangerous than installing a light bulb.

 

[LG Diver]

Just got my first equipment and wanted to know if I should put it together myself or go to a LDS???

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I was in the same boat as you last week. I took it to the shop, explained that I had a bunch of parts and would appreciate their help showing me how to assemble them and check the reg to make sure it's safe. I offered to pay them whatever their shop rate was for service. They were very helpful and willing to make sure I was diving safe gear. They charged me $25 and put it together while I watched. I'm glad I did this. I had read all sorts of stuff here about how hard to tighten stuff down. After reading all the posts I was confident that if I tightened the hoses down finger-tight plus a quarter to a half a turn with the wrench I'd be in good shape. Let me tell you, if I had actually tried this and turned the fittings a half turn past finger tight I'd be staring at a pile of stripped out threads and saving up to buy a new first stage. :11doh:

Bottom line, find a shop that cares about your safety and is willing to help you for a reasonable fee, and let them show you how to do it correctly.

 

[SDAnderson]

Am I missing something?

Other than not winching anything down so tight that you strip the threads and making sure you don't hook an LP hose up to an HP port (which I don't think is even possible on my 1st stage) what could go wrong here? I don't see it as being any more difficult or dangerous than installing a light bulb.

If you really believe what you're saying, see how many of these questions you can answer. Anyone who doesn't know the answer to all of them should consider having the work done by someone who can. Fair warning: some of these might be trick questions. You should still know the answers to all of them if you're going to put a new regulator together...

• It's easy to match different size hose ends to different size holes - but that's not the same as knowing which devices to connect to which ports. Why would it matter which LP ports you connect your primary, alternate and inflator to? Why are swage protectors important and how do you install them without stressing the hoses?
• It isn't hard to screw a hose in - but how hard do you screw a hose in? Should you lubricate the hose O-rings before you screw the hoses in? If so, with what?
• Once you have all the pieces together, how do you test for system integrity?
• What should the IP be set at? Are there any reasons that one diver might benefit from a different IP than another diver for the exact same regulator? How would you know if it wasn't set correctly? If it's not correct, how is it adjusted?
• Is the cracking pressure set properly? Are there any reasons that one diver might benefit from a different cracking pressure than another diver for the exact same regulator? Should the cracking pressure for the primary and the alternate be set the same? How would you know if it wasn't set correctly? What's the relationship between the IP and the cracking pressure? If it's not correct, how is it adjusted? For those regulators with a user adjustable cracking pressure, should the regulator be set while the retard knob is in the plus or minus position?

None of this is rocket science but that doesn't mean that it's as easy screwing in a lightbulb. Remember, too, that the price for making a mistake :11: can be a lot higher. I'm all in favor of people learning how to do basic service work on their own gear, it tends to make them safer divers and can save dives and money. However, if you don't know what you're doing or don't have the equipment and tools do do it yourself, there's no shame in having someone who knows what they're doing take care of it for you. It might be better and/or cheaper. By the way, if your technician can't answer these questions (and explain why) then you should consider taking your gear to someone who can.

 

[Dave in PA]

Reefraff,

I started typing answers to all of your very good list, but then I realized without a good picture of a test bench, it would be useless to most people. There are just too many variables that must be taken into consideration of gear setup. I didn't realize it until I started to try to cover them all....I guess that is the differance between assembly and set up?

 

[D_O_H]

If you really believe what you're saying, see how many of these questions you can answer...

Looks like I am missing something.

For what it's worth, I've been getting by just fine using nothing more than common sense.

I make sure my hoses are plugged in a place that allows me to route them where I want to in the most efficent way possible, I make sure my o-rings look nice but have never worried about lubing them even though I do have both oxy compatible and silicon lube in my kit, I tighten the hoses just enough so that they shouldn't come undone unintentionally (a smidge past finger tight is the technical term I'd use), I test for system integrity by slowly pressurizing the system and listening for any hissing (and looking out for flying o-rings!), if I'm really worried about integrity, I might have a buddy check for bubbles coming from my first stage after switching anything, I don't worry about my IP (but assume this is being checked when I take my reg in for annual service) and I tune my cracking pressure (I think) via a knob on my second stages and I keep my octo set to maxiumum so it doesn't freeflow.

It may not be the best way to do things, but I've yet to have a problem. As someone who is always swapping a hose for this reason or that, I would be broke if I had to drive to my dive shop and drop $25 every time I wanted to, say, use my dry suit and its apurtenant LP hose.

That said, I agree that there's no shame at all in having someone qualified help you get things set up, especially if you're feeling at all uncomfortable about any aspect of it.

 

[PaulChristenson]

That said, I agree that there's no shame at all in having someone qualified help you get things set up, especially if you're feeling at all uncomfortable about any aspect of it.

This why it is nice to have a REAL GOOD LDS, because a lot of times this is just a good will activity...at least it is a Victory Sports in VT...

 

[LG Diver]

As someone who is always swapping a hose for this reason or that, I would be broke if I had to drive to my dive shop and drop $25 every time I wanted to, say, use my dry suit and its apurtenant LP hose.

I wasn't suggesting that he shell out $25 every time he needs to swap a hose, but if it's something he's never done before, it's a worthwhile investment to have someone show you how it's done the first time. After having spent the $25 and seen how it's done, I wouldn't hesitate to swap my own hoses out in the future.