Where can I obtain Regulator Repair / Maintenance Training?

[RayJayJr]

Hello,

Can anyone point me to some resources on how / where to obtain a higher level of training for regulator repair and maintenance? I am not looking to pursue a career in this, but I'd still like to have the knowledge.

We used to have an instructor locally who ran a course for DM's on how to break down, inspect and perform basic service functions on regulators "for educational purposes only" - but he has since moved on to other things.


I'd love to take a credible online course. I've seen in-person courses available in far-away parts of the US, and as far away as Thailand, but I can't readily justify this sort of travel and ancillary cost.

Objectives:

• Learn the basic skills required to safely disassemble, inspect, and perform basic maintenance on a variety of common 1st and 2nd stage regulators.
• Learn about the proper tools, work area, safety considerations, etc.
• Opportunity for hands-on work.

"Ideal" Requirements:

• Preferably Online (lab components seem like a no-brainer)
• Teaches a good foundation of skills
• Reputable and recognized
• Certification, or completion usable as a prerequisite for an exam/exams that provide certification (e.g.
  ASSET/IDEST Dive Industry Technician Certificate)
• All things being equal, a cost of a course somewhere between 250-1250 dollars.

 

[Scared Silly]

To start get this book: Regulator Savvy Book | Scuba Tools

And this book: SCUBA REGULATOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR by Vance Harlow

The former is good theory on reg, the latter is good practical knowledge on regs.

To my knowledge there are no online courses. Most of us have learned via friends at a shop or and/or on our own. There are brand specific courses at DEMA but they are open to "shop" employees only and are typically pretty basic (introductory for when everything goes right - i.e. not a lot of trouble shooting).

My suggestion would be as DM candidate work with a shop that will let you hang with their tech. Then buy used versions of the regs you are diving and take then apart and put them back together.

 

[fmerkel]

I was lucky enough to have a shop employee allow me bench time a couple times a year when things were slow and overhaul our working regs. He'd answer questions, make sure I wasn't messing something up, and test my work. This part is extremely helpful for confidence. But, the real work is just doing it. Start with old regs, or cast-offs that you don't plan to dive, at least at first. Get manuals, some basic and a few specialized tools (IP gauge is critical), a bunch of O-rings, and a digital camera decent with macro shots.Document disassembly carefully, make notes.

I had done a bunch of old regs before I attempted my own regs. I also had a background in mechanics and working with life support equipment so the transition to regs was not quite so large as it might be for some folks. Plus, I just gotta know how (some) things work.

I think, without being a shop employee you'll have trouble getting a formal education except for a few regs like HOG, maybe Deep-6.

 

[2airishuman]

Except for HOG, no manufacturer offers formal regulator repair classes to anyone other than employees of a licensed dealer. There are some exceptions for military personnel and suppliers and scientific diving organizations.

If this is something you really want to pursue, your best bet is to cultivate a relationship with a dive shop that might be willing to make you a part-time employee so that you could take one of the classes.

 

[Caveeagle]

I love how readily people will quote outdated information.

TDI training is available for both HOG and Deep6 regulators. They used to require a tech certification, but I don't think that is the case now.

Poseidon now will allow service training without a shop sponsorship. *I am paid up to attend the class at DEMA this year.

I have access to a couple other options as well through connections. Invest some time building relationships and you might find other options as well.

 

[eelpout]

If you just want to work on your own gear, go with deep 6 or Hog. If you want more experience professionally get a part time job at a dive store and impress the owner with you mechanical skills and your skills with documentation. I owned a dive store for 30 years, during that time I only had one other person who worked on repairs. I started repairs 7 years before I owned my own store. I have arthritis in my hands now, it takes twice as long to rebuild a reg. I kept all the tools to do. SCUBAPRO and Aqualung regs. The only way to get good at it is to do it. Repeatedly on. Specific, fix models. I picked the regs I sold so I got really good at 2 to 3 models from each manufacturer. We were required to take an update yearly for SCUBAPRO and Aqualung.. AQ does it online now. AQ makes the best diaphragm regs, scubapro does both, but I. Like their pistons more. This forum has a lot of. Good people and good. Advice. But there are also personal. Opinions that cloud their advice. Without sound experience. So as I said at the beginning, if you want to do it professionally go find. A dive store.. If not buy a HOG or Deep. 6.

 

[RayJayJr]

[...]

My suggestion would be as DM candidate work with a shop that will let you hang with their tech. Then buy used versions of the regs you are diving and take then apart and put them back together.

Sacred, thanks for all that.

• Does anyone have a source for digital copies of either Vance's book or the Scuba Tools book? An iPad with a gorilla case is so much more practical in the shop!

• What are some good strategies / procedures for testing their work beyond the bench?

 

[fmerkel]

• What are some good strategies / procedures for testing their work beyond the bench?

Beyond the bench? Dive it......see if you live?

Once you have the IP set and stable, 2nd stage adjusted, and no leaks detected, that's pretty much what it comes down to.

 

[Saniflush]

To start get this book: Regulator Savvy Book | Scuba Tools

And this book: SCUBA REGULATOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR by Vance Harlow

The former is good theory on reg, the latter is good practical knowledge on regs.

To my knowledge there are no online courses. Most of us have learned via friends at a shop or and/or on our own. There are brand specific courses at DEMA but they are open to "shop" employees only and are typically pretty basic (introductory for when everything goes right - i.e. not a lot of trouble shooting).

My suggestion would be as DM candidate work with a shop that will let you hang with their tech. Then buy used versions of the regs you are diving and take then apart and put them back together.

Thanks for the book suggestions. Have ordered both and will spend part of the Winter learning this skill.

 

[Bob DBF]

What are some good strategies / procedures for testing their work beyond the bench?

Beyond the bench? Dive it......see if you live?

That's what I do. Of course I just service my own rigs, don't find many shops that will work on vintage rigs, and at that point why use them at all.

My procedure after the bench is to do a checkout in a pool, then a shallow dive, and when I get to deeper water I'll do a dive to 130', more or less, before I decide to depend on it or let a friend borrow it. And yes, if I live it's good.


Bob