The BCD is an Oceanic Ocean Pro. Regulator is Oceanic Alpha 7. Whole she-bang has been used once. What will I need to do to it to get in tip top shape. I'd hate to waste some otherwise perfect gear as I'm not too picky when I dive.
Received 7 year old gear today...puts it at 2006 when new. What should I do?
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oldschoolto
Contributor
The first question is are you a handy do your own person or a bring it to the shop one...
Jim...
Jim...
The regulator should be serviced. Seven years is long enough for o-rings to stiffen and harden and lubricants to oxidize, and the seat may be scored by sitting unused for so long.
The BC inflator has the same issues, in that it also has o-rings and lubricant, all of which will be old. It's really the only part of a BC that needs service, though, and sometimes it's cheaper to replace the inflator than to have a shop work on it, depending on what kind of inflator it is. If you blow the BC up (which you can do through the oral inflate orifice) and it holds air for several hours, then the bladder is sounds. Make sure the auxiliary dump valves will open and close, too.
The BC inflator has the same issues, in that it also has o-rings and lubricant, all of which will be old. It's really the only part of a BC that needs service, though, and sometimes it's cheaper to replace the inflator than to have a shop work on it, depending on what kind of inflator it is. If you blow the BC up (which you can do through the oral inflate orifice) and it holds air for several hours, then the bladder is sounds. Make sure the auxiliary dump valves will open and close, too.
swimmer_spe
Contributor
ams511
Contributor
Yes and they will tell you not to accept or purchase any gear other than what they sell you or you will die.
If possible I would hook it up to a tank and check the operation first so you have an idea if any of the gear has a problem. Make sure the BC holds air and the inflator works. For the regs put them on a tank and see if they free flow. I would buy an IP gauge and follow the instructions on the regulator sticky. I would also get an estimate on the parts and service.
The reason I tell you this is because once upon a time a friend was getting out of diving and gave me his equipment which included a Sherwood Magnum regulator. I asked my former dive instructor whether a Magnum was a better regulator than my Conshelf 21 and he said yes. So I had the Sherwood rebuilt. To make a long story short the bill was well over $100 (in 92 or so) and I got a baggie full of parts which I kept. I moved to a different area and when dropping off my regulator for service I told the owner I needed a new fitting for my inflator. He gave me one for free. When I went back to pick up the regulator I gave him the bag of parts. He looked at it and said I gave him the entire internals of the regulator and I told him the story. When I saw him months latter when picking up a nitrox tank he told me he put the parts in a spare body and the regulator worked fine. In other words, the parts were fine and I got screwed. Another story, when at a dive shop in Miami getting my tanked VIP'd I was talking to the owner, who told me that people buy items online and through eBay and then bring it in to him to assemble, he said he "makes them pay".
Knowledge is power, you don't want to be taken advantage of.
I suppose that is possible, but the ones I know will happily service the gear, for the standard fee, of course. The shops I know understand that the goal of developing a long term relationship with divers is not helped by pissing them off.
When I was a beginning diver, I bought a bunch of stuff on my own and one piece from the LDS. The LDS put it all together for me cheerfully. I became a loyal customer and eventual employee of that shop. The intelligent ones know that, but some don't.
swimmer_spe
Contributor
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