Regulator service interval is a widely discussed subject here in our shop. I will limit my discussion ONLY to the technical aspects of establishing a service interval. The economic aspects of the subject must be addressed by EACH owner.
A scuba regulator is a degrading piece of equipment. By this, I mean that each use of the regulator places a small, almost immeasurable amount of wear on the moving parts. A well cleaned and well maintained regulator can last for YEARS and YEARS between service intervals....some poorly cleaned and poorly maintained regulators should be serviced every three months. EVERY customer thinks they are one of those that take extra precautions and are particularily careful with their equipment. Of course, this is not the case.
When we open a regulator for service, we are often shocked at what we find. Regulators with only a few dives over the past year are often LOADED with plant growth, salt crystals, excessive o-ring and seat wear.....a number of things that validate the service interval. Many other regulators look almost brand new. They could easily go another year, or two, or three. The thing is...we don't know which customer is which. We (nor the manufacturers) have any ability to know how well you will do the user maintenance to your regulator; thus the one year recommendation.
Another issue that the manufacturer considers is maintaining your brand loyality. This is an issue on ANY type of product....they want you to buy their brand when you make a second purchase. With the one-year service interval, they are fairly well assured that any problems will be caught and corrected before you notice any performance drop. This improves your view of the brand and improves the chances that you will choose the brand on future purchases.
Of course, there is also the legal liability....a foolish issue, but I guess that depends on which side of the bar you sit. If they recommend a much longer service interval and are then sued as a result of an accident, a good trial lawyer can make the manufacturer look pretty foolish, and therefore pretty guilty. They obviously don't want this.
The bottom line is simple.......it's YOUR regulator - you choose the service interval. The manufacturer prefers one year and to induce you to agree, they offer free parts. But you are still free to choose any service interval you choose. I also agree with Mike...you should also be free to service your own regulator if you choose and parts should be available to you if you make that choice.
A couple of side notes: I see tons of complaints about regulators failing (mostly free flowing) immediately after service. This is due primariy to failure to properly cycle the regulator after service to remove the new material set from the seat/HP valve interface. In our store, we hardly EVER have anyone come in for additional adjustments after service. I would guess far less than 1 regulator in 100. The other issue is the cost. We charge $60 labor for in-house service for the three stages. A good regulator technician will spend about 1 hour on a regulator for disassembly, cleaning, reassembly, and testing. Of course, a poorly trained technician can do it all in about 20 minutes. We are hardly making a TON of money on service as many on this board often boast. When we add all of the costs, it is far less profit than it should be. I would guess that our shop makes a net profit of about $16 on that service.
Another issue: As many of you know, I have a TON of issues with how this industry works. But to be honest, I can't think of one "rule" designed to "line the store owners pocket" with money. Not regulator service interval, not cylinder visual inspection. No, I can't think of ONE thing that exists for that sole purpose in all of the scuba industry. Anyway, just my opinion.
Phil Ellis
