Atomic Regulator Service Costs?

[wheezy]

When I purchased my aqualung in 2003 the service interval was 1 year, which I did through 2008.

Seems they have changed that policy.

I noticed the newest $1,700 t3 is a 3 year interval.

Interesting stuff.

 

[redacted]

When I purchased my aqualung in 2003 the service interval was 1 year, which I did through 2008.

Seems they have changed that policy.

I noticed the newest $1,700 t3 is a 3 year interval.

Interesting stuff.

Competitive edge and metal characteristics are the players here. Titanium is fairly impervious to even the poorest of user care and maintenance. The rubber and plastic components are mostly unchanged from the days when annual service was required (mostly to keep the cash flowing at the LDS). Those soft parts are capable of going 5 years or more and their degredation can be expected to show up as IP creep, small leaks (inconvenient but not dangerous) and degraded performance. A good inspection will let you know if any problem exists and if the previous owner took good care of his reg.

 

[ams511]

When I purchased my aqualung in 2003 the service interval was 1 year, which I did through 2008.

Seems they have changed that policy.

I noticed the newest $1,700 t3 is a 3 year interval.

Interesting stuff.

If you talk to some of the older divers they will tell you that in their day the manufacturer sold parts and you received a repair manual with the regulator and only rebuilt it when there was a problem. I picked up a year or so ago a prime condition DA Aquamaster double hose regulator, it worked fine. Only God knows when it was last serviced but 25 years may not be out of the question.

 

[halocline]

I noticed the newest $1,700 t3 is a 3 year interval.

That's a purchase incentive for anyone nuts enough to spend that kind of money on a regulator. It's more about number of dives than time between servicing. I'm guessing mine go 100-200 dives between rebuilds, but I could certainly do a better job of keeping track.

In many leisure/sport activities there's a market for very high end gear that's more based on narcissism than actual function. A $1700 regulator definitely fits into that category.

 

[NCadiver]

What? Well that post is clear as mud.

Atomic USED to encourage in house service and prices were great (numerous threads on this forum). They are a local company to me, as in right down the street. "Crying" about a $270 service on an $800 reg after two years isn't quite the same as a $10 strap after 15 years.

But whatever, I'm over it. I'm paying the money and I'm going diving. (having my old Aqualung Legend LX Supreme serviced at the same time at my LDS)

One of these regs will be up for sale in the near future.

Have a great day.

I wasn't pointing at you, I was saying some dealer can act like some end consumers. The manufacture can tell the dealer without saying it directly something wrong with your store because I charging more than you plus shipping. PS a dealer will buy more regulators in one year than any diver in their entire life time.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you talk to some of the older divers they will tell you that in their day the manufacturer sold parts and you received a repair manual with the regulator and only rebuilt it when there was a problem. I picked up a year or so ago a prime condition DA Aquamaster double hose regulator, it worked fine. Only God knows when it was last serviced but 25 years may not be out of the question.

I was given an old Conshelf XI from somewhere in the mid 60's. The LDS and many other new age divers would consider this old relic "junk".
I tore it down, didn't see any corrosion or signs of wear, so I put it back together and hooked it up. I set the IP and the IP pressure is steady as a rock. I use it all the time. Not bad for a freebie.
God only knows when the last actual overhaul was done with new parts?

I really enjoy all the myth busting threads about all the voodoo with reg rebuilds and "life support equipment", and how regs need to go in for rebuilds every year, but then suddenly it's now two years, and in some cases 3 years, but rumor has it that none of the component materials have changed? unless they found some new super reg o-ring compound on the last mars visit?

I guess there will always be a percentage of the population that will religiously go into their LDS every year and bend over...god bless them.
Your LDS thanks you!
But then if someone never cleans their regs properly and allows water and crap to get into the first stage by just using the dust cap and dunking them unpressurized, I guess they deserve what they get.

 

[ams511]

Eric, the main driver of the manufacturer's recommended length of time between service intervals is business concerns. Atomic bucked the yearly service interval trend and now other manufacturers matched their service interval and guess what? It is cheaper for them. Instead of supplying parts every year now they only need to supply parts every other year. The regulator still needs to be checked in the off non-rebuild year, so if it needs service then the customer pays for the parts.

 

[52brandon]

along the lines of this subject, How hard is it to service yourself? Is it as simple as I'm imagining... crack it open with allen key, replace o-rings with the same size ones in the kit and put back together? I'd like to learn how to do it myself and need to upgrade my piston anyways

 

[flots am]

along the lines of this subject, How hard is it to service yourself? Is it as simple as I'm imagining... crack it open with allen key, replace o-rings with the same size ones in the kit and put back together? I'd like to learn how to do it myself and need to upgrade my piston anyways

It's not rocket science, but is also easy damage stuff that will quickly send your parts bill above what it would cost for normal service at a facility.

Depending on the reg, it may require special tools to disassemble the first stage, not just an allen wrench, and almost always requires special tools (or a lot of patience) to disassemble the second stage without damaging anything, then reassemble and adjust it. Exactly what you'll need depends on the reg's manufacturer. Some require more/fewer special tools than others.

Judging by the number of regs that come in as a box of parts, "taking it apart" seems to be easier than "putting it back together and adjusting"

flots.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

along the lines of this subject, How hard is it to service yourself? Is it as simple as I'm imagining... crack it open with allen key, replace o-rings with the same size ones in the kit and put back together? I'd like to learn how to do it myself and need to upgrade my piston anyways

There is a bit more to it than that.... but only a bit. Like flots am mentioned, it is not rocket science.

If you have just a touch of mechanical ability, can work carefully and pay attention to detail, and you are willing to devote a little time to doing your homework first, then learning to service your own regulators is one of the best new skills you can acquire as a diver.

This board is a great place to ask questions. The combined experience of a lot of the "usual suspects" who post on this forum is staggering. From vintage equipment to the latest reg, post a question and you are likely to get some help.

Best wishes.