When.. is it time to get that first stage serviced?

[Ulfhedinn]

I have a few D1 and D2 Hog first stages still going strong after 5 years of no service. Should I feel bad I'm not giving money away?

How do you know its time?

 

[rsingler]

See the first thread in this forum.
Get an IP gauge and do @couv 's checks.
That'll tell you when it needs it.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

See the first thread in this forum.
Get an IP gauge and do @couv 's checks.
That'll tell you when it needs it.

Thanks!

 

[rsingler]

With that much time on the sintered metal filter, if you're a salt water diver, I'd also make sure your dynamic IP drop on full purge isn't more than ~25 psi.
Even if insides are clean, the intake filter may have accumulated salt crystals and verdigris corrosion. Any green, then redo it.

 

[M-Cameron]

its only $50-100 to have a reg serviced......i just do it annually......

100' under water is not when i want to be second guessing the status of the one thing keeping me alive.

 

[agilis]

With that much time on the sintered metal filter, if you're a salt water diver, I'd also make sure your dynamic IP drop on full purge isn't more than ~25 psi.
Even if insides are clean, intake filter may have accumulated salt crystals and verdigris corrosion. Any green, then redo it.

I replace the sintered metal filters on my Mk 10s every year, simple to do, effortless. One has not been serviced beyond that in almost 10 years, holds an IP of 132 rock steady sitting overnight.

 

[rsingler]

its only $50-100 to have a reg serviced......i just do it annually......

100' under water is not when i want to be second guessing the status of the one thing keeping me alive.

It is an interesting question, endlessly debated here on SB. A sealed first stage that has a crisp IP lockup and no drift or creep - are you safer watching it for five years in a row with couv's checklist...or having five annual services at an LDS?

1) Servicing it myself with OEM parts, just given the vagaries of a fleck of dust caught under a HP oring that I didn't see, I'd say I was maybe safer with a service around year 3-4 with a HOG, but could easily go to 5+ with the Deep 6 due to their teflon HP oring. I figure with annual services something might fail early because I'm sampling so many parts.
2) Servicing annually at my local dive shop, knowing the pleasant and experienced tech there personally? I'm definitely happy just watching and waiting.
3) Watching and waiting, if I have zero tolerance for a change, I don't expect a sudden catastrophic failure not preceded by a bit of drift before lockup, or a sudden failure not preceded by a positive bubble check.

Like I said, it's endlessly debated.

 

[M-Cameron]

It is an interesting question, endlessly debated here on SB. A sealed first stage that has a crisp IP lockup and no drift or creep - are you safer watching it for five years in a row with couv's checklist...or having five annual services at an LDS?

1) Servicing it myself with OEM parts, just given the vagaries of a fleck of dust caught under a HP oring that I didn't see, I'd say I was maybe safer with a service around year 3-4 with a HOG, but could easily go to 5+ with the Deep 6 due to their teflon HP oring. I figure with annual services something might fail early because I'm sampling so many parts.
2) Servicing annually at my local dive shop, knowing the pleasant and experienced tech there personally? I'm definitely happy just watching and waiting.
3) Watching and waiting, if I have zero tolerance for a change, I don't expect a sudden catastrophic failure not preceded by a bit of drift before lockup, or a sudden failure not preceded by a positive bubble check.

Like I said, it's endlessly debated.

i suppose it depends on how frequently you are diving the regs.

if you are diving them every week.....then you are monitoring them a little more closely and are more apt to notice any issues before they turn into catastrophic ones.

but if you are diving a few times a year then putting the regs away for months at a time.....well ide be a little more judicious with the yearly service

 

[lexvil]

i suppose it depends on how frequently you are diving the regs.

if you are diving them every week.....then you are monitoring them a little more closely and are more apt to notice any issues before they turn into catastrophic ones.

but if you are diving a few times a year then putting the regs away for months at a time.....well ide be a little more judicious with the yearly service

A properly functioning regulator is less likely to fail than a freshly serviced one, monitor for a few days after diving and a few days before (or weeks if you have others doing service) the IP is the MRI of regulators, when you pay attention and understand what you are seeing you are better prepared.

 

[mafi]

Scubapro S600. Doing 100-250 cold water (Denmark) tech dives in the sea - full service every year. If I feel any deterioration in WOB, IP check/service right away.