1st Stage Reg Service - LDS Ploy?

[IceCube]

I have a Sherwood SR1 and having a problem with the 1st stage. The IP measures around 170PSI, yet everything seems to be working fine.

I figured today would be a good day to drop the first stage off for servicing. I removed all the hoses and equipment, and plugged all the holes. Since purchasing the reg from shop X, I have switch shops (shop Y). I'm not happy with shop X anymore but shop Y doesn't service sherwood regs.

I get to the shop X, and the owner's wife is working the register. She tags it and leaves a note. After getting home I get call from the owner, asking where I bought it from. I told him I bought it from him. He claims he can't find a record of it in the system and wants me to bring the receipt and the 2nd stage. We haven't even talked prices and he never said why I needed the receipt.

I brought in the 2nd stage w/ no hoses and the receipt. When I walked, he claimed he finally found a record of the purchase, a gave a line about the equipment not be loaded to me. I don't know, but it made the whole receipt thing fishy. He then asks me where the rest of it was (i.e. the hoses and stuff). I asked why he couldn't just slap in a few of his own hoses to check it. He claims he needed to check the whole system to make sure it all was working, and that it was due for its annual. He said it was standard procedure to bring in everything (1st, 2nd, and all hoses) for servicing and that any dive shop would say the same thing. He made the analogy of bringing a whole car to the mechanic to get it looked at. That's raised the BS flag. The 2nd stage should have nothing to do with what the first stage is doing.

I took everything back and told him I'd bring it back after labor day. I'm not going back. I'll be sending some time in Florida (FWB area) and will find a Sherwood dealer there to work on it.

3 questions:

Does this all seem fishy to you and shouldn't the shop be capable of servicing the 1st stage by itself?

and

Does anyone know of a good Sherwood shop near the Fort Walton Beach area?

and

Has anyone had a problem with high IP on their SR1 regs?

 

[Hatul]

Can I ask you why you took the second stage off in the first place? If it was me I'd just take the whole works in for servicing.

 

[scwdive]

I've been working on regs (sherwood is one line we service) for a shop for the last few years, an IP of 170 is high and an over haul should be considered depending on the time from the last service. They should go two or so years between service without too much worry.

Our policy sounds the same as the shop you have dealt with we prefer to service the entire reg, check the spg, rebuilt the second stage and tune the performance to the rebuilt first stage. check the orings in both ends of the inflator hose and such.....

This is the only way we can guarantee the performance of the system as a whole.

The performance of a second stage has everything to do with what the first stage is doing.

Sorry if it all sounds fishy... much of these decisions come from having a half repaired regulator system failing in the field, unrelated to the repair, then having a customer unhappy...

I have not noted any IP problems in SR1 regs, I have serviced over 20 in the last year or so.

Primary concern would be the duration between service dates, and/or number of dives between service (after 100 dives I rebuild my regs...).

Sorry dive shop X did a poor job of earning your business and trust, I strongly recommend you have your complete regulator serviced, we tend to find small things and make them better....

Don't know anyone in Ft Walton. If your in the SF Bay area, bring it by, cost for a complete rebuild of a Swood SR1 is about $135.00 plus or minus...

Safe Diving.....

 

[IceCube]

Can I ask you why you took the second stage off in the first place? If it was me I'd just take the whole works in for servicing.

I really like my 2nd stage and wanted to keep it for a couple of reasons:

1.) I have two other 1st stages, so I can transfer it if a diving opportunity popped up. Also, the owner isn't known for his speed. If he sits on it for a month, it's not that big of a deal.

2.) The 2nd stage works and I didn't want the owner to screw it up. (i.e. if it ain't broke don't fix it).

3.) I check inside the 2nd stage regularly and dry the diaphragm separately after dive trips. I do a pretty good job cleaning out crud from the housing and have not noticed problems on the diaphragm material.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

How long has it been since you purchased the reg setup?
How many dives have you put on it?
How long has the i.p. been reading 170 psi?

First of all, I think it's a little weird that the owner doesn't remember selling you the reg setup. It doesn't say much about his record-keeping or his memory. I'd understand a shop asking to see your original receipt if you had purchased it elsewhere and wanted to get the reg serviced. Many reg manufacturers offer a free-overhaul-parts-for-life deal as long as: (1) you purchased the reg from an authorized dealer and (2) you get the reg serviced at the manufacturer-specified intervals (every year or every other year). I'm not sure if this is the case with Sherwood.

Secondly, I have to agree with Hatul. I would have just dropped off the reg with the second stage(s) attached to the first stage. That's generally what people do when their reg requires servicing. The shop owner was right about that. Once the first stage is fixed, it's very likely that the second stage will have to be tuned as well. It may be time to get the second stage overhauled as well. If the second stage is there, it just makes it more convenient for the repair tech and the customer. That being said, the shop should still be able to fix the first stage without the second stage.

If you don't trust the guy, then don't go back. I have to say, though, that the shop owner's comments weren't too out of line.

 

[IceCube]

How long has it been since you purchased the reg setup?
How many dives have you put on it?
How long has the i.p. been reading 170 psi?

I purchased it April 2009. I have about 50 dives on it. I tested it with a IP gauge for the first time, about a month ago and it read high. It may have been high the entire time I've owned it, but I'll never know. But since then, I put over 6 hours of bottom time on it with no issues.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I purchased it April 2009. I have about 50 dives on it. I tested it with a IP gauge for the first time, about a month ago and it read high. It may have been high the entire time I've owned it, but I'll never know. But since then, I put over 6 hours of bottom time on it with no issues.

50 dives. 1+ yr of use. It's not unreasonable to get it serviced at this point, but the first stage really should be lasting longer than that. I'd be willing to bet that the shop will just overhaul it, tune it, and be done with it.

When the i.p. creeps up that high, it will often cause the second stage to free-flow.

Good luck.

 

[Moonglow]

Having the 1st stage serviced is perfectly normal. I have ten Scubapro first stages and I mix and match them with a variety of 2nds. Try Emerald Coast Scuba on Harbor Blvd. in Destin.

 

[halocline]

If the reg is under warranty, it makes sense that the shop is going to want to see what they sold you, I assume that's a 1st stage with a 2nd stage attached. Once you service a 1st stage, you want to tune the 2nd stage to that 1st stage, at least I would.

I've only seen one SR1 and it was creeping right out of the box band new. It doesn't surprise me that yours is unacceptably high, and with all the free flow problems I read about, I'd bet there's a design problem with the piston/seat combination. Do you have a balanced octo? If not, you can probably expect a free flow with IP that high, or if it's currently working and they drop the IP down to normal range, an unbalanced octo will not breathe very well, to say the least.

 

[knotical]

Another thought: if your IP reads that high and you have no free flow problem, are you sure your gauge is accurate? Have you checked other regs and/or gauges?