Servicing your own gear

[StreetDoctor]

As I begin to own more and more gear the thought of paying someone to service it hurts my pocket more and more. I currently have 4 regulators (all apeks) and my fiance is now looking into getting into a set of doubles so we'll be picking up two more.

If you service your own gear where did you learn? I'd really like to start with being able to service my own regs and O2 clean them. I'm a very hands on guy and don't really have a problem with taking things apart. I've done full rebuilds on dirtbikes in my kitchen so mechnical aptitude is not the problem. I just don't know what I don't know. Are there any Apeks service manuals available anywhere online, maybe from overseas? Any ideas?

-Nick

 

[Cave Diver]

I got my LDS to get me into one of the regulator repair clinics at DEMA several years back. The main benefit to this was giving me access to the repair manual for the regs I use.

My CCR class included a pretty thorough tear down and rebuild of our units before we ever dove them. Not quite a "technician course" but close enough.

I'm mechanically inclined enough to deal with pretty much any other gear issues I run across, but picked up a lot of useful info from threads on the boards, or from books.

 

[StreetDoctor]

Looks like I've found manuals for Apeks:

http://www.frogkick.dk/manuals/apeks/

Can anyone recommend an online shop where I can purchase the apeks specific tools required to do the servicing?

 

[AZTEK DIVER]

Take what I say with a grain of salt, but if you're sticking to Apeks or Hog regs, a OxyHackers book, a couple tools, and a little common sense can get the job done. For tools a couple 40-42 spanner wrenches, a couple sizes of metric allen wrenches, a few common tools, and a hex head inline adjuster and you're on the way. These regs are bone simple and very easy to work on. On the spanners I'd stick with the iron handled ones, I've bent the pins on a couple aluminum ones.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree with the above if you have some mechanical aptitude and soem basic understanding of the proper way to use tools - that is pretty much the entry level knowledge needed if you go the DIY route via either a class or books.

The mechanics involved are not complex, but I have seen people in new tech seminars who had no business being there. Scary. And even with a class, the industry concept is that you get some training, but most of the real learning occurs under the mentorship of a more experienced tech in the shop.

VA Scuba in Manassas VA offers a reg repair cert class for peopel not associated with a shop and I think it result in an Aeries scertification, but that can help get your foot in the door with a shop or into other certification classes.

Reg repair as a job does not generate enough business anywhere to be a full time job, but it does make you more marketable and versatile as an instructor or alses person for a shop, and on a part time basis it is usually more than enough money to fund all your equipment and training needs, so don't be too quick to pass on an opportunity like that if it arises.


If you are only doing your own regs, you only need minimal training and assistance to service those particular models and the learning curve is short with few specialty tools required.

Tools are important as while you can usually do the job without them, but it is a lot easier with them. Scubatools.com will have pretty much everything you need including reg repair how to manuals.

 

[Doppler]

...spanners...

John: once again you are blowing your cover!

=====================

OP: Take a tech course with the manufacturer (DEMA or regional workshop), get the manual and proper kits, stay current and be extremely careful.

 

[rjack321]

As I begin to own more and more gear the thought of paying someone to service it hurts my pocket more and more. I currently have 4 regulators (all apeks) and my fiance is now looking into getting into a set of doubles so we'll be picking up two more.

Service on 6 regulators is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things (like 2 trimix fills). I know how to service most of mine, but SP parts kits (I have a mix of about 5 manufacturers in ~12 regs) are a pita to obtain. I also have a boat, compressor, 22+ tanks, and a house so I choose not to work on regs. Personally I sense that working on your own regs has become the latest plume in tech diver caps. But for me, its cheaper, easier, and less hassle for me to send them out.

 

[StreetDoctor]

Service on 6 regulators is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things (like 2 trimix fills). I know how to service most of mine, but SP parts kits (I have a mix of about 5 manufacturers in ~12 regs) are a pita to obtain. I also have a boat, compressor, 22+ tanks, and a house so I choose not to work on regs. Personally I sense that working on your own regs has become the latest plume in tech diver caps. But for me, its cheaper, easier, and less hassle for me to send them out.

I don't know if it's the latest "plume" or not, I think I'm just getting to the stage where I want to take care of my own gear. It doesn't really have anything to do with trusting the guy that takes care of it but more of an understanding on how everything works. 6 regulators is also obviously just a start. I've found the service kits for Apeks multiple places online so that doesn't seem like too much of an issue. I also have about a dozen tanks that I'd like to do my own VIP's on and O2 cleaning. I guess my first step is to pick up a couple of the oxyhacker books.

 

[rjack321]

I think anyone should be able to service their own if they want to. Its nice that HOG is at least extending the option to tech divers. DR's position of open access to manuals and selling parts to everyone is even better. But I still think its a bit of a hip trend to do your own regs.

 

[captndale]

I do the service on my own regulators because I prefer to trust in my own work than in someone else. You will probably never break even on the cost of getting the training, tools, etc. that it takes to do your own. If you live in the Chicago area, however, I can teach you how to do it.