Atomic B2 2006

[divezonescuba]

Atomic says for the B2 inspect and test the first year and do a complete service including using the service parts kits the second year or if three hundred dives are reached.

Anyone can save a lot of money if they don't service their regulator according to the manufacturer. Some manufacturers think servicing is so important that they give free parts for life if the regset is serviced according to their recommended schedule. The manufacturer doesn't make any money off of giving out free kits. The dealer may make money off of the labor, but the manufacturer does not get any of that. If you negotiate free service labor, then have your regset costs nothing to service. You will never get that from a diveshop that you did not buy the regset from. I think that one of the larger internet retailers is now even advertising free servicing.

A lady had a regset that malfunctioned on her first dive of a two tank dive on a cruise excursion. They wouldn't let her do the second dive because the regset was malfunctioning. She had the reg for six years at the time of the malfunction. She was mad because the shop that sold her the regulator told her it was the best money could buy, but they did not tell her that it had to be periodically serviced. Both second stages were a clump of corrosion inside. The first stage was not much better. But she did save a lot of money in the meantime.

Another guy said it didn't matter if he had his alternate serviced, because he wouldn't be the one using it if it was used.

The first thing the manufacturer checks in a law suit is the service records.

 

[eelnoraa]

First, I didn't say just don't service your reg. I suggest do service when it is needed, and not un-necessary service. How to tell what is necessary, it is very easy. There is an very good sticky thread on it. The assumption here is that the user should responsibility to do reasonable maintenance. This is the way to not only save money, but ensure the reg in proper working order. Just keep in mind, having the reg service doesn't guarantee it will work properly. In fact, most likely reg failure happen right after service.

Let's just face it, free labor for reg service just isn't going to happen repeat even if you buy the reg from the particular shop. Some shop offer the first service free, but that is just about it. And free parts for life, we all know what the real reason and purpose is.

As to the lady on the cruise ship. If she hasn't used the reg in 6 years, and didn't do minimal cleaning and drying after last year, probably 6 years ago too, thus reason for the clumps of corrosion, she deserves to have reg malfunction. Her shop isn't wrong. She could have bought a very good reg, but even that needs proper maintenance. In fact, for people who dive once in a couple of year and don't bother to maintain the reg at all, he/she should just stick to rental.

Again, I don't advocate not service the reg. I advocate do the proper maintenance service based on need, not a fixed time frame

 

[lexvil]

Deep 6

 

[halocline]

Anyone can save a lot of money if they don't service their regulator according to the manufacturer.

Exactly what I do, it's saved me thousands over the years. By some miracle I'm still alive....

 

[halocline]

Some manufacturers think servicing is so important that they give free parts for life if the regset is serviced according to their recommended schedule.

I'm sure they do think servicing is important, especially to ensure that customers regularly visit their dealers. The free parts bit is not about some altruistic sense of responsibility for the safety of their beloved customers, it's about giving the dealers an advantage in competing against used regulator sales.

If the noble scuba manufacturers really considered servicing to be so important that they felt a need to do anything to encourage it, they would sell their parts to anyone at a reasonable price, instead to limiting access to dealers and marking up the prices insanely. ($40 for a few o-rings and a plastic seat?)

Before you reply that the manufacturers are so concerned about our safety that they just can't bear to risk installation of their parts by unqualified hacks like us DIYers, consider the fact that their own certification classes are one day seminars with zero failures and zero pre-qualifications except employment at a dealer.

 

[Bob DBF]

Exactly what I do, it's saved me thousands over the years. By some miracle I'm still alive....

Wait till he finds out that when the reg does need service, we do it ourselves. Now that is a real miracle...


Bob