Is it ok to reuse regulator parts?

[WhiteSands]

Reg service kits are expensive. So much money for a few o-rings and soft seats. So many regs, so little money.

In the interest of being economical (read "cheap") I'm wondering if it's ok to just open up my regs for an annual cleaning, and reuse the o-rings and soft seats?

I did a search and found this thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/477451-how-often-do-you-get-your-regs-serviced.html

Consensus seems to be, don't do anything if nothing is broke.

So my questions are:
1. Is it safe to reuse parts?

2. Is it false economy to reuse parts vs. change them? Will anything be damaged if I don't change parts on a regular basis? E.g. piston bore, hard seat, etc.

3. When someone says don't do anything till something is broke, what exactly is "broke"? And how do I tell when something is broke?

Clearly, safety is more important than money. So if there is any good reason why parts MUST be replaced annually please tell me.
If reusing parts is a stupid idea, please tell me too.

Thanks!

 

[herman]

I think most of us who follow the if it's not broke don't fix it do have some amount of time that we service even if there is no sign of trouble but the time line is more in the 5-6 year range than every 1 or 2. As to what is broke, I think that is somewhat misleading, obviously if its free flowing or leaking then it's broke and must be serviced soon but what we, or at least I mean by if it's not broke don't fix is would be more accurately stated as "if it shows signs of wear or ageing rebuild it otherwise monitor it and keep diving". Regs tend to degrade slowly over time, the catch is unless you are looking for the signs you will not see them until it is actually broke. If you look at the filter of a reg and it's clean then it's pretty much a good bet the inside is clean since the only entry point for water is the filter, so green/dirty, time to service, if it looks new no need to service unless there are other signs it needs it. Besides visual checks, knowing the IP of your reg is the key to knowing when it needs servicing. Each reg is a little different but the first signs of needing servicing is a change in IP. It may move up or down some or more likely it will start to creep, usually just a little at first but it gradually gets worse. If you have not been monitoring the IP since the last service, then you will not know the reg is in need of service until it begins to freeflow
There are no parts the "must" be replaced at any given time, within reason, there is not expiration date on them nor do many of them actually require changing after a given number of dives/hours. Sure orings do age but it's over many years, not just a few. If filters are not dirty then there is no reason to change them. That said, it is pretty much a joke to try and save orings as a cost saving, any time you have a reg apart....and there should have been a good reason for it to be apart anyway, go ahead and change the orings. The key here is to buy loose orings and not get them from a kit. On average nitrile orings cost $2.50-$3 for a 100 ct bag, vitons are about twice that, so for the price of 1 kit you can buy enough orings for your entire fleet of regs to last a life time. Many filters can be purchased as aftermarket parts or dealers can (if they will) order you just the filters and again if it's clean, there is no good reason to change it. The one item that is a little more iffy is the HP seat. Since it tends to mate with the hard seat, some times they do not like being moved to a new position and it is pretty much impossible to get it back in the same spot after you remove it....which is another reason to avoid opening the reg for no reason. I will on occasion reuse HP seat if they look good and there was no creeping or other unusual IP issues before the disassembly but I have spares on hand. When reassembled, if the regs shows any sign of problems (after a few cycles to let it reseat) the seat gets replaced. Again, these can be purchased individually rather than in the kit, some of which are available as aftermarket items.
For second stages, this gets easier. It needs servicing when it’s dirty, free flowing, leaking water or it’s cracking pressure has changed. Contrary to first stages I do recommend removing the cover of the second stage at least once or twice a season to visually inspect it since there are no parts to damage or disturb when you do. Rarely do they require more than the LP seat replaced and any orings needed should be purchased as bulk items. Most LP seats can be purchased as aftermarket items or as individual items from the dealer as can the exhaust valves and main diaphragm.
This is not rocket science, use your head and keep an eye on the regs by visually inspecting them and monitoring the IP.

 

[kwinter]

O-rings are incredibly cheap and are readily available -- once you know the sizes and duro you should use. If you can get that info, buy the O-rings separately and replace them. Seats should NEVER be removed and replaced. They take a set from the first time they are slammed by the knife edge and should never be repositioned. However, there are some seats that are reversible and thrifty people will turn them over and use the other side. Personally, I'm not in favor of that. I have a hard time remembering whether I'm on the first side or the second. But I recognize that seats are harder to source separately, like filters and poppets. Diaphragms tend to take a set too, but I have reused them in a pinch (without turning them over).

Bottom line is that it's easy to replace o-rings, but I wouldn't completely disassemble without a kit. If anyone knows a good place to source seats and diaphragms, let me know.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[spectrum]

For the most parts if you are careful and confident in your carefulness having a lightly used part go in and out of a regulator need not condemn it. Parts on spindles can be cleaned in place and suffer no real stress in the servicing process. Is it safe? Only you know your abilities to not mess this up but technicians mess things up with new parts so..........

One hot spot will be seats. The orifice will make an impression and it may not be uniform or true to center. Once you distrurb the orientation it will probably go back together mismatched and want to leak.

I know you have read up on the topic but you may want to reconsider your interval and inspection procedures. The sticky at the top of the regulator forum explains how to monitor things.

Pete

 

[halocline]

On my piston 1st stages, I always replace the HP seat when I service the reg, because wear in the sear is what causes IP creep, and that's usually the reason I'm servicing it. And, taking the piston out to clean it and putting it back in with a used seat usually makes the creep worse because the piston edge rarely lines up exactly with the groove in the old seat.

Other than that, I'd be fine re-using most o-rings and bushings as long as they're in good shape. I always replace that HP piston o-ring, though, that one has a very high pressure gradient and is subject to the constant movement of the piston.

For 2nd stages, the pressure is far lower and there's no real problem IMO re-using seats and o-rings in most cases. But, tuning for the best possible performance is dependent on having a great seal at the seat/orifice, so re-using the old seat usually means a slightly higher cracking pressure.

If your main interest is saving money, the best way to do it is to forget about buying the manufacturers' kits and just buy good quality o-rings from an o-ring vendor, that's almost certainly what the reg manufacturers do. Then either buy individual seats from the manufacturer (they're usually available separately if you can get a dealer to sell you some) or if you're lucky, trident will have aftermarket seats for your reg.

Monitoring the performance of your reg, and carefully cleaning it after each salt water dive, can really extend the service interval.

 

[redacted]

Clearly, safety is more important than money. So if there is any good reason why parts MUST be replaced annually please tell me.
If reusing parts is a stupid idea, please tell me too.

Thanks!

I reuse parts unless there is some indication of a problem or if it has been quite a long time since a complete service (as opposed to clean & inspect). But I don't see it as a safety issue as much as a convenience thing - actually avoiding the inconvenience of a problem during a dive). Seats tend to be the hardest things to get so, as long as it is working OK, I avoid disturbing them as much as possible.

 

[Diver0001]

If you're going to reuse the parts, why did you bother getting it serviced?

R..

 

[WB2GLP]

If you're going to reuse the parts, why did you bother getting it serviced?

I'm sure that "getting it serviced" hasn't crossed the mind of most of the regular people in the DIY section for many years.

 

[spectrum]

A full service or repair is clear cut. Sometimes you may wonder if things are as clean as they are functional. Once you open things up for an " inspection" you begin to blur the line between leaving it alone and performing a full overhaul with all new parts. There is always room for shades of gray.
Pete

 

[NotSure]

I personally would not bother taking apart a regulator I didn't intend to rebuild. You are more likely to cause a new issue than prevent one because of the seat alignment issues mentioned by others. Even if the regulator has been "serviced" you will find static "O" rings that will come out in pieces because they have never been inspected or replaced. Just replace dynamic "O" rings and inspect the others and get a new seat or flip it if possible.