Annual Equipment Service and inspection Pricing

[redacted]

reg repair isn't rocket science .. then again screwing up rebuilding a q jet carb never killed anybody after all it is life support .. and being able to work on a car isn't qualification to work on life support

Pork the pooch on a carburator and the car usually does not run but you can have fire. Screw up a brake job can put a few folks on the road in danger. Reg service errors are more like the carburator situation. It usually leaks or breaths like crap. But tightening errors can be much more problematic.

 

[KeithG]

Looks can be deceiving! Took my Aqua Lung reg, Airsource 3, and BC to Divers Supply (in my hometown) for an inspection after 4 years of not having one done. My first 2 years of ownership I did take the gear in for the annual inspection (reg $45, BC $20) from the LDS where purchased (but which has also closed.) Although the gear had no visible issues, I had to have rebuilds of the 1st and 2nd stage due to corrosion (not to mention the sand.) I thought I had been doing a pretty good job of rinsing and cleaning my gear, but they returned the old parts and they didn't look good. Cost for the inspection, cleaning, and rebuilds was $178.
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Maybe I am doing it wrong, but part of my inspection includes opening up the first and second stages.

Second stages are checked to make sure there is no sand or salt deposits present. First stage is checked to make sure the Sherwood dry bleed piston is still dry with no salt deposits. Disassembly and re-assembly takes less than a minute per stage. It does not involve anything other twisting the cap off, looking closely and then twisting the cap back on.

 

[redacted]

Sadly, when diver talk about having corrosion problems they almost always use the word "rinsing" rather than the word "soaking". Could it just be a coincidence?

BTW, rinsing is the term I recall seeing in regulator user manuals. The same manuals that instruct the user to have their authorized dealer perform an annual inspection or service (at the user's expense). Another coincidence?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

When I get regs in for service I charge by the hour and fix what needs fixed. The rate is 45.00 an hour plus parts and I charge by the 1/4 hour. Usually I can get a 1st and 2 seconds done in about an hour and half. So labor is 67.50. Parts are another 50+ depending on the reg and what parts actually need replaced.

Usual charge is around 125.00 plus return postage if a full rebuild on all stages is required. If the 1st shows no signs of corrosion, has a good, steady IP within factory specs, and the filter is in good shape there is no need to rebuild it. So it gets a general cleaning of the threads on the enviroseal, DIN threads, pool test, and a recommendation to have it checked again in a year or sooner if necessary. Charge for that - 1/2 hour labor.

Seconds are where I see more frequent need to rebuild. Usually due to less than sufficient rinsing and improper use of the adjustment knobs. The backup reg or octo is often the worst. Being adjustable, divers will detune the reg to avoid a free flow. That's fine during the dive. But storing it like that puts unnecessary pressure on the seat and can result in it needing replaced before the primary which is actually getting breathed more.

If I know the reg is coming, turnaround is usually 48 hours from the time I get it. It does depend on the season. Get it to me on a Friday when I have checkouts on Saturday and Sunday, the reg will not get done until Monday. But that's communicated up front. And you get all your old parts back. They're yours, you paid for them when you got the reg.

Servicing a BC is done most often by sending a set of instructions to the owner to do the job themselves. They can do the same thing I would do in about 15 minutes and not have to pay me to get it done.

Have never owned a full function dive computer I couldn't change the batteries in myself. Except for my CosmIQ from Deep Blue, It's a rechargeable. I do have two bottom timers that the battery can't be changed in. Those are something I consider throwaways. I more than got my money's worth out of the one. 11 years old and still works. Paid 100 bucks for it used.

I started servicing my own gear over 10 years ago when working for a shop that brought an instructor in from the factory to teach us how. No longer use those regs because I don't work for a dealer now and can't get parts. They are used for my bench test blowgun and to fill tires.

Servicing your own gear is not rocket science, but it's also not for everyone and it does help to get some formal training from an experienced tech. When recommendations are made for specific tools and procedures to be used it's a good idea to follow them. It's also cheaper. Service kits are 20-30 bucks. Use the wrong tools or procedure and you're looking at anywhere from 50-150 or a new reg when the one being worked on is ruined by using the wrong tool or procedure.

I just taught two more divers to service their own gear yesterday. Three weeks ago I had a class of 5. First weekend in May two more are coming to learn how to do this. Since I've been teaching this class I've certified over 2 dozen people to rebuild their own regs. Every class I've taught someone has had an "AhHa" moment!

Usually involving a problem they had after their LDS at the time seemed to overcharge them, screwed something up, or took a month to get their regs back to them. Some even discovered they were charged for services not done when the LP seat was flipped over instead of changed and shop still turned in a claim to the mfg for parts kits they supposedly used but didn't.

 

[jringold]

So, I am going to replace my computer and xmitter batteries myself - pretty easy. The batteries I need are dirt cheap. But I need to find a 26mm x 2mm o-ring. I can buy a bulk qty off Amazon for next to nothing but I only need 2. So if you are just wondering around in the average city, where would you go to buy some o-rings. I've never had to buy just an o-ring - Lowes, Home Depot, etc???

 

[Wookie]

Atlanta will have an oring supply with exactly the right oring, and they won't bother charging you for 2. But it will be a pain to find. Or, order 10,000 from Amazon for $1.98 and throw the rest away.

The LDS will sell them to you, $5 each. You will never ever find the right ones at a box store, and don't bother with the wrong one. "Close enough" will just flood your computer. I've personally never changed that o-ring unless someone presented me with one.

 

[JimJam2]

Brought by gear in for the first overhaul this weekend (it's 6 years old w/o any servicing). San Francisco Bay Area cost of living probably affects what LDS charges but I thought $35 a stage + parts seemed reasonable. Bamboo Reef San Francisco (ScubaPro equipment).

 

[2airishuman]

So much going on here.

Regarding the OP, I don't think that $650 is unreasonable for full service of two sets of gear including air integrated computers and BCs. It is the going rate.

We don't know whether the gear needed all that service. Perhaps it did. Perhaps not.

SCUBA gear does require frequent inspection and service. It's part of the cost of the activity. In general, that means a fairly disciplined annual inspection and a "whether it needs it or not" teardown every two years. Yes you can push those intervals out a little bit especially if the equipment is cared for and lightly used, but you cannot push them out forever and still be safe.

Never heard of a dive op passing judgment on anyone's equipment. I don't have service tags on any of my gear.

I service my own gear but as posted upthread doing so is not for everyone. It requires some general mechanical skill, some discipline, and proper tools. If you would be comfortable pulling the cylinder heads off your car then you're probably ready for reg service.

 

[KeithG]

So, I am going to replace my computer and xmitter batteries myself - pretty easy. The batteries I need are dirt cheap. But I need to find a 26mm x 2mm o-ring. I can buy a bulk qty off Amazon for next to nothing but I only need 2. So if you are just wondering around in the average city, where would you go to buy some o-rings. I've never had to buy just an o-ring - Lowes, Home Depot, etc???

does it "need" a new oring?

My first computer went more than 15 years on its original oring (i sold the computer at that point, it may still have the original oring?). careful inspection at each battery changed revealed there was nothing wrong with the original oring. no reason to swap a known working part for some unknown quality part...

 

[redacted]

So, I am going to replace my computer and xmitter batteries myself - pretty easy. The batteries I need are dirt cheap. But I need to find a 26mm x 2mm o-ring. I can buy a bulk qty off Amazon for next to nothing but I only need 2. So if you are just wondering around in the average city, where would you go to buy some o-rings. I've never had to buy just an o-ring - Lowes, Home Depot, etc???

I would be surprised if it uses a metric o-ring. Could it actually measure 25.12mm by 1.78mm which is a 2-022 SAE size. This is important.