Yearly service of regulators.

I was having a discusion with my LDS about reg service. What is the diffrence if a regulator sits in a display case or my closet for 6 to 8 months? When does the yearly service begin? Should the reg be serviced the day I buy it? Has anybody had a regulator just quit working during a dive?

I have no answer to your question... I was just cringing about the thought of a regulator sitting in your closet for 6 to 8 months unused.

Dive, brudda!

Pressure seats and o-rings can still degrade sitting in your closet. That being said, A brand new reg out of the display case or your closet shouldn't have any problems unless conditions in the closet or case are extraordinary. If the brand new reg starts free flowing or spot leaking get it serviced.

Who knows when the Chinese have actually manufactured your regs? They could have been in storage, in a container, in a warehouse, back room of a dive shop, on display for a total year or more befoe you got them. My first reg set were used Dacors and I took them in for a rebuild my first year of diving. For the last few years I have been buying new regs each year and selling the others on Ebay so as to get around any service charges. Last year's set is up for sale right now.

Linedog:

I was having a discusion with my LDS about reg service. What is the diffrence if a regulator sits in a display case or my closet for 6 to 8 months? When does the yearly service begin? Should the reg be serviced the day I buy it? Has anybody had a regulator just quit working during a dive?

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The most important differences between the shop's display case and a diver's closet is that the warranty clock is not ticking (if that matters) in the display case and the shop does not make any $$ unnecessarily servicing regulators from a display case. I inspect my regs frequently and only service them when some indication of a problem is found. Such indications usually have no significant effect on regulator performance. I have never experienced a regulator failure that adversely effected a dive. My regs usually go 3 to 5 years (sometimes more for infrequently used regulators) between "annual" services.

Another difference between the display case and your closet is a thin layer of lubricant (typically silicon) that is left over from the manufacturing process. This inhibits oxidation to a degree, but it is quickly washed off with a few dives.

This really does not change the underlying issue that yearly maintenance is overkill. It protects the manufacturer from liability in the extreme case of idiots who abuse their gear by not rinsing it or other stupid actions. It also is a real nice recurring revenue stream for both the LDS and manufacturer. The profit from maintenance could exceed that from the initial sale.

Personally, I go a full 2-3 years between service and the only issues I have ever had, have been right after service. I could go longer, just have not tried it.

I personally wouldn't get a new reg serviced just after buying it. It's like changing your oil on a new car you drove off the lot!???

I start the one year service clock the day of my first dive with the reg. Unless you dive like a fish 100/200 dives, then maybe do it in a few months.

Regs can go (rarely, if ever) which is another reason why we have backups.

Good luck!
PS. Don't know if you are but are you buying just a reg or combo 1st/2nd,SPG? I'd recmnd getting all together. but thats JMHO