Servicing your own regulator.

[Zung]

... I'd love to hear from you other regulator repair people with far more experience than I and with a magnehelic, manometer, or sink and ruler, about what cracking pressure you typically set regulators to...

I'm not a repair guy, nor am I experienced; I usually set my seconds by the book, i.e. 1/12 turn pass the point where the free flow stops, cycle them or let them sit for a week or so, and touch up. After this treatment, all my G250/109's are in the 1" range, sort of naturally.

But I did notice once in a while, there'd be a rogue reg that would first behave normally and then would free flow after a while. I reported this case here. I'm not 100% sure about the cause, but I think it's got something to do with the lever being slightly bent. Anyway, this can be fixed by turning the orifice a bit further without any negative effet on cracking pressure.

I can understand this is very hard to catch for a professional tech who does chain servicing.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I'd love to hear from you other regulator repair people with far more experience than I and with a magnehelic, manometer, or sink and ruler, about what cracking pressure you typically set regulators to. Also, if any of you routinely check, if setting an initial cracking pressure a bit high and an IP a bit low, evens out to what you consider the proper setting (I know some manuals specify exact settings but usually give a small range, and some people tend to adjust to one end of that range) for your personal regs after a few dives. Or, do you own that nifty two piston regulator "set in" tool?

@JahJahwarrior: I'm a rank amateur compared to some of the reg DIY'ers here on SB. I built a manometer once because I was curious about my second stage cracking pressure metrics. After monkeying around with my regs and the homemade manometer, I figured out two things: (1) I strongly preferred a cracking pressure of 1 inch of water and (2) with practice I could discern the cracking pressure (quite reliably, I might add) of regs tuned within a given range (1.0, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75 inches of water) by simply breathing off of them. In the end, I realized that I didn't need a magnehelic or manometer at all to tune the second stage. I set the cracking pressure the way I like it and that's that.

When tuning the second stage following an overhaul, I don't try to anticipate settling of the LP soft seat. I just re-tune as necessary, which is once or twice after servicing...then it's good for at least a couple of years with proper post-dive rinsing.

 

[Fishpie]

 

[Fishpie]

Different flavors of superflow.
Found hiding under a different badge.....Abyss Explorer, USD Gulf, Dynasub and Seasport.

[/url][/IMG]

 

[h90]

Hi
Thought I would ask what other people do or think about servicing your own regulators. My dive buddy and myself are very mechanically inclined in fact he is a mechanic. So we were thinking we could do it ourselves due to the fact neither of us have the warranty on our regs anymore. From what I gather depending on the reg all you need is a IP gauge, the proper grease and a rebuild kit with the reg rebuild manual.

Thanks.

Next you find out that you won't die diving alone or deeper than 40 meter or even that deco diving is easy.
If more people act like you, where do you think all that fat managers who never saw the water, and all there semi educated instructors should work and earn their living?
They are just preparing the pulling in the nose certificate and tell everyone how dangerous it is to pull in the nose with certificate....

 

[Medicdiver0125]

Next you find out that you won't die diving alone or deeper than 40 meter or even that deco diving is easy.
If more people act like you, where do you think all that fat managers who never saw the water, and all there semi educated instructors should work and earn their living?
They are just preparing the pulling in the nose certificate and tell everyone how dangerous it is to pull in the nose with certificate....

Not sure what you mean.

 

[Zung]

Next you find out that you won't die diving alone or deeper than 40 meter or even that deco diving is easy...

I did 40 meter at my 15th dive.
Those were the days...

 

[Couv]

Thank you.
Now for parts.

Delete

......Scared Silly beat me to it......

 

[Rascally Rabbit]

I've made my living as an A level electromechanical assembly technician.
I spent 4 years as a lead tech for a company that manufactures vacuum valves for the semiconductor and many other industrial companies. I've worked as a DOD electronic and mechanics tech on projects for the Navy and FAA. I've rebuilt my 72 Chevelle SS to an Top winning show car that can run Pro Street times at the track. I can read any blueprint that is properly drawn and correct those that are not.
I take exception to companies telling me I can not service the equipemment they sold me. The FTC requires the electronics industry to supply schematics of electronic devices to consumers that wish to service their own equipment. The auto industry tried playing the same game as the scuba industry claiming safety issues. They tried to void warranties of those people that performed their own service and those that used aftermarket parts. The Aftermarket automotive industry took manufacturers to court and Manufacturers now need to Prove that inproper service or an aftermarket part caused a failure before voiding a warranty.

Maybe It's time we as consumers push for our rights from the manufacturers of dive gear. We should pool our resources and file a class action lawsuit against all the manufacturers that refuse to sell us service parts and void the warranties of those of us that do our own service. We've kept scuba diving self regulating but there are still rules of fair trade that manufacters in this industry seem to ignore and need to be reminded of. Individually the burden to remind them may be a great expense but as a group we should be able to accomplish this task.

Any legal Eagles out there want to step up I'd sure be willing to bet we could make it worthwhile by passing a virtual hat.

 

[Randy g]

Anybody know where I can get Mares rebuild kits? I've taken the class and want to rebuild my reg sets. Problem is, the lds (with whom I took the class) will not sell rebuild kits to me since I am not "factory trained".