Hog Regulator Combo or get something better ???

[Paladin]

The vast majority of divers have never tried to service their own equipment and have little or no idea of the "mysterious, complicated workings" of regulator innards. They rely on their LDS to take care of their gear. The LDS, for their part, find it in their own best interests to keep the customer in the dark concerning the facts of regulator design. "It's your life we're talking about. You need the best and the best costs more. You need to bring it back to us for service because it's your life we're talking about here!"

As long as the industry can keep their customers ignorant of the facts, the more money they can coerce out of them.

The truth is, regulators are extremely simple devices inside. There is no mystery about how they work, if one just takes the time to learn about them. Anyone can work on their own gear if they want to. Once you've taken a few apart and put them back together, you realize that all piston regulators work off the same principles and, inside, one looks pretty much like another. The same goes for diaphragm regs. The main differences between brands and models are on the outside, where bling is used to convince a prospective buyer to make that high dollar purchase. It doesn't make the equipment work any better, it just brings in more profits.

But, hey, ya gots pockets full of cash and like to throw it around on bling, more power to ya, pal! Me, I got other things to spend my extra cash on. Like diving.

 

[chrpai]

For example my LDS is a SP exclusive dealer. He used to turn up his nose at me diving BP/W's - until that is he got in a shipment of SP BP/W's which are just the best thing since sliced bread.

I notice a similar trend on the LDS near me. They run a facebook page where they recently posted that "6 out of 7 (name of LDS) instructors agree. SP X-Tek is the way to go."

The picture then shows the X-Tek rigs outfitted with Air2 regs and tons of extra drings, padding, clips and other crap that you don't need. But hey, if 6 instructors ( what a huge data point ) say this is what you should do, it must be right! Right? I wonder what they did to the 7th who disagreed.

Oh well. At least BP/W is actually on their radar. Maybe they'll actually start putting O/W students in them and then ditch the Air2 and replace it with a long house.

I know.... keep dreaming.


The only thing "Tec" I've seen about this shop is the buzzword stickered to the their store front window.

 

[The Chairman]

The truth is, regulators are extremely simple devices inside.

The truth is: most people should never try to service their own regs. Why? For some of the same reasons you have identified and a few more...

• They haven't taken the time to learn the workings of a regulator. Either they don't want to or it plum confuses them.
• They don't own the right tools. If you don't own a magnehelic gauge, an IP gauge, an ultrasonic cleaner and a few hand tools dedicated to your reg and regs in general, you should reconsider taking one apart.
• They don't have the proper mindset to deal with the small intricacies of a regulator. I saw this when I spent 30 years in automotive. If you're too broke to pay attention to what you are doing, you should leave this to others.
• They don't have a good mechanical skill set. If you are all thumbs when it comes to repairing things around the house, then again you might want to leave this to people who make it look easy.
• They simply don't have the experiences that lend themselves to diagnosing and resolving problems. I was in the automotive industry for 30 years and learned all about o-rings in a P-Chem cryogenic lab at UF. In my mind, anyone who can successfully rebuild a GM E2SE carburetor has a proven track record and there is nothing that the Scuba industry could throw at them that they would fail at making work and work flawlessly. I have seen many "techs" who have no idea about the importance of using the proper grease, the right torque or who don't understand the concepts of durometer, static/dynamic seals, how to anneal copper and this list can go on. It's why Hog requires their divers to take a class on this.

 

[Them]

... I saw this when I spent 30 years in automotive. ...

Yep. That's actually why I don't like cars I can't service myself. I got tired of having "techs" either fubar or half-ass my vehicles in truly mind-blowing ways.

The last time I took a vehicle to a dealer for service, I did my routine post-service check and found the air filter housing not clipped or fully closed (so unfiltered air was going to the engine) and wires popped out of routing clips and left so they could contact a pulley. Trivial 30 seconds-to-fix BS that could have killed the vehicle. That wasn't the worst thing auto repair "techs" have done to my vehicles, just the most recent.

Trust is all well and good but it must be earned...simply running a LDS, or a dealership service department, isn't enough.

 

[Paladin]

A magnehelic gauge isn't an absolute necessity. For many years, Aqua-Lung has had a procedure in place for techs to service regs without one. I suppose it might be because I grew up fixing things with my dad and doing all the repairs on my vehicles as a teenager, but I honestly don't see any real complexity to SCUBA equipment. They are simple mechanical devices.

When I was a kid, the first thing I would do with a new toy was to take it apart to see how it worked. Once I figured it out, I put it back together and played with it. If it broke, I knew how to fix it.

When I bought my first single hose regulator back in 1978 (a US Divers Aquarius), the shop tech showed me how to service it. I learned then that a lot of the BS that LDS tell their customers is just that: BS.

But, hey, what do I know?

 

[Peter Guy]

First Confession -- I have read all the posts.

Second Confession -- I am TSandM's husband and saw "my name taken in vain."

So here goes:

To the OP:

I (we) have many HOG regs and they are our standard. I use them for singles and doubles and for my students.

I (we) have many other regs -- ScubaPro, AquaLung, Dive Rite, Zeagle and one or two others I can't recall. You wnat to know something? THEY ALL WORK!!!

TSandM hated my Zeagles and loves her SP Mk 25s -- I hated her SP Mk 25s and loved my Zeagles!

What does that tell you (or anyone else)? NOTHING -- except that we had differences of opinion.

I will tell you that my advice to ALL new divers, buying their very first regs -- Don't go cheap, don't go fancy. Buy a world-wide name brand (and for me, that pretty much limits to Aqua Lung or Scuba Pro) for your first setup. Why? Because IF you are at all an active and travelling divers, you are most likely to be able to get something fixed if it is AL or SP. There are good reasons why both brands have been around for a long time and why they have world wide recognition.

I'd also advise you to buy a HOG setup as your second set.

 

[Zung]

A magnehelic gauge isn't an absolute necessity...

But then it's nice to have some quantitative data. I always use my $2 manometer, and I think it's even more trustworthy than a magnehelic because the mano cannot go out of calibration.

All the basic tooling: IP gauge, ultrasonic, torque wrenches, mano, and a couple of "specials" shoulnd't cost more than about $100.

 

[Paladin]

I use the pan of water method, as described in the Aqua-Lung manual.

 

[eelnoraa]

I will tell you that my advice to ALL new divers, buying their very first regs -- Don't go cheap, don't go fancy. Buy a world-wide name brand (and for me, that pretty much limits to Aqua Lung or Scuba Pro) for your first setup. Why? Because IF you are at all an active and travelling divers, you are most likely to be able to get something fixed if it is AL or SP. There are good reasons why both brands have been around for a long time and why they have world wide recognition.

This is the best advice to new diver. As much as I like HOG regulator, not being able to have immediate support (local or destination) can be frustrating. For new divers, self service is not likely and not recommended either. Good performance, good buid quality and low cost is just half the story.

 

[chrpai]

I think a new diver could invest in an IP gauge and be taught how To assembly, adjust and inspect the reg. the Hog is such a good price that "service" could be as simple as replace the component having trouble.

Ip creeps get a new one and send the old off for service. Now you have a spare. Hose is worn replace it. Second has problems replace and send off now you have a spare.

That's my plan anyways.