BCD and Regulator Servicing?

[ItMustBeJames]

Hi all. I just brought my BCD and regulators to my LDS for their first 1-year servicing. It's going to run me about $75 ($25/reg plus $25 for the BCD). Annual servicing makes sense from a safety perspective, but I'm curious about what actually gets done? I'm particularly curious about what gets serviced on the BCD.

When I bought the equipment (same LDS) I was told that, in addition to safety reasons, the yearly servicing was nescesary to maintain the warranties on the BCD and regs. But what do they do?

-James

 

[Nemrod]

Well, as to the regulators, annual service may be needed--or maybe not but I have to tell you---I have never serviced any BC ever in some four decades of diving. What are they going to do to it---bah hum bug.

Wash the thing off and let it dry, rinse the interior bag also with clean water and dump it out. Hook the BC up to the regulator ahd shoot some air in it and let it dry, deflate when dry and put it away. What are they going to do to it--change the oil, rotate the tires--whatever.

N

 

[SDAnderson]

If you haven't already, it might be a good idea to ask your dive shop what they do during the annual BCD service. They probably have a more authoritative answer than us mopes on the internet.

That said: if you take good care of your BCD, you won't need much in the way of annual service. Mostly, the BCD annual consists of a good cleaning (inside and out), lubrication of a few key parts and a check for leaks, wear and broken or missing pieces.

Most people don't take good care of their BCD, however. They don't wash/rinse enough to get the crud out of the bladder and valves and wouldn't know how to service the inflator if it bit them. There's no reason not to do the work yourself, except for the fact that the LDS can probably do the job better than you can and will save you a small potful of aggravation in the process. Of course, it's possible that you will have to pay them...

 

[drew52]

O-Rings etc are also replaced. Remember it is mostly the power inflator that is being service. Wouldn't it just suck to do a runaway ascent from 100 ft because you never got it serviced. (and yes there are ways to prevent this even with a jammed power inflator but...)

While it may not be necessary to do an annual service from a safety point of view, I can tell you that leaving it makes it more difficult to service later. It is harder to get things apart, as generally there is more corrosion. This also means it is more likely that parts need to be replaced.

 

[redacted]

Where is your alternate 2nd stage? At $25 per reg (stage) for a total of $75, it sounds like you may have an integrated octo/inflator which is serviced just like any other regulator. $25 for an inspection of a BC sound steep.

 

[Hoyden]

You should ask your local shop exactly what they provide in terms of servicing. Generally, a BCD service should include checking (repairing/replacing as needed) all zippers, buckles and dumps, checking the inflator hose and connections, servicing the inflator (several manufacturers use servicable inflators), leak testing and a thorough cleaning inside (and out if needed). Most people rinse the outside of their bcd and ignore the inside. I have literally gotten enough salt out of a bcd to fill a small salt shaker. Abrasive salt crystals can damage the bcd bladder and lead to leaks. Regulator service should include cleaning and rebuilding each stage with OEM parts and breaking it in/tuning it to manufacturer's specs, inspecting each hose, replacing the o-rings and cleaning as needed. We test each regulator on a flow bench and keep those records and handle all warranty paperwork and parts. All equipment should be assembled and wet tested. Nobody is getting rich doing this for $20 or $30 a stage/bcd.

Jackie

 

[Footslogger]

Hi all. I just brought my BCD and regulators to my LDS for their first 1-year servicing. It's going to run me about $75 ($25/reg plus $25 for the BCD). Annual servicing makes sense from a safety perspective, but I'm curious about what actually gets done? I'm particularly curious about what gets serviced on the BCD.

When I bought the equipment (same LDS) I was told that, in addition to safety reasons, the yearly servicing was nescesary to maintain the warranties on the BCD and regs. But what do they do?

-James

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Does your BCD have a stanard inflator valve or something like an AirSource or Air II ? If your BCD is equipped with one of those devices then it needs to be inspected and serviced just like you would a regulator.