Buying Used Regs
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Scubadam
Contributor
Maybe it is just me, but I like to purchase all new equipment. As mentioned above, purchasing used equipment can be very risky, and with all the risks of the sport itself (besides used equipment), I like to have some piece of mind knowing that it is very unlikely my equipment will not function properly. Sure, it is cheaper to buy used equipment, but I rather put out the extra money for new equipment I know won't fail me, than save some money just to have my equipment fail me.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
First of all, there's nothing wrong with buying or aquiring used regs.
*Almost* any used reg can be brought back to full factory specs like brand new with a rebuild. Occasionally there are the ones that got scarfed up bad inside by some idiot in a dive shop or do-it-yourselfer that didn't know how to work on them.
That's just a fact of life and the chance you take.
I look for regs and brands that:
Have parts available and not obsolete.
Are relatively easy to rebuild.
Are a good or great operating reg.
And finally, have some sort of appeal wether vintage or just plain cool.
Something like a semi new Aqualung, Tusa, Oceanic, Sherwood, Apeks, any of those like that don't do much for me.
They would have to be really cheap for me to buy them.
I'm into old Aqualung double hoses and metal faced conshelfs.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a conshelf over the internet because I know that there is a whole network of friends with parts and know how related to conshelfs.
I'm also into old Scubapro metal faced regs like MK5/109's and MK3/108's.
Again, there is a whole network of DIY brotherhood that has stuff and will help you get whatever you need.
I was given an absolute disgusting corroded mess of a reg that anybody else would have just thrown in the trash. It was a 1965-1968 Scubapro MK3/108 reg. They were a very simple unbalanced piston reg (one moving part). This one was NEVER RINSED OR REBUILT by the owner for the almost 20 years he used it. YES, 20 YEARS - not a typo.
I soaked it and disassembled it thinking it was destroyed beyond recognition inside. When I got it apart it was totally dried out and green but not as bad as I thought it would be. All I had to do was first soak it, then I replaced a few O rings, fliped the HP seat and lubed it up. Same with the second stage, flip the seat and a few new O rings, a new rubber purge pad and the thing works like brand new. I'm in it 15 bucks and wouldn't hesitate to use it whenever wherever.
Would I buy a used Dacor reg? No
Would I buy a used Mares reg? Probably not.
Would I buy a used Hog reg? Absolutely yes.
Would I buy a new Scubapro reg? Absolutely not!
*Almost* any used reg can be brought back to full factory specs like brand new with a rebuild. Occasionally there are the ones that got scarfed up bad inside by some idiot in a dive shop or do-it-yourselfer that didn't know how to work on them.
That's just a fact of life and the chance you take.
I look for regs and brands that:
Have parts available and not obsolete.
Are relatively easy to rebuild.
Are a good or great operating reg.
And finally, have some sort of appeal wether vintage or just plain cool.
Something like a semi new Aqualung, Tusa, Oceanic, Sherwood, Apeks, any of those like that don't do much for me.
They would have to be really cheap for me to buy them.
I'm into old Aqualung double hoses and metal faced conshelfs.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a conshelf over the internet because I know that there is a whole network of friends with parts and know how related to conshelfs.
I'm also into old Scubapro metal faced regs like MK5/109's and MK3/108's.
Again, there is a whole network of DIY brotherhood that has stuff and will help you get whatever you need.
I was given an absolute disgusting corroded mess of a reg that anybody else would have just thrown in the trash. It was a 1965-1968 Scubapro MK3/108 reg. They were a very simple unbalanced piston reg (one moving part). This one was NEVER RINSED OR REBUILT by the owner for the almost 20 years he used it. YES, 20 YEARS - not a typo.
I soaked it and disassembled it thinking it was destroyed beyond recognition inside. When I got it apart it was totally dried out and green but not as bad as I thought it would be. All I had to do was first soak it, then I replaced a few O rings, fliped the HP seat and lubed it up. Same with the second stage, flip the seat and a few new O rings, a new rubber purge pad and the thing works like brand new. I'm in it 15 bucks and wouldn't hesitate to use it whenever wherever.
Would I buy a used Dacor reg? No
Would I buy a used Mares reg? Probably not.
Would I buy a used Hog reg? Absolutely yes.
Would I buy a new Scubapro reg? Absolutely not!
Thanks for the insight ZKY. A guy I met has two sets of Scubapro regs with 109's and Mk5 first stages. They both have octos, but I'm not sure what they are yet. One has a dive console with computer, and the other has just gauges and compass. He's asking $175 for everything. He's in his late 50's, messed up his back and wants to sell everything. He's been diving since 1968. His last dive was two months ago. I'm going over this weekend to take a look at everything.
ZKY, I am in about 90 % agreement with you and my bet is most of our differences are misinformation. Many of the old Dacors, but not all, are fairly easy to service. While OEM parts are not available, many of the parts can be substituted with current USD/AL parts. Same goes for Mares/AMF/Voit. Most of their parts can be substituted with modern Mares parts or in many cases USD/AL parts. The problem is you have to know which part to use. Granted this is not reg servicing 101 but for someone who understands regs, there are a lot of options to be had that are not available to the average tech, much less the average diver.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I have a few Dacors laying around like an Olympic and something else (maybe an Olympic). One's a paper weight with two low pressure ports and no HP port, the other has 2 LP ports and one HP port and a much smaller 1st stage body. Both have thin yolks.
You know more about these than I do but I was told there are no parts (probably OEM) so I never bothered to pursue rebuilding them.
Not that it can't be done, I just think there are better used regs out there that are easier to get stuff for.
I had the 2nd stages apart, the rubber diaphrams are a little stiff.
---------- Post added ----------
Get them.
debajo agua
Contributor
My experience, if you're planning on going the used route, know what you're looking at, before you make a purchase. Know the difference between balanced and unbalanced regs; try and find an online review of the product; look on ebay for comparative pricing; and finally, how much money would you save if you were to buy it new? I just bought a HOG second stage for $100.
I find that most people who are selling their old equipment on Craigslist, probably paid too much in the first place, and are asking way too much for their old equipment, that they figure hasn't devalued much. Most of all, be patient, you can always rent equipment at the LDS until you find/know what you're looking at. Hope this helps.
I'll add my 2 bits.
I haven't bought any new regs. I have bought 5 used seconds and 3 used 1st stages. I have bought 1 new BC now and 6 used ones. I have yet to have any significant problems with any of the used gear. I posted something a few months back about what to look for in used gear. Here's a link to the thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...ying-used-discriminating-shoppers-primer.html
I have bought a used horse collar (now my primary wing) and 1 reg on ebay. The reg was listed as a "for parts only" purchase. I serviced it and it is now my brother's primary reg. It was a Dacor Balance XL or something like that. My other used regs are a Dacor 900 1st with a Dacor "totally balanced" 2nd, an AMF/Voit swimaster 1st and 2nd (2nd is my octo now... breathes beautifully), a Scubapro MK10/G250 (my primary) and an Oceanic Omega octo (not such a great breather but it works).
As others have mentioned, new is used after a few dives. Many of my regs have seen hundreds, possibly thousands, of dives and they all work just fine. One has a minor air seepage issue, but I attribute that to being the first reg I ever serviced myself and I will fix it soon. Anyone who tells you "buy new, it's life support" either doesn't have the skill or confidence (it really doesn't take that much skill) to service their own gear or they're trying to sell you gear. If you're even remotely mechanically inclined servicing *MOST* gear is trivially easy. You probably can get away with spending about $40 on "specialty" tools if you already have a decent set of tools. If not, you can figure at least $100-$150 for the necessary tools to service EVERYTHING. That means BCs, regs, and anything else you might pay to have someone else service. (I'm not talking about tumbling your own tanks, though that can be done cheaply too, if you really want to do it.)
Buying used doesn't take lots of diving experience, it doesn't take lots of training (though it wouldn't hurt) and it doesn't take lots of money. It does take patience and a willingness to do research before you buy. It does take a bit of an "F-you" attitude for dealing with the "you're going to die" crowd and it definitely doesn't hurt to have someone in your corner who's done it before, though that's not a necessity either. I've been fixing things all my life and dive gear is no different for me.
My first dive was on used gear and so has every dive since been on used gear. That might not mean much with only 25 dives or so in my log, but I'd argue that, in and of itself, makes my point. At least if something happens, I know how to fix it. My last trip I replaced a 2nd and repaired some other minor issues on a moving boat while I was puking. If I'd bought new, I wouldn't have been able to do that and my brother and I would have missed some really great dives.
I haven't bought any new regs. I have bought 5 used seconds and 3 used 1st stages. I have bought 1 new BC now and 6 used ones. I have yet to have any significant problems with any of the used gear. I posted something a few months back about what to look for in used gear. Here's a link to the thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...ying-used-discriminating-shoppers-primer.html
I have bought a used horse collar (now my primary wing) and 1 reg on ebay. The reg was listed as a "for parts only" purchase. I serviced it and it is now my brother's primary reg. It was a Dacor Balance XL or something like that. My other used regs are a Dacor 900 1st with a Dacor "totally balanced" 2nd, an AMF/Voit swimaster 1st and 2nd (2nd is my octo now... breathes beautifully), a Scubapro MK10/G250 (my primary) and an Oceanic Omega octo (not such a great breather but it works).
As others have mentioned, new is used after a few dives. Many of my regs have seen hundreds, possibly thousands, of dives and they all work just fine. One has a minor air seepage issue, but I attribute that to being the first reg I ever serviced myself and I will fix it soon. Anyone who tells you "buy new, it's life support" either doesn't have the skill or confidence (it really doesn't take that much skill) to service their own gear or they're trying to sell you gear. If you're even remotely mechanically inclined servicing *MOST* gear is trivially easy. You probably can get away with spending about $40 on "specialty" tools if you already have a decent set of tools. If not, you can figure at least $100-$150 for the necessary tools to service EVERYTHING. That means BCs, regs, and anything else you might pay to have someone else service. (I'm not talking about tumbling your own tanks, though that can be done cheaply too, if you really want to do it.)
Buying used doesn't take lots of diving experience, it doesn't take lots of training (though it wouldn't hurt) and it doesn't take lots of money. It does take patience and a willingness to do research before you buy. It does take a bit of an "F-you" attitude for dealing with the "you're going to die" crowd and it definitely doesn't hurt to have someone in your corner who's done it before, though that's not a necessity either. I've been fixing things all my life and dive gear is no different for me.
My first dive was on used gear and so has every dive since been on used gear. That might not mean much with only 25 dives or so in my log, but I'd argue that, in and of itself, makes my point. At least if something happens, I know how to fix it. My last trip I replaced a 2nd and repaired some other minor issues on a moving boat while I was puking. If I'd bought new, I wouldn't have been able to do that and my brother and I would have missed some really great dives.
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