Easiest current Scubapro 1st and 2nd stage to DIY repair?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

GStevens1

Registered
Messages
16
Reaction score
7
Location
California, U.S.A
# of dives
I just don't log dives
Hello,

Please forgive me if this post should be in another area; I believe this is a general regulator question in the appropriate subcategory.

Does anyone know of which currently made model from Scubapro, both 1st and 2nd stage are easiest to repair for a DIY user? From my research, this appears to be the MK25 1st stage regulator, and G260 2nd stage regulator.

Scubapro's marketing says: "The G260 is the most imitated air balanced second stage design of all time. First introduced in 1986 as the G250," Or, in other words, the G260 design which is nearly 60+ years old, is a simple design that would be easier to repair for a late person.

Please be assured, that I am not interested in hurting local dive shops nearby - I recently purchased thousands of dollars of equipment (halcyon backplate system, etc...) to keep my local dive shop in business. My reasoning for opening up my own reg is simply because of too many issues to mention, but the most recent problem I had was a trip overseas. Regulator acted up, free flowed, and local dive shops couldn't service. When I got back home, I contacted Oceanic and they said, "Sorry, we do not service that regulator anymore." I have an oceanic zeta (world's smallest regulator a decade ago), and local dive shops, international shops, and even the manufacture themselves refuse to work on it. The service manual was 60 pages from what I remember.

I am ready to purchase an octopus to breathe out of (Scubapro R195, the currently most reliable regulator in the world), even though the breathing is not as good, I do not want aborted dive trips where I've spend tens of thousands on hotel, airfare, live-a-board dive boat, etc... all because I have a regulator that nobody can work on, and there are no spares anywhere.

Most diveshops I've been too around the world, ONLY work on Scubapro, whether I like it or not, so that's what I'm sticking with.

Thank you!
 
Are they still making the MK2, paired with a downstream 2nd? If so, that would surely be the simplest to work on.

But if you're interested in DIY service I would not limit yourself to current regulators at all. I would buy a MK10/G250 and you'll get plenty of performance, very easy to find parts, and great reliability.
 
@GStevens1 , if you are looking for a current Scubapro regulator to DIY service, then you will struggle to buy parts/repair kits.

If you are looking for a current regulator that is easy to service with reasonably easy to find service kits , then I would recommend either an Apeks XTX (20, 40, or 50), or one of the many Apeks clones.
 
In the last 40 years I never had problems purchasing original service kits for SP regs.
Regarding simplicity, performances, reliability, and being currently fully supported (official service kit listed on catalog) I warmly suggest MK10+G250.
 
In the last 40 years I never had problems purchasing original service kits for SP regs.

You are correct, in Europe it is easy to find service kits for all brands of scuba equipment because some countries laws (eg Germany, Switzerland, France) require manufacturers to allow the sale of parts and service kits to consumers.

Unfortunately, that is not true in the USA, or also in some other countries in Europe. It is more difficult to source parts and official service kits for Scubapro there.

Regarding simplicity, performances, reliability, and being currently fully supported (official service kit listed on catalog) I warmly suggest MK10+G250.

Adjusting the Intermediate Pressure on an Apeks, Deep 6 or Hog (or almost any other) diaphragm first stage after DIY servicing requires only a few turns with a Hex key (or screwdriver), and it is much much easier than trying to bring a MK10 (or any piston regulator using shims) to within specification. You don't have to completely dis-assemble the regulator to add or remove shims and then re-assemble, sometimes a number of times.

The quote below is an example of what I mean ...
So then we drag out a 35-year-old Mares MR22, and he does his first diaphragm. A quick polish on the removable seat, assembly by the manual, and bing! Perfect lockup, and what's more, ONE psi difference between 300 and 3000 tank pressure.

So he says to me, "Dad, I know you've been a piston guy your whole life, but why would you go to all the trouble of polishing that piston, and packing with lube, when we just did this reg in 15 minutes?"

(Sorry @rsingler ... for using your quote to support diaphragm regs ... :rofl3:)

PS: I also own and self-service MK10s, MK5s, Apeks, a couple Conshelfs and my favourite trim weight, the Supra.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom