Shoddy gear service- what would you do?

[Jim Lapenta]

One of the things I'd ask if this was a regular service interval is what that means. Is it a required inspection or actual rebuild?
An inspection is usually different than a rebuild. During an inspection, the IP and cracking pressures are checked. The filter is inspected for signs of bad air. Discoloration is a dead giveaway that something may be fishy inside.
Next is a negative pressure test to check for leaks in the diaphragms or cases.
The next thing I'll do check all the hose connections.
If the IP and cracking are where they are supposed to be with no evidence of creep, the IP locks up nice and tight, and the seconds are within factory specs with no free flow, the reg does not need to be rebuilt.
If the IP is where it's supposed to be with no creep, but there's a slight hiss from one of the seconds that is likely to need a rebuild. Unless, if it's an adjustable one and the slight hiss is when it's wide open, I'm going to ask the owner if that's the way they want it before I rebuild it.
Some divers like to tune their regs like that.
To take a reg that only has a few dives on (less than 50 in a year) and rebuild it just because the factory says to makes no sense.
The SPG not being properly tightened after a service should never, ever happen.
That said it is also the diver's responsibility to check their gear. Hose connections, second stages clear, etc.
As for the silicone on the second stage? As others have said - NO NO NO!
Depending on the second stage you have there may be a thin plastic or teflon shim between the case and the cover to prevent the cover from twisting the diaphragm if the part that turns actually comes into contact with it.
If that's the case and the shim is missing, they may have lost it or forgot to put it in. More indication of poor attention to detail.
Not exactly a place that inspires trust.

 

[coloradojay]

Thanks for all of the input.

>>Once you pick up your equipment, put it on a tank at the shop

The shop actually did ask me if I wanted to hook it up to a tank, but I was in a hurry and declined- lesson learned. This was the first trip that I wasn’t able to rent a checkout tank, but noticing any issues before I left would have been much better.

>>Ask for the original parts that were replaced

I got them back but they said they had to cut them up for liability reasons. Didn't make any difference in this situation, but I do that with auto shops too, just as a matter of course. There was a pinhole in the diaphragm.

>>Make sure all hoses are tight. If you can unscrew it with just your hands, it isn't quite tight enough.

This one is a bit tricky as the nut on the HP hose is concealed in the rubber sheath of the console, but the lesson learned is that I need to pop it out and make sure it's tight- especially after a service.

I had never heard of an IP gauge, but just read up on it. It seems like a useful thing to check especially after a service, but in this case doesn’t seem like it would have made any difference.

>>And, one easy test for breathing wet that no one ever mentions is to put your reg on a tank. Without turning the tank valve on, suck in on the reg. You shouldn't get any air. If there is a path for air to get in, there is a path for water to get in.

That probably would have caught the issue and I will do that in the future.

>>Is it a required inspection or actual rebuild?

This was a full rebuild. The first time I had it serviced at 2 years wasn't an authorized shop so I also found out I voided my "free parts for life" but I was going off of the manufacturer's recommendation. The gear is 4 years old and had about 80 dives on it before this trip.

>>The SPG not being properly tightened after a service should never, ever happen.
That said it is also the diver's responsibility to check their gear. Hose connections, second stages clear, etc.

That is the thing that freaked me out, the other two issues are relatively minor. Several things I will do before every trip now.

>>As for the silicone on the second stage? As others have said - NO NO NO!
Depending on the second stage you have there may be a thin plastic or teflon shim

I watched the tech at the resort go through my wet second stage and it did have the retainer ring. Good to know about the silicone- not proper, but it did work. I'm going to get it re-serviced before my next trip, just not sure if it will be that shop or not.

 

[The Chairman]

You broke one of the cardinal rules

Right along with don't start a land war in Asia and never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line???

I got them back but they said they had to cut them up for liability reasons.

That sounds hinky as hell. I've never heard that one before, and I worked as a mechanic for thirty years.

 

[Wookie]

Very true except in the case Atomic and others regs with the seat saver feature. In those cases that is when the IP gauge comes in handy. Pressurize the system and it should hold.

As for the OP, like everyone has said take it back to the shop. And remember a measure of a business is not when things go as expected but when things go south and how they respond.

I think you will find that regardless of the seat saver a leaky diaphragm will be discovered if you perform the test as described.

 

[tilikum]

What dive shop was it? I live in Colorado and want to make sure I never use them.

 

[coloradojay]

Not sure if I'll divulge the shop name or not- I think it depends on how they handle it when I go back. The more important takeaways are probably that it could happen anywhere and even without carelessness that equipment can fail. Testing your equipment to this level isn't a skill recall being taught so I appreciate learning these tips from Scubaboard contributors.

A DM later in the week noticed my upside down first stage and offered to flip my hoses. I declined since it worked fine and I wanted to bring it back to the shop as I received it - he said something along the lines of "if I had a dollar for every time someone came with freshly serviced gear and had an issue..."

>>>>I got them back but they said they had to cut them up for liability reasons.
>>That sounds hinky as hell. I've never heard that one before, and I worked as a mechanic for thirty years.

I think he said it was the manufacturer's policy, but maybe just the policy of their shop. It seems to me if someone chooses to reuse old part's it would be at our own risk, but aversion to liability is common especially for bigger companies. I've never met a mechanic with a similar policy.

 

[BoltSnap]

The customers needs to also take/own the responsibility of their own safety and the proper functioning of their equipment before a dive trip also. The customer/user must check their equipment, serviced or not, before going on a dive trip by at least hooking up his "life support" equipment to a tanks testing, pulling, tugging everything including making a visual inspection of all parts, especially hoses, to make sure that all appear to be OK from his perspective. Same as when inspects their car's oil, gas, brakes, lights, tire pressure, etc. before going on a long distance trip (or even a short one). Not to take away from the responsibility of the LDS/Technician, but the responsibility is shared by all parties in cycle. At the end, we are all humans and the customer as the end user of the equipment is the one who will be most effected by the proper functioning, or lack of, of the dive equipment. I wouldn't trust anyone with my life for it is, after all, my life and my time.

 

[tilikum]

When I get back into diving, I want to learn to service my own regs although I am not very mechanically inclined.

 

[coloradojay]

>>The customer/user must check their equipment, serviced or not, before going on a dive trip by at least hooking up his "life support" equipment to a tanks testing, pulling, tugging everything including making a visual inspection of all parts, especially hoses, to make sure that all appear to be OK from his perspective.

Just hooking it up, breathing, pulling on and visually inspecting wasn't enough to catch this loose HP hose fastener issue. Hell, it even survived 2 dives by some miracle before falling off.

I have a console like the one below and I had assumed there was some special tool to attach/remove the hose on the SPG. The shop at the resort showed me the SPG can just be popped out of the housing given enough force and fastened with a standard wrench.

I would like to learn how to service my own gear but I've never seen that training offered.

 

[Wookie]

Depends on what gear you buy. Deep 6, and others will teach users to service their gear and sell parts. Most will not. Liability issues.