The useful life of equipment

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Uncle Pug

Swims with Orca
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A drysuit has a definite life span while a pair of JetFins will still be as good as new after the next ice age has receeded.

Do you consider certain pieces of equipment *consumables* that will need to be replaced periodically?
 
You're in for a lot of pain and anguish if you view any piece of dive gear as something permanent.....

In fact, I think most people would be better off if they viewed practically everything they buy that way..
 
Masks. I've been through about 5 in the last 10 years. Sat on, stepped on...broken strap adjustors mainly. But I had a Tusa Liberator last from 1989 to 99 until my son broke it, well into being yellow skirted...
 
In my experience: (100-160 dives per year, certified since 1985)

Wet suit gloves - half a season to a season
Wet suits/semi drys - a season and a half.
Hoods 2-3 seasons
Masks - 3-5 seasons (if you find one that fits really well, otherwise 1-2 seasons)
Computers/bottom timers - 5-7 years
Drysuits - 5-7 years
BC, BP/wing - 5-7 years
Aluminum tanks - 10-20 years
Regulators - 20 years (if you buy a good one from a good company)
Steel Tanks - 50-100 years
Jet fins - just about forever
 
Uncle Pug:
A drysuit has a definite life span while a pair of JetFins will still be as good as new after the next ice age has receeded.

Do you consider certain pieces of equipment *consumables* that will need to be replaced periodically?

The most consumable gear I would have to say are gloves (dry or wet) and Hoods.
The rest of the stuff I replace lately is not because I needed to, It just that I couldn't resist all that new gear. :wink:
 
Practically disposable:
O2 sensors
rubber fin straps
drygloves
o-rings

Two, maybe three years:
hoses
drysuit underwear
lightbulbs
neoprene exposure wear

10 years or less:
Aluminum tanks
masks

Will last long time (+15 years):
Faber or other steel tanks
regulators

Will survive nuclear explosions:
Scubapro Jetfins
Stainless Steel Spring Straps
PST hot-dip galvanized tanks
 
Boogie711:
Will survive nuclear explosions:
Scubapro Jetfins
Stainless Steel Spring Straps
PST hot-dip galvanized tanks

glad to see you've done extensive testing on the straps you sell boogie :D
 
Boogie711:
Practically disposable:
O2 sensors
rubber fin straps
drygloves
o-rings

Two, maybe three years:
hoses
drysuit underwear
lightbulbs
neoprene exposure wear

10 years or less:
Aluminum tanks
masks

Will last long time (+15 years):
Faber or other steel tanks
regulators

Will survive nuclear explosions:
Scubapro Jetfins
Stainless Steel Spring Straps
PST hot-dip galvanized tanks


Boogie,

Do your straps have a service life, or ........ half-life :D

Tobin
 
DA Aquamaster:
...BP/wing - 5-7 years
BP's wear out? :11:
I ended up replacing the harness on mine after about 200 dives, mostly for cosmetic reasons (it's a girl thing :wink:), but the BP? :06: :06:

How about the Spring straps on the Jetfins? Anyone know how long those tend to last?

I don't see the compass wearing out, but I'll probably end up replacing the bungies on it.

So how about stuff that isn't necessarily wearing out, but the usefullness has run it's course due to upgrading technology. Like a 10W HID that wasn't worn out, but got replaced with a 21W Uncle Pug Special Edition :D
 
Snowbear:
BP's wear out? :11:
I ended up replacing the harness on mine after about 200 dives, mostly for cosmetic reasons (it's a girl thing :wink:), but the BP? :06: :06:
BP's don't wear out per se although they can get quite gritty looking after a few years. Other than that one could actually argue that they get better with age with fewer sharp edges to wear out the webbing in your harness.

But I was referring more to the whole BP/wing unit. Harnesses seem to go rather quickly with doubles (200 dives seems about right) no matter how carefully I dress the edges on the plate and I seem to encounter a good deal of wear on the outer edges of the wings so in 5-7 years they could stand replacing. If the cover needs to go, replacing the bladder is not a bad idea either. And while you're at it why not go all the way and get a new backplate as well with the current hole patterns and maybe even a new anodized AL plate in a purdy color.

How about the Spring straps on the Jetfins? Anyone know how long those tend to last?
I used the original rubber straps on my jet fins for about 15 years before they needed replacing and then went with spring straps. If you do not over stretch the springs on your spring straps and rinse them after dives, they should last for decades.

I don't see the compass wearing out, but I'll probably end up replacing the bungies on it.
With lots of sunny hot summer days on the surface and 40 degree water at depth, I seem to get fairly large bubbles in my compasses in a year or two. (My theory is the compass case expands in the sun as the fluid warms and expands and then stays permanently expanded after the case rapidly cools in cold water with the still warm and expanded fluid still inside.) If the bubbles get too large they can interfere with the rotation of the compass card and a new compass is needed.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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