Suggestions for replacement first stages (disposable or user serviceable)

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K

KeithG

Guest
Just trying to tap into the pool of wisdom...

I am looking for suggestions / hints / ideas for replacement first stages. My basic problem is that I can not seem to obtain reliable reg service. LDS keep screwing up my regs. My current solution is to swap first stages and service them myself. Or consider them disposable and replace them as needed.

We have a pair of old air bleed sherwood reg sets. We are happy with the regs and see no reason to change.

BUT:

the local reg techs do not seem to be able to service them properly. I am on my third local dive shop. Last trip I noticed her first stage no longer had the small stream of bubbles. No performance issues. Mine was fine. Once home, I opened hers up and it was jam packed with lube (and some water!). Seems like the tech tried to "environmentally seal" it with lube. Strangely, my first stage appears to be properly lubed. The only solution offered by the offending dive shop is that I pay for a replacement piston and complete overhaul labour. I have read hints here on scubaboard that the pistons are no longer available, so now I am worried about bait & switch" going on. (NOTE: the shop refused to sell me the part, THEY had to "install" it as part of a complete overhaul.)

I am happy to service them myself, but I currently cannot get/find "special" parts like the piston. I have found several providers of the service kits.

Based on the estimated repair cost, my next thought was to purchase different first stages that I could service myself (HOGs popped into my mind, but I have no real preference).

This ideal turned out to be mostly a non-starter as none of the LDS I contacted are willing to sell anything but a complete reg set. I did finally find a shop that would sell me a pair of "special order high end technical" first stages. These premium first stages were $10 more than the mid level first & second stage combo. Being in Ontario Canada maybe warping my perception of reality?

All I want is a pair of mid level, warm water first stages that I can either service myself or treat as disposable items 400 hundred dives from now.

So I am looking for 2 types of recommendations:
1) product & supplier suggestions for some suitable no strings attached replacement first stages.
2) alternate suggestions to solve my real problem.

Cheers...
 
I think I would go after a few of these: Scubapro MK2 1st Stage Regulator Excellent Scuba Pro | eBay

I would be thinking $50 =/- each but you may have to do some shopping. Aftermarket service kits are readily available and reasonably price. They are quite easy to service. Pair then up with a good balanced 2nds and performance is fine.
Thanks - can you purchase "all" parts for this or just "most" parts?

I can purchase regular service kits for my current regs, but can not find the important part - piston!

One alternative for unavailable parts would be to take a gamble and buy used ebay regs and hope the part you wanted was in good shape. This actually worked once for me. I bought a used sherwood, stole the piston from it. I think I got lucky.
 
First I would contact Sherwood and explain the situation to them to see if the piston is actually discontinued. I would also rat out the dive shop.
 
If going the replacement way it'd be very difficult to beat a Conshelf or SEA......easy to service and parts available from VDH without a funny handshake.
 
Thanks - can you purchase "all" parts for this or just "most" parts?

I can purchase regular service kits for my current regs, but can not find the important part - piston!

One alternative for unavailable parts would be to take a gamble and buy used ebay regs and hope the part you wanted was in good shape. This actually worked once for me. I bought a used sherwood, stole the piston from it. I think I got lucky.

Probably not unless you have a friend in one of the European countries that requires such parts be sold. But, I might cost more than you are willing to spend.
 
Isn't Dan's Dive Shop relatively local to you? I've heard good things about them....

Either way, if you want to service them yourself just grab some Hogs, take the repair class if you can, and be done with it. You can grab two sets for $400USD plus shipping, gets you a new first stage and primary, which will be environmentally sealed which is nice for travel because it is less to worry about having to soak, will breathe much better than the Sherwoods, and saves you quite a bit of money. Mike does ship to Canada regularly, and if you have other stuff to get, I think they ship free on orders over $500 *may be worth ponying up and getting 4 sets that way instead of worrying about service while travelling you can just swap over to the other first stage and then you can get essentially two new reg sets for quite cheap...
Hog D1 Regulator Set - Dive Right in Scuba
 
My advice: buy an intermediate pressure guage and check the pressure coming out of the sherwood first stages. If they work, the pressure is right, they are fizzing and not free flowing use them. If you are comfortable taking the cap off, you can check the piston o-ring and apply a little grease once a year and those darn things should work for years... You might have to change the seat on the piston, i am sure you can find those somewhere..

I have used those first stages very hard for many years and they are very reliable and require little maintenance at all...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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