Should I keep up with annual service to maintain warranty?

[ppatrick]

Hello,

I bought my scuba gears: AquaLung Balance BCD, regulator, and computer 4 years ago. The first two years, I booked about 20 dives. Not many but at least I've got to use my gears. In the past two years, I haven't had a chance to go diving. Paying almost two hundred dollars for annual service every year for something I'm not sure when will I use again makes me feel foolish. :depressed:

Should I get it inspect only when I plan to go diving? It might be next 2 years, next 3 years,... I don't know. Would it be worth it to keep paying for annual service just to keep the manufacturer warranty? Please advice.


Thanks,

 

[Scubagolf]

Hello,

I bought my scuba gears: AquaLung Balance BCD, regulator, and computer 4 years ago. The first two years, I booked about 20 dives. Not many but at least I've got to use my gears. In the past two years, I haven't had a chance to go diving. Paying almost two hundred dollars for annual service every year for something I'm not sure when will I use again makes me feel foolish. :depressed:

Should I get it inspect only when I plan to go diving? It might be next 2 years, next 3 years,... I don't know. Would it be worth it to keep paying for annual service just to keep the manufacturer warranty? Please advice.


Thanks,

Be sure to check the terms of the warranties on your gear. Some warranties are "lifetime", but have a declining benefit over the years.

I personally would not have my gear serviced during a multi-year break in diving until right before that next dive trip takes place just for the sake of maintaining a warranty. Because I do several dive trips each year, I have my regs serviced every year, or even more often sometimes, and I have the BC inspected and bench tested every couple of years.

 

[redacted]

I have about a dozen regulators, none of which are under warranty. My choice would be to not pay any additional fees just to maintain a warranty. But you should plan for the inspection and maintenance of your gear.

 

[tomboyy]

I have to have my MK25/600 service once a year within one month of my purchase date to keep my "free" parts for life. I still have to pay labor. Thats the way I understood it. That said, I can't believe your paying 200 for service, what exactly are you paying 200 for?

 

[ZzzKing]

If you are keeping up the warranty just to get the "free parts for life" then you're paying ~$200/yr for $15-20 worth of parts. The labor is not included. Not a good trade off in my book. If you have some other reason, it may be worthwhile to you. Most regulators don't need servicing every year unless they are used a lot or not well cared for.

 

[helimvee]

Almost two hundred a year seems a bit high for annual service for a BC, Reg and Comp. What does your LDS does for the computer service? Are they changing the battery?

Are you diving locally or only down south? If the latter, it might be cheaper in the long run to simply rent your gear.

My understanding of the warranty is that they pay for lifetime parts - which at the end of the day is not a huge cost. To me that seems like a poor reason to have the gear serviced if you are not going to use it. I have mine serviced every year but that is because I use it - not to maintain a warranty.

I think that if you check the Regulator forum there are many threads on this issue.

 

[Garrobo]

LeisurePro has economical reg sets for around $150 plenty good for recreational divers. Think about it.

 

[spectrum]

The warranty is a parts benefit which is a minor part of the job. I would stop getting the gear services if it's going unused.

When you are ready to dive bring it in for an inspection. If you store the gear in a decent location it's highly likely that it needs nothing or a minor adjustment from sitting.

If you do get it serviced for a trip be sure to do a shake-down dive either in local waters or a pool just to make sure it's seaworthy.

Pete

 

[tomboyy]

The warranty is a parts benefit which is a minor part of the job. I would stop getting the gear services if it's going unused.

When you are ready to dive bring it in for an inspection. If you store the gear in a decent location it's highly likely that it needs nothing or a minor adjustment from sitting.

If you do get it serviced for a trip be sure to do a shake-down dive either in local waters or a pool just to make sure it's seaworthy.

Pete

And I do believe that sums it up

 

[offthewall1]

Warranties are not worth keeping up... just an opinion.

Warranties on Scuba Regulators generally provide for FREE parts if you take the regulator in for annual service (and for some brands every two years.) It must be taken in on schedule to keep the warranty alive from period to period.

My general philosophy about almost everything mechanical is if it aint broke - don't fix it. If a scuba regulator is not free-flowing and is breathing the way it is supposed to, don't touch it. Many times the regulator comes back functioning improperly from service. The reality... there are a lot of bad service technicians out there.

I suggest that before a trip - especially if you haven't used the reg in a while... to take it diving in a pool or locally before leaving on the trip. The main concern is to pressurize and depressurize the regulator at least a half dozen times. If a regulator is going to experience a failure in an oring or a diaphram... it is going to be when you first turn it on and the pressure goes rushing in.

If you can't get the thing to leak and it's breathing well for you... don't have it serviced. There is a 99.999% chance the reg will perform perfectly on the trip. I truly believe that percentage goes down with service.

I have regulators I have not serviced in 5, 6 & 7 years and they all perform perfectly. I have regs I sent out for service... and then I had to send them back for service again... and they still leak and I still don't trust them. They worked fine before they were serviced. i even sent them to three different places to try different technicians... all with the same results.

Now for the costs part of it...

Depending on the regulator (and brand)... labor rates around the country vary greatly... from as little as $15 a stage to as much as $50 - $60 per stage. You'll always pay labor for service - whether the reg is under warranty or not. The warranty gets you free parts kits... which generally range from $7-$8 per stage to as much as $50-$70 a stage for high end brands like Poseidon.

So lets say you're getting 3 stages serviced annually at an average cost of $30 per stage = $90.00 and you need 3 $12 parts kits = $36... you're spending about $126.00 a year for annual service - NO WARRANTY or $90.00 under warranty.

So lets say - you say screw the warranty... and choose to have service down every three years... Over nine years of ownership you would pay $378.00 to maintain your reg with no warranty... or

Using the annual warranty service $90 X 9 = $810.00

By having the reg serviced every three years... you'll save nearly $500 over 10 years.

Is it safe? who am I to say... I'm still hear using regs going on 7 years without service... and not using the ones I've had serviced... Make up your own mind...