Regulator servicing

[in_cavediver]

in cave diver . you seem to be a fairly experienced diver . but would you condone a trainee diver or a owd with 10 or so dives to go opening first stages ?

as i said keep to the manufactures instructions and guidelines its the best practice

One the first question, its easy. It depends on the person. I know many non-divers I would trust to open/clean/service the first stages of my regs. I also know several dive instructors I wouldn't give a toy screwdriver to let alone real tools. I'll also say that some of the manufacturer training for servicing is merely a couple hour workshop. I ask, is that real training or is it just enough so a dealer can do service?

Now, I won't disagree with the 'when in doubt, do what the book says'. Its safe in a lawyer infested society. I just happen to disagree with some of the manufactures guidelines, especially with 1st stages. (2nds are easy to agree with, even if a bit conservitive).

Realize this, Regs are actually pretty simple devices if you understand what they are doing. There just isn't that much to them.

 

[stevewirl]

sorry guys what i really meant to say was that if a owd or trainee reads this page they may leave with the thought that :

1) servicing may not need to be done
2) servicing is a nonessantial requirement by the manufacture
3) servicing is a diy job

as dive masters it is your responsibality to condone best practices .

Also if as dive masters and in this legal era that surounds us it is easy for anyone who reads this page to take what is printed and could be used as a possible claim ?????

if i as an instructor tell a diver to hold his breath on a course i am liable . if i as an instructor write on this page to do somthing does that also hold me responsible ????

Food for thought .

 

[in_cavediver]

3) servicing is a diy job

Steve,

I personally believe regs can be a DIY job. Back in the earlier days of scuba, service kits were sold directly and divers were encouraged to have them in their save a dive kit.

As I said before, they really aren't that complicated or difficult. To me, I believe most of the 'annual' service/rebuild is a revenue stream for dive shops.

as dive masters it is your responsibility to condone best practices .

Oh, my DM lapsed a coupled years ago so I be just another diver now.

 

[Meng_Tze]

This one was manufactured in 1958. It was rebuilt in 1968 when given to me and then again a couple of years ago. It has hundreds of dives on it, annual servicing, yeah, right, who has time for that foolishness? Seems modern plasticfantastic regulators need to tough up so they can live in the real world of salt and sand and unstoppable time.

N

I like the bed spread.............very fitting.

 

[Meng_Tze]

in cave diver . you seem to be a fairly experienced diver . but would you condone a trainee diver or a owd with 10 or so dives to go opening first stages ?

as i said keep to the manufactures instructions and guidelines its the best practice

servicing regs has nothing to do with experience as a diver. Technical aptitude, the right tools and mindset are key. It is very simple stuff, but if unsure; let someone else, who you can trust, do it.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I'll also say that some of the manufacturer training for servicing is merely a couple hour workshop. I ask, is that real training or is it just enough so a dealer can do service?

As you know I have been an "authorized service tech" for several brands and the training is worse than what you describe.

In at least one case I was signed off as a tech just by placing my opening order. In most other cases, the training consisted of the sales rep dropping by the shop with one of their regs, taking it apart, putting it back together and handing me the service manual.

By far, the best "course" I attended was a Zeagle class put on by Jim Fox at Our World Underwater.

I personally believe regs can be a DIY job. Back in the earlier days of scuba, service kits were sold directly and divers were encouraged to have them in their save a dive kit.

As I said before, they really aren't that complicated or difficult. To me, I believe most of the 'annual' service/rebuild is a revenue stream for dive shops.

Several manufacturers will sell parts. As a former dealer, I never saw a dealer agreement that forbids a dealer to sell parts. I wouldn't even consider buying equipment from any manufacturer or shop who isn't will to sell service parts and manuals.

BTW, every single reg that I have ever seen fail was right after being serviced by a shop. Since we've been doing our own, we haven't had a problem.

 

[stevewirl]

iv had minor probs with regs after servicing but the major probs hav always been after prolonged use in between services .

im divin since '95 and hav seen technology fly at an unbelivable pace .

i do alot of Wreck Penatration divin and alway prefere to hav the knowledge that a Knowledgeable tech looks after my regs , I dive mostly with scubapro rigs and know im buying the best and go to the best dealer to service them .

 

[Rockhound76]

Until recently, I would take both sets of my regs in every year to be serviced. Both are under warranty, although one set is over 20yrs. old (one 2nd stage is over 30yrs old)--with Lifetime Parts . The second set is only a year old, and I want to maintain the warranty which will expire in only 2 years.

I wasn't that surprised to learn most failures occur after service. Both times that my old reg failed, it was due to poor service. The first time, I took it in thinking they'd "overhaul it" because it was breathing hard at depth. As far as I could tell, they didn't do anthing. On the first dive, my exhaust valve split due to overbreathing in a hard current at 70'. It turns out that both the 1st stage and the 2nd were contaminated from bad air in Mexico (carbon). Neither had been cracked open. It made for an interesting beginning to the dive, but I managed to borrow a reg to finish it out.

The second time it failed, it actually failed twice. The first time was on the boat, when I thought the o-ring gave way. I replace the ring, everythign looked fine, then I drop in. At 30', a big blast on the back of my head suggested another ring went bad.

I tried fixing it on the boat only to learn it wasn't a ring. Back in a FL LDS, I learned the seat in the first stage had been crimped. I when I took it back to my own LDS (different one than the first time), they said, "But, we never opened it up!".

They didn't? Funny, I paid for a full overhaul and got a bag of parts back. Either way, somebody was lying or somebody screwed up.

Both times, btw, the service took 4-6 weeks.

Last week I took my new rig into that shop again--the site of the purchase. They told me 2-weeks minimum. When I protested, pointing out that the reason I bought a new reg was to avoid the long delays due to "hard to find old Oceanic parts", they agreed to have it in a week. Now, I'm afraid they'll either rush it or not do anything.

When the warranty runs out, I'll look into DIY. The other reg is an Oceanic/SP combo. I'm skipping the service on it this year and if I can find the parts, I'll DIY, as well. I agree, it isn't rocket science.

I was going to give the old reg to my newly certified son, but he's getting a new setup, either XS SeaAir or Poseidon.

 

[Nemrod]

That is not a bed spread, that is a beach towel--duh!

There is an old saying--if it ain't broke then don't fixit. that often should apply to untrained typical LDS guys with pasty white soft hands working on regulators when they probably should not be trusted alone to fill a bicycle tire. N

 

[RadRob]

I have two Snark III's and several newer regs and the older ones are almost bulletproof. These new ones are easy to service yourself but require it more often. I don't really trust my stuff to others in the LDS because they, often times, simply went to a reg class or a seminar at DEMA and think they know it all.

Regardless of how others look at it, it is my life support. Never count on someone else to be there when the $h!# goes down. Only rely on yourself to save your own life and if that requires someone else servicing your regs, do it. If you have confidence, do it yourself. Your life, your call.