AquaBob
Contributor
How do regulators fail?
I've read a ton of messages regarding the pros and cons of regulator service. There seems to be three camps....
-Those that do their own service
-Those that would like to do their own service
-Those that wouldn't dare do their own service because the consider the regulator their 'life-support equipment'.
I haven't bought a reg yet -- still using rentals -- but definitely fall into the middle category.
I have the skills to perform my own service, and with a little poking around, I've found the service manuals for several manufactures 1st and 2nd stages.
My real question is, if you do your own work -- how do you know it's done right?
It seems that it should be fairly obvious from the bench tests and the 'dunk' tests whether you have a leak or an IP problem. Further, if the cracking pressure is set and checked correctly, what are the unforseen problems that may arise?
It just doesn't seem like brain surgery to clean and replace some parts. I would suspect that any problems should show up either in the sink, or within the first shallow dive. Obviously, you would be foolish to jump into the water and plunge to 100' with a freshly serviced reg, but I would think that would go not only for one I've done, but one that came from the shop.
Am I missing something?
(btw, in the winter, a parka is also life-support equipment, but I'll still wash it and replace the old hood drawstring myself.)
I've read a ton of messages regarding the pros and cons of regulator service. There seems to be three camps....
-Those that do their own service
-Those that would like to do their own service
-Those that wouldn't dare do their own service because the consider the regulator their 'life-support equipment'.
I haven't bought a reg yet -- still using rentals -- but definitely fall into the middle category.
I have the skills to perform my own service, and with a little poking around, I've found the service manuals for several manufactures 1st and 2nd stages.
My real question is, if you do your own work -- how do you know it's done right?
It seems that it should be fairly obvious from the bench tests and the 'dunk' tests whether you have a leak or an IP problem. Further, if the cracking pressure is set and checked correctly, what are the unforseen problems that may arise?
It just doesn't seem like brain surgery to clean and replace some parts. I would suspect that any problems should show up either in the sink, or within the first shallow dive. Obviously, you would be foolish to jump into the water and plunge to 100' with a freshly serviced reg, but I would think that would go not only for one I've done, but one that came from the shop.
Am I missing something?
(btw, in the winter, a parka is also life-support equipment, but I'll still wash it and replace the old hood drawstring myself.)