D350 Servicing pointers questions.

[ericpitar]

Hello all,

I've recently acquired a used D350.

When I have it serviced,

1)what things do I need to make sure are done?

2)what may the tech do that I am better off skipping? (i.e. replace the orifice because there's a "new plastic lightweight *upgrade*")

3)What tests can I do out of or in the shop will give indication that the servicing was done properly or improperly? (i.e. no "clicking" etc when the reg is shook)

4)Is it relatively safe for me to test this in the pool and skip the servicing altogether if it appears to be in good working order? (i.e. would you expect a diffrence in a pool test result vs 100ft test ?) This would follow the "if it aint broke, don't fix it" philosophy especially considering it's relatively difficult to tune and could actually degrade the performance if not done properly.

Thank you!

 

[halocline]

I have a very knowledgeable friend that bought one, tried it, it worked, and he's still using it without rebuilding. Sure it's safe, as long as you dive safely, meaning buddy system and a reliable back up reg. The worst that could happen with a 2nd stage is that it could freeflow uncontrollably, in which case you switch to your back up and surface.

Actually, if there was a poisonous insect living in the reg and you inhaled it, that could be worse!

In terms of servicing your D350, if you're not confident that your local tech is up to it and familiar enough with this design, there are a few every experienced techs that might do a mail order service, one in particular who's an expert with the D series. I kind of feel like if you have to tell the tech what to do or not to do in servicing, you probably should look around for someone else to work on your reg, especially in the case of the D series, which are unusual and can offer amazing performance when tuned correctly.

 

[Arcaporale]

Just make sure you get your reg serviced at an authorized scubapro LDS or that the tech at the shop is scubapro certified and using genuine scubapro parts.

A clicking noise when you shake the reg won't indicate any type of damage or that the reg is in need in service, it is actually quite normal to hear a loose part rattling in reg, yet only in the 2nd stage, this is not to say that rattling is indicative of a normally operating reg.

If you don't have any records for the reg to show it was serviced in the last 2 years at least get a check up or tune up on the reg if your LDS offers that kind of service.

Testing it in the pool will only tell you if it needs immediate fixing or not, but there could still be something wrong with it, or the parts could be past their prime and about to fail.

Either way, since it seems you are unsure if the reg has been serviced or not recently, and since you are not a repair tech it would seem logical to me to err on the side of caution and just have a shop take a look at it.

 

[Packhorse]

I believe a clicking sound when you shake a D seriers indicated that it is not adjusted correctly. A friend of mine had that problem with his and I noticed mine did it while I was servicing it. Actully I wouldnt be happy if any of my regs clicked or rattled when shook.

 

[redacted]

Just make sure you get your reg serviced at an authorized scubapro LDS or that the tech at the shop is scubapro certified and using genuine scubapro parts.

Why??? Are you saying that scubapro would not let a poor mechanic "pass" their course or that any good mechanic could not do an adequate job with access to documentation and parts?

A clicking noise when you shake the reg won't indicate any type of damage or that the reg is in need in service, it is actually quite normal to hear a loose part rattling in reg, yet only in the 2nd stage, this is not to say that rattling is indicative of a normally operating reg.

Just what loose part(s) would be making this acceptable clicking noise?

 

[owlbill]

If a D350 rattles a bit when shaken, it might be that is was adjusted that way on purpose to lower the work of breathing a bit to help prevent leaks/free flows. There is no need to replace the orifice for the new plastic one unless the old one will not seal. There are very few parts used in servicing a D350 (4 actually) in the routine service kit. As long as the tech takes the time to break it in properly and get a good "seat" it should be fine.

You could just hook the reg to a tank and breathe from it to see if it works, and dunk it in water to see if it leaks, but that does not mean (whether it's been serviced or not) that nothing can go wrong with it during a dive. I have seen new parts fail, not just old parts.

 

[EricQ]

While the spool valve of the D series may make it an exception, I don't think lever rattle-specifically after pressure is applied-is much to be worried about. As a matter of fact, for the diver who has their regs. serviced a day before leaving for a holiday in a distant and exotic location, it could be a good bit of insurance.