Do you get your BCD serviced?

[Shasta_man]

While getting my regs serviced for an upcoming trip, the LDS said I should also get my BCD serviced.

I'd not thought about doing so.

Anyone out there get their BCD serviced regularly?

 

[Cacia]

No. They are just creating business. Just blow it up and see if it holds air overnight, thats probably all they are going to do.

 

[huskychemist]

I do...but mine has an Air2 attached, so it gets the regular yearly regulator service. A friend of mine had his serviced (even without considering the Air2 service) due to his dump valves not functioning properly. They ended up finding a small hole in his BC. Could he have found it using the "Catherine96821" method? Probably...but having the dump valves fixed was worthwhile.

I just think it's nice having things looked at by somebody who knows what they're doing. (That assumes you have an LDS you trust, with service you trust. I do, and feel lucky.)

My $.02

 

[Scuba_Canuck]

For sure...I have had my old jacket BC serviced - not as often as my regulators but every few years. On one service, they discovered a problem with the power inflator that I didn't notice. Can't hurt....

 

[Jim Ernst]

i do also, as i do have an lds that i trust and work for as well, and they go through the inflater and the dump valves and all and they have even installed up grade parts free of charge, so i feel it is worth it once every two years or so, just my thoughts!!

 

[Torcatdog]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...
Rinse thouroughly inside and out with appropriate slolutions. This is an important and relatively expensive part or my life preservations equipment. I willl have it checked with my reg every year.

 

[m3830431]

Visual inspection after each dive. Make sure everything works if it was put away for awhile.

 

[Mandy3206]

The only part that may be checked regularly is the power inflator, with time and use, it tends to stick due to salt deposits and sediment or sand.
If you're mechanically inclined, it's very easy to service it yourself with a few common tools and in the worst case scenario, replacing the inflator is cheap and can be done by the user.

If you got a integrated inflator/octo, it should be serviced annually with your regs.

The dump valves are very easy to clean and inspect by the user and should be done regularly as part of cleaning and maintenance protocols.

The bladder should be checked by the user every now and then for leaks and punctures.

All in all, a BC is easily serviced by the user and if proper care and maintenance has been taken it would last for yrs without problems

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

No way. Your LDS is trying to get some more cash out of you. A BC is not life support equipment like a reg is, and it's nowhere near as complicated. If it holds air, that's a good thing. The power inflator is the only potential problem area, and as others have said, it's really just a matter of keeping it clean. If you want, you can remove it and soak it in an appropriate cleaning solution to get rid of any buildup. You can replace it easily with a zip tie. Couldn't be simpler.

Dump valves do not need to be checked by a technician or anything. You can screw them right off and take a look for yourself, but if they don't leak, then why bother? They are just a spring and a round valve.

The only thing a BC can do to really hurt you is for the inflator to get stuck at depth and you don't deal with it properly. Sure, it can pop, but no servicing can prevent that, and it won't hurt you. You can always swim to the surface (some people get confused and think if their BC can't hold air, then they can't surface...but remember, you VENT your BC to surface). At the surface, if necessary you can ditch weights to get positive.

Familiarize yourself with how your BC works and I think you'll find it's a very simple piece of gear that if kept clean will serve you loyally for years without "expert servicing" or better yet "nitrox cleaning" (another LDS scam).

Cheers

 

[tzeyap]

I have only sent a BC in for service once in 20 years . If you take good care of the BC and check regularly by inflating it to make sure that it is not leaking air, I do not think it is necessary. If the BC has not been used for a while, I attache the inflator hose feed to the BC with air turned on to check that the inflator is not leaking air into the BC.