>40% EANx regulators?

[uncfnp]

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.

I have a mix of Aqualung and Scubapro. The Aqualungs are serviced by Dolphi at NADCO and I can't complain about his prices or service, including tank vip's. That's part of the reason I haven't been more interested in servicing them myself. But he doesn't do Scubapro and I don't like the idea of mailing them out so I went with a shop in Winston.

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 recently given Regulator Savvy but admit I don't follow directions well. Would prefer a mentor. Even beyond servicing, I would love to better understand function and feel capable of doing minor repairs and adjustments.

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.

That would be the ideal but I have not heard of such a course here.

 

[tbone1004]

Dolphi is legit, he is miraculously one of the better instructors and just people all around in the area, miraculous only because of the location.... Haven't done much with them because I DIY so much, but I've been around him and seen him teach enough to know he's good, buddies rave as well. If they're newer scubapro's and you like beer, check out the Hop Yard in North Raleigh and talk to one of the owners James. He's tall and goofy, but a fantastic instructor and is about to redo his Scubapro's. If you want a good shop, Air Tech in Raleigh is one of the best regulator repair shops in the country, and Scubapro is something they are very well versed in.

There isn't a course like that, Hog has been good with offering their repair course to the public, but that doesn't help you with Scubapro's since the BP2 is only taught as an afterthought if someone has one and requests it. A lot can transfer over knowledge/skills wise to the MK25, but the course is centered around the diaphragms. Tanks and stuff are all wide open with PSI actually being located in Burlington, but it's an expensive course to take if you don't have a lot of bottles and valves to service.

 

[ams511]

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 realize that O2 cleaning is just paying attention to the details. I am sure there are different ways to do that. I do not have the Oxyhacker book but do have some some service material from a regulator manufacturer. If I remember correctly, there are two ultrasonic steps and then looking over the regulator with a UV light looking for oil contamination. Also the area should be kept clean and the tech should wear gloves.

I am not sure why a shop would use non-O2 safe lube anymore. I realize it is much more expensive but I have never seen a modern service manual recommend anything but O2 safe lube. Such small amounts are used the cost increase can't be more than a dollar per regulator set. Unless of course, the tech is packing an ambient chamber.

---------- Post added June 1st, 2015 at 09:19 AM ----------

Tanks and stuff are all wide open with PSI actually being located in Burlington, but it's an expensive course to take if you don't have a lot of bottles and valves to service.

You may also need a compressor also. A shop may not fill your bottles if they are inspected by the owner.

---------- Post added June 1st, 2015 at 09:21 AM ----------

That would be the ideal but I have not heard of such a course here.

There are some courses in South Florida if you are ever down that way.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

True. The syringe of tribolube I bought a couple years ago is still half full. I am not doing any packing of ambient chambers. The amount of lube needed for o rings, threads, HP seats, etc is tiny. Even HP spools don't require an exorbitant amount. Between my regs and customer regs the cost if I had to guess works out to a few cents per reg in lube. Certainly less than a dime. There is a right amount to use. Too much and you end up with a mess that traps dirt. Too little and things don't move as they should. Experience, as well as training, helps you to get it right. I work on HP pumps for our water jets. Real HP. 45,000-90,000 psi. There are orings and other parts that get lubed in them. Same principle applies. Too much is as bad, if not worse, than too little.

 

[tbone1004]

AMS, transfill whips are pretty cheap to build, and if you take the course through PSI, you have PSI stickers. Shop has no way of telling whether or not you are home or just any other shop with PSI stickers....

 

[ams511]

AMS, transfill whips are pretty cheap to build, and if you take the course through PSI, you have PSI stickers. Shop has no way of telling whether or not you are home or just any other shop with PSI stickers....

Not sure why I would need a transfill whip other than to fill a pony or mix my own gas which we are not talking about here.

I have never seen a shop use generic stickers for a VIP but I have seen scuba clubs do it. I don't need to tell you that a shop can refuse to fill your tank for any reason. If they think the VIP is bogus they will refuse to fill it or require you to VIP it there.

 

[tbone1004]

transfill whip, do one tank at a time and transfill over, no empty tanks, no need for compressor

PSI is hardly a generic sticker, I'd trust a PSI sticker over most of the shop specific sticker if I was unfamiliar with the shop. At least you know with the PSI sticker that they took the course and were current at least somewhat recently if they have stickers since you have to be current to buy them...

 

[Peter69_56]

True. The syringe of tribolube I bought a couple years ago is still half full. I am not doing any packing of ambient chambers. The amount of lube needed for o rings, threads, HP seats, etc is tiny. Even HP spools don't require an exorbitant amount. Between my regs and customer regs the cost if I had to guess works out to a few cents per reg in lube. Certainly less than a dime. There is a right amount to use. Too much and you end up with a mess that traps dirt. Too little and things don't move as they should. Experience, as well as training, helps you to get it right. I work on HP pumps for our water jets. Real HP. 45,000-90,000 psi. There are orings and other parts that get lubed in them. Same principle applies. Too much is as bad, if not worse, than too little.

So when I had a reg set serviced and I was charged $10 for lube on a standard diaphragm reg, there is a tiny tiny chance I might have been ripped off a little given you can buy O2 lube for $20 or so a large syringe, and all you need is a nat's whisker for each reg?

Never mind the $28 to replace a perfect mouthpiece.

Oh and the environmental seal assembly fell off first dive as well, perhaps if I had of paid $50 for the lube this would not have happened? The replacement parts I had to buy were $100, nice chap really, but far to busy to respond to my emails on the subject.

So hence my spending $3500 to do an Asset course for Dive Tech, hydro etc etc.

 

[tbone1004]

tiny chance? no, you got raped. You should have been charged for up to 4 things
1. parts kits, varies depending on the MFG, typically $15/stage *$10 for seconds, $20 for firsts
2. service, this includes all lubricants, ultrasonic cleaning, and labor. In the US it is about $25/stage
3. extra cleaning if it was required because you're an idiot and don't clean your regulators. Typically extra $10-$15/stage
4. packing if you have a piston and want it sealed *only because this is actually expensive and isn't required*. Typically $20-$25/stage and obviously first stages only

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I sell replacement mouthpieces for 4 bucks each. With a zip tie included.