Is all regulator service equal?

[halocline]

I have 3 Aqualung regulators that are do for an annual service, 2 Titan and 1 Mikron. 1 is under warranty, all are functioning normally except for 1 ABS octo which is free flowing. There is not an Aqualung lds within easy driving distance so I will probably send these out for service. So question:
Does it matter where I send my regulators for service or is every Aqualung certified dealer basically equal?

If only one is under warranty I would send just that one out for service, and only if it's a warranty requirement. I would also send the abs octo. (Although I might 'send' that one to ebay and buy a full size alternate 2nd stage, but you didn't ask that)

Here are two tidbits of info about regulator service. 1) The certification course for regulator technicians is all of a weekend and nobody working at a dive shop has ever failed this extremely rigorous and high-level training. So, no, I would not assume that all 'technicians' are equal. 2) Regulators almost never require annual service to work well; your titans, for example, could probably go 4-5 years (or more!) worth of moderate diving without any problems, assuming you rinse them well after salt water dives, don't allow any salt water into the 1st stage inlet, and store them in room temp conditions.

 

[Yellowdog]

I sent everything to DRIS yesterday based mostly on their support of this web site. I get a lot of useful information here.

 

[Steve_C]

Not all doctors are equally competent

Not all mechanics are equally competent

Not all teachers are equally competent

No reason to expect reg service to be different from every other type of service



For what it is worth I have used air tech for several years. Good outfit. They also teach a course on scuba equipment maintenance that I found good.

 

[omegadivingusa]

Regulators almost never require annual service to work well; your titans, for example, could probably go 4-5 years (or more!) worth of moderate diving without any problems, assuming you rinse them well after salt water dives, don't allow any salt water into the 1st stage inlet, and store them in room temp conditions.

Well most of the conditions mentioned are not the reality for most divers. Equipment condition should always be checked out by the service techs. Duration for reg safety should not be based on assumptions at all as most divers are not able to define good equipment practices. I receive equipment daily that have been stored or cleaned properly????? which are totally messed up due to the owners idea of good storage. On Friday a customer assured me that their equipment was well maintained and just needed to be looked at. Well the 2nd stage "Octo" had mold growing on the diaphragm, reg was 8 months old!!!! Like finding a training supplier the same effort should be put into finding a service tech you can trust. Some focused questions can normally indicate the extent of the tech's knowledge.As a customer you have the right to speak to the person actually doing the service and to see where he does it.

 

[redacted]

Like finding a training supplier the same effort should be put into finding a service tech you can trust. Some focused questions can normally indicate the extent of the tech's knowledge.As a customer you have the right to speak to the person actually doing the service and to see where he does it.

So, what "focused questions" do you suggest??? And how should the responses be evaluated?

Yes, regulators do need attention. You can pay someone $100+ every year in the hopes of getting that attention, or you can learn to do it yourself. My experience is that regulators will easily go 3 to 5 years between full services.