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

[MichaelMc]

I’d use the same second for primary and backup/octo: as backup, to simplify things and for less stressed performance in case of need.

Taking your own backups it the most realistic plan if you want to dive your own regs. (It also means service at every destination is not much of a need.)

The SP 109 is dirt simple and service kits are available. It’s a good DIY start point and is the basis for the SP G2xx series. It is also the basis for other manufacturers current seconds, who sell their service kits.

 

[Umuntu]

Not really. I get my parts from @buddhasummer & Store | Vintage Double Hose

This may be a little disingenuous. One of your sources is a SB friend who supplies kits from abroad, and your VDH source sells (good) reproduction service kits.

In most of Europe it is possible to buy genuine official manufacturer service kits from your LDS or online.

Do a google search for "Ersatzteil atemregler -ebay" (Ersatzteil atemregler -ebay - Google Search) with your chosen brand name to see the kind of choice you have. You simply cannot get such genuine spare parts and service kits as easily in the USA. I believe these sellers are prohibited from shipping to the USA.

UK laws on service kit availability are similar to the USA. It's easier to buy genuine Apeks (a British brand) service kits in Europe than it is in the UK.

 

[lexvil]

This may be a little disingenuous. One of your sources is a SB friend who supplies kits from abroad, and your VDH source sells (good) reproduction service kits.

In most of Europe it is possible to buy genuine official manufacturer service kits from your LDS or online.

Do a google search for "Ersatzteil atemregler -ebay" (Ersatzteil atemregler -ebay - Google Search) with your chosen brand name to see the kind of choice you have. You simply cannot get such genuine spare parts and service kits as easily in the USA. I believe these sellers are prohibited from shipping to the USA.

UK laws on service kit availability are similar to the USA. It's easier to buy genuine Apeks (a British brand) service kits in Europe than it is in the UK.

I really like SP regs but I don’t like their (mostly all makers) silly policies so when I buy service kits I stock up, I can easily get Zeagle and Atomic parts and kits but I prefer the SP reg.

 

[GStevens1]

Thank you everyone.

In summary, bringing a complete 2nd spare backup 1st/2nd/octo regulator nullifies having to search for a long distance repair shop, and not having to pay costs and/or experience downtimes.

At that point, it's no longer necessary to focus on a specific make/model/brand because a diver already has a backup. At that point, any deal someone scores on a Scubapro and/or Deep6 or any other reg would be good.

Thank you all for these posts. I do appreciate all of your collective input.

GStevens1

 

[halocline]

I thought you were actually interested in learning to work on your own regs. If all you're worried about is not losing a dive due to your reg breaking on a trip, then yes, carrying a spare does the job. But there are many other reasons to actually learn how these devices work instead of just gathering opinions on the forum.

 

[Angelo Farina]

But you are in Italy, not the USA, much easier there because of different EU and US rules.

I always buy on Ebay. Sometimes the kit went from Italy, but more often from Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Austria or Germany...
All these sellers also ship to Usa, so I do not see the problem finding original service kits.
Then there are also not original kits, for example those assembled by Brian at Vintage Double Hose. Or you can buy single spare parts or even a complete first or second stage by guys such as @couv, @buddhasummer or @axxel57 .
Many others here can help you with special parts, when needed.

 

[GStevens1]

I thought you were actually interested in learning to work on your own regs. If all you're worried about is not losing a dive due to your reg breaking on a trip, then yes, carrying a spare does the job. But there are many other reasons to actually learn how these devices work instead of just gathering opinions on the forum.

I am interested in learning to work on my own regs. I want to work on my own regs. I purchased a vehicle recently, specifically for the ability to work on it vs another brand which forces you to take it into the dealer for servicing. However, with regards the regulator servicing, I didn't realize that official manufacturer supplied authorized service kits are so hard to obtain, especially training videos. In addition to having regulators fail, I have also lost dives on live-a-boards as well, in addition to local shore dives. I agree with wanting to learn how to work on regulators, and this is my #1 goal.

For example, as a case in point, a lot of helpful folks suggested Deep6. Many indicate that they are DIY friendly... including deep6 themselves.
Ok.. Does anyone know where to purchase their service kits? They don't sell them on the deep6 website. Also, anyone know where to find their service manuals and/or service videos? Again, these things *should* be highly and freely visible, but they aren't. I have already emailed their support (deep6) on two different occasions, but haven't heard anything back. Just did it again today, but perhaps the Covid-19 has them delayed.

Or, maybe I'm just stupid, who knows...

 

[halocline]

I'm not sure about the deep six policy on selling parts. It is difficult to get SP parts from a U.S. dealer as they are supposedly forbidden from selling them directly to customers by SP. The ONLY reason this ridiculous policy can be enacted is that there are relatively few individual divers that want to buy parts, so together they (we) do not have either the economic or political power to force SP to change it's dumb policy.

Compare this with an automobile. Can you freakin imagine what would happen to, say, Honda, if they started a policy of refusing to sell parts to owners? They'd be finished within a year. Nobody would buy one of their cars.

In Europe there is a law that basically says companies must sell parts to their products to owners of those products. European divers who service their own regulators are presumably not all killing themselves through their reckless, death defying sojourn into fixing their own gear, and European dive dealers and companies are not getting destroyed by lawsuits. But I wouldn't hold my breath for a policy change in the U.S.

As I've mentioned before, the cheapest and best way to service your own regulators is to buy older regs that have far fewer proprietary parts and have enough of a presence to have generated aftermarket parts. For SP, these would be the MK5/10 and the 109/balanced adjustable/G250 2nd stages. It costs me less than $5 to service one of my MK5s or MK10s and a 109 2nd stage.

As I also mentioned in a PM, a good way to start is to read the Vance Harlow book and the Wolfinger book. You need to get some basic understanding of how these simple devices work before you will be able to successfully interpret and process the various opinions that you get on an internet forum, and turn that into informed decisions.

 

[tbone1004]

@GStevens1 brands the currently have public service courses
Deep6
Poseidon
HOG
Dive Rite-though usually only at the big trade shows apparently.

Deep6 manuals are on their website, and the kits are freely available. When you purchase the regs new, they actually come with a service kit in the box

 

[Couv]

This may be a little disingenuous.

You simply cannot get such genuine spare parts and service kits as easily in the USA.

Fair enough, I mentioned two of my friends who sell service kits and parts. The fact that they are my friends does not change the fact that both of them are great sources for buying service parts. Agree, it's not as easy as going to the auto parts store and purchasing parts the day I need them. I suppose the operative word in the post I was answering is "much." Perhaps it's much easier to purchase service parts in the EU. But, it is not difficult here in the US.

BTW Simon sells parts that are genuine OEM parts. Bryan sells both aftermarket and OEM parts.

I believe these sellers are prohibited from shipping to the USA.

Interesting. By whom are they prohibited?