>40% EANx regulators?

[ams511]

I don't know anything about the Dive Rite set itself but it cost me almost as much to service and O2 clean a reg set.

I kind of thought so, that is why I didn't get into buying a used set and having it cleaned. By the time the costs are added it is cheaper to purchase a new set.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Cleaning a reg for o2 use is not hard. Nor is it expensive. If the tech is smart he'll treat all regs as if they were going to be used with o2. Simpler and safer. Less risk of cross contamination, and once your bench is set up to do it, it's done. Use o2 lube for all items needing lube. Keep the regular lube in another area or don't use it at all.

 

[uncfnp]

you got ripped off my friend.... learn to DIY

I prefer to call it a learning experience. :cool2:

I kind of thought so, that is why I didn't get into buying a used set and having it cleaned. By the time the costs are added it is cheaper to purchase a new set.

Possibly true but in this case the regs themselves are excellent quality and a gift from a dear friend. Well worth the cost of the cleaning.

Cleaning a reg for o2 use is not hard. Nor is it expensive. If the tech is smart he'll treat all regs as if they were going to be used with o2. Simpler and safer. Less risk of cross contamination, and once your bench is set up to do it, it's done. Use o2 lube for all items needing lube. Keep the regular lube in another area or don't use it at all.

I've done a lot of DIY but just haven't felt ready to service my own regulators...yet.

 

[tbone1004]

what regs do you have and where in the great state of NC are you? Will make sure to put you in touch with some people that are good at it and will have no problem helping you.

What Jim said is what is very frustrating for me with many dive shops. There is no excuse for O2 clean regulators and valves to cost more than standard service. Factor an extra buck into each service cost to use all O2 clean lube and tools. Do your ultrasonic in simple green. If the regs have an option for O2 clean parts kits vs regular, then let the customer choose but use that in the service+parts. Urgghhh, gripe over.

 

[halocline]

I've done a lot of DIY but just haven't felt ready to service my own regulators...yet.

It becomes much more attractive financially when you have several regulator sets. A big factor for me deciding to start working on my own regulators was that there was seemingly nobody locally that was really qualified to do it. When I took a regulator apart for the first time I was shocked at how simple these devices are. Spending over $100 per year per regulator to have them worked on poorly was a good motivator to learn how to do it myself.

 

[Peter69_56]

It becomes much more attractive financially when you have several regulator sets. A big factor for me deciding to start working on my own regulators was that there was seemingly nobody locally that was really qualified to do it. When I took a regulator apart for the first time I was shocked at how simple these devices are. Spending over $100 per year per regulator to have them worked on poorly was a good motivator to learn how to do it myself.

I was the same. Had some bad services, then looked at having 10 tanks cleaned annually, as well as at least 6 reg sets cleaned, and about 10 serviced. Certainly pays quickly for a Dive Tech course. Also I like doing things myself. Now I can do whatever I chose, service, clean, investigate.

 

[victorzamora]

what regs do you have and where in the great state of NC are you? Will make sure to put you in touch with some people that are good at it and will have no problem helping you.

If I remember right, she's in the part of the state that you, as a member of the Wolfpack, would consider "heathen and godless."

 

[tbone1004]

my justification was, "I'm an engineer", if they let people without any sort of degree do this, I can probably follow the service manuals and not kill myself. The second justification was that I dive Poseidons, and finding one to service those is pretty much impossible. Stuff isn't the rocket science that the manufacturers make it out to be, especially if you've ever been around so called "authorized service technicians". Sure the classes can give you tips and tricks that will take a long time to pick up on your own, i.e. last fall after servicing Poseidons for 4 years I was taught a genius trick for tuning the Jetstream second stages without a mag gauge, using nothing more than a bucket of water. I knew about it for regular second stages, but wasn't aware of how to do it for the Poseidons. Nifty trick the guy learned at the factory actually, but it's a common practice.

If you're up in "THAT" part of the state, depending on which regs you have, there are plenty of people that would be willing to show you the basics, both on O2 cleaning, and full service.

Edit: saw you had scubapros. Hopefully you like good beer... best person up there to help you on that also owns a badass bottle shop in North Raleigh and he's actually servicing his Scubapros soon

 

[victorzamora]

I've done a lot of DIY but just haven't felt ready to service my own regulators...yet.

It becomes much more attractive financially when you have several regulator sets. A big factor for me deciding to start working on my own regulators was that there was seemingly nobody locally that was really qualified to do it. When I took a regulator apart for the first time I was shocked at how simple these devices are. Spending over $100 per year per regulator to have them worked on poorly was a good motivator to learn how to do it myself.

Regulators really are simple things. Diagnosing a problem is harder and requires some thought, but a full service would fix pretty much anything...so it's not even like you have to learn quickly but can pick it up slowly over time. Also, you typically see torn o-rings or split seats the second you break one down. "Man, I wonder what the problem could......oh, that o-ring is in 3 pieces. That's probably it." Tuning first and second stages are literally as easy as turning a wrench....and anybody that tells you you need a magnahelic for your own regs is crazy. The tools I had to buy to service my regs included an o-ring pick set and a pin-spanner. Allens and crescent wrenches I had already.

The reason I started servicing my own was because of a problem. In one trip, I saw a guy's "freshly rebuilt" reg have nothing but problems. It ruined his whole trip. Another guy had problems with a reg he hadn't serviced in 3+ years. He walked back to a table, broke it down and rebuilt it, and got back in the water without getting out of his drysuit. That night, he fixed it "well" and that was it. Guy#1 had to go to a shop and wait for their service tech to come in and evaluate it. Guy #1 paid >$100, two hours at the shop, and a week without regs. Guy #2 paid <$5, 90 total minutes rebuilding the reg, and never missed a dive.

 

[tbone1004]

you're also a cheapskate, and couldn't justify spending that money when your yearly service is basically the cost of a trip to Marianna.... So there's that. You do have the advantage of being formally trained for Hollis though...