1st regulator, DIY maintenance/service??

[stepfen]

Hi guys.
I haven't got my first regulator set yet but I am thinking about it and I want to get something that I can service myself sooner or later.
I haven't decided yet if I will get a new or a second hand set. Of course if I get a second hand one, I'll get something that has been officially serviced recently to begin with.

First question, is it a good idea to go the DIY way without having much experience on owning/using/carrying for my own equipment ?? So far I have been renting my regs for my 75ish dives and all the experience I have is using normal use plus few times that I had to open and clean the diaphragm of the second stage from sand and dirt etc.

I was trying to order the "SCUBA Regulator Maintenance and Repair" book but the web site looks outdated. Several links are broken (they point to local files such as file:///SATA%20NewPuffy88/Users/steven/Desktop/boosterread.htm) including the contact us/email hence I can't contact them directly. Also nothing is mentioned about international postage etc. Has anybody used that website recently? Is the book still available? Any alternative sources?

I also have few question about "specialized" tools. All the service manuals I have seen ask for torque wrenches. Are they really needed? Also the manuals I have seen use imperial units while in this part of the world we use metric units/tools. I guess more or less the tools do match but I just need to confirm, can metric tools used instead? I am asking these to make an estimate of the cost of obtaining any extra tools I will need.

Of course any related info is welcome.

Thanks a lot.

 

[tbone1004]

are you "handy" and do a lot of other DIY service stuff? Repairing regs is easy. Torque wrenches help, but IMO aren't "necessary" so long as you understand the definition of "sufficiently snug".

In terms of metric/imperial you have to deal with both depending on where the regs are made. I.e. all of my Poseidon manuals are metric only including all the o-rings which is annoying, but most everything else has "standard" o-rings.

Which regs are you looking at?

 

[halocline]

I would suggest a MK10/G250 or something similar. These are readily and widely available, parts are easy to find, they're extremely simple, classic designs, and there's a ton of support for working on them.

I have a MK10 and a couple of G200B 2nd stages (same as the G250 but without the diver adjustment) that I would be happy to sell at a good price if you're interested, both rebuilt and ready to dive. But you can find MK10s and good classic SP 2nd stages all over the place.

I would not bother buying new regulators if your interest is in self servicing. I think you'd be spending a lot of extra money and parts for most new regulators are harder to come by than they are for the older, classic regs.

 

[stepfen]

are you "handy" and do a lot of other DIY service stuff?

I'm electronic engineer by profession so I have experience with assembling/disassembling delicate equipment. I also do several house/car repairs myself. Nothing too advanced but from what I have seen from the service manuals I think I can handle regulators.

Which regs are you looking at?

I haven't decided yet. For new ones I would probably go for deep 6. For second hand one I've read several posts here that the most popular ones for DIY are scubapro. Money wise I prefer second hand of course if I can be pretty sure about their condition/reliability.

I have a MK10 and a couple of G200B 2nd stages (same as the G250 but without the diver adjustment) that I would be happy to sell at a good price if you're interested

How much would that be? I also need to find out about import duties, shipping etc to Greece.

 

[KeithG]

First thing to establish is how easy is it to get parts kits. No parts kits means you can not DIY.

So find out which parts kits you can get and then decide which (used) reg to maybe buy.

Then look at the cost of specialty tools required to disassemble. There will be some common tools (IP gauge) but if you need some fancy wrench then that should be considered.

 

[2airishuman]

First question, is it a good idea to go the DIY way without having much experience on owning/using/carrying for my own equipment ??

I wouldn't encourage anyone whose skills I haven't been able to evaluate firsthand to experiment this way.

You will have to decide for yourself. Questions to consider might include:
- Do you have experience working on similar equipment, such as pumps, valves, fuel gas regulators, carburetors?
- Do you have a suitable place to perform the work?
- Would you be confident that you could safely conclude a dive where a regulator failed because of a mistake you made?

That said, regulators are not especially complicated or difficult to service, and like other service activities, people who do this sort of work for a living also make mistakes.

I was trying to order the "SCUBA Regulator Maintenance and Repair" book but the web site looks outdated. Several links are broken (they point to local files such as file:///SATA%20NewPuffy88/Users/steven/Desktop/boosterread.htm) including the contact us/email hence I can't contact them directly. Also nothing is mentioned about international postage etc. Has anybody used that website recently? Is the book still available? Any alternative sources?

Service manuals for older Aqua-Lung regulators, particularly the Conshelf and Cousteau models from the 1970s, are readily available on-line from a number of sources. While there are differences in the details, the vast majority of regulators in use today are similar to one of these two designs.

I also have few question about "specialized" tools. All the service manuals I have seen ask for torque wrenches. Are they really needed?

I use a torque wrench. Are they needed? No. Can you get equally reliable results without one? No.

Also the manuals I have seen use imperial units while in this part of the world we use metric units/tools. I guess more or less the tools do match but I just need to confirm, can metric tools used instead? I am asking these to make an estimate of the cost of obtaining any extra tools I will need.

It is typically not possible to substitute metric tools for SAE tools in the small sizes used in SCUBA equipment.

 

[taimen]

You are from Greece=EU, choose Apeks. Easy to service (especially the 1st stage). Minimal need for special tools and service kits are easily available for DIY people. Although, in mediterranean Europe with strong diving industry regulator service doesn't cost much.

 

[halocline]

I'm electronic engineer by profession so I have experience with assembling/disassembling delicate equipment. I also do several house/car repairs myself. Nothing too advanced but from what I have seen from the service manuals I think I can handle regulators.


I haven't decided yet. For new ones I would probably go for deep 6. For second hand one I've read several posts here that the most popular ones for DIY are scubapro. Money wise I prefer second hand of course if I can be pretty sure about their condition/reliability.


How much would that be? I also need to find out about import duties, shipping etc to Greece.

I'm sure with your background you'll have no problem working on regulators. It's pretty straightforward, and there's often good advice available on this forum. I sent you a PM about the MK10.

 

[taimen]

I also need to find out about import duties, shipping etc to Greece.

Import duties for scuba equipment into EU including Greece is 2,7% and on top of that you have to pay Greek 23% VAT when ordering from US. Duty and VAT are paid also for the shipping.

 

[Olariuas]

You are from Greece=EU, choose Apeks. Easy to service (especially the 1st stage). Minimal need for special tools and service kits are easily available for DIY people. Although, in mediterranean Europe with strong diving industry regulator service doesn't cost much.

Whats he cost to service 1rst and 2nd stage in Greece or Europe?