How do I get certified to rebuild Regs

[MikadoWu]

Hello all,

Does anyone know how someone can go about getting certified to rebuild Atomic Regulators?

I know there is a course in Key Largo, but it is generic Regulators, I would like to focus on Atomic only.

I my regulator dive group we have over 50 atomic regulators. Add on one of my buddies is an instructor and wants to pick up more for his private students. Our Local Atomic LDS is a (insert here), so we were looking at getting a couple of us trained.

Willing to drive up to 500 miles from Orlando to learn.

Thanks All.

 

[tbone1004]

you can't unfortunately. As with all mfg's except for HOG, to become a trained factory technician you have to work for a dive shop who is a dealer and only then can you take the mfg's course to rebuild their regs

 

[CptTightPants21]

It's probably a little easier to do in Florida. And with your willingness to travel, I think you will be ok, but here are some issues/suggestions I would consider.

The fact that you plan on doing this for other people and 50+ regulators complicates matters and you should definitely look into some kind of liability insurance. It will also complicate the search because it isn't "Hey, I want to service my own regs" its "hey I want to become a certified professional reg tech" Is this dive group an official organization or just like "my dive group"?

I have no experience with Atomic reg service, but 95% of the time you need a shop to sponsor you to take the brand specific course and getting kits could be an issue. You said your LDS for Atomic is a dick, have you thought about where you will be able to get parts kits?

My experience comes from looking to do it for myself as opposed to others. I was not looking for a card or any official certification, I just wanted the knowledge. I looked very hard for a very long time and came up empty. I asked dive buddies, called up so many shops, asked divers I just met, whatever. Most of the time they were either unwilling to teach it, couldn't, or they would not go into the level of detail I required--I wanted a hands on course and it was more like a show me the basics blah, blah.

Eventually my persistence paid off and a shop owner I knew well made an introduction and vouched for me with one I knew only by reputation. There is no card, no certification, but it is exactly what I wanted.

You could go to Atomics website, get a list of their dealers, and start calling and explain what you want to do.

What I feel like will probably happen since you are going to be doing this in a more official capacity, is that you should look for a dive shop that offers an official regulator repair course (hard to find, but they do exist). In these course, you will learn to service all different types of regs and they will sponsor you to take several manufacturer official courses--just make Atomic one of those courses. This route might make the path a little longer, but it might be easier than finding just Atomic.

 

[MikadoWu]

Well that stinks. Thanks tbone1004 for the information, might have to look at a summer job in a shop then.


CptTightPants21 - that is a lot of good info. I am looking at doing one of those live abroad take me to Instructor Dive shops next summer out in the Pacific Rim some where. I will make Atomic a parameter on my search and talk with the shop before agreeing to head out there.

Love being a teacher, 2 months off every summer to do nothing but dive.

 

[tbone1004]

even if you take the course with a LDS and become a certified technician for Atomic, you will have to see whether or not that authorization will continue when you no longer work for that shop... The way it works for most companies, and I'm not sure if Huish is included is that you are only valid while you're working for that shop and you can't purchase parts anymore once you leave unless the shop buys them for you, which is very much against the rules

 

[Scared Silly]

As noted, the scuba industry for the most part will not let one take an authorized course without being associated with a dive shop. Even if you show up at DEMA for one of the "free" three hour seminars and there is room for additional participants you will politely be told they are "full". There are the exceptions. That said, in talking to folks that have attending these courses they are very basic and are really just an introduction. I.e. enough to get you started but do not give in depth of knowledge to do real trouble shooting.

I work on my regs and learned most of it on my own albeit with the help now and then from "real" techs. The standard answer one gets when asking about working on their own regs is get the books Reg Savy by Pete Wolfinger (scubatools.com) and Reg Maintenance by Vance Harlow (airspeedpress.com). Then buy the needed tools from scubatools.com. One can find manuals online: www.frogkick.dk - / and parts from Regulator Service Kits

With that in mind I guess the question is what is "your regulator dive group?" A bunch of friends, a club? That will determine your liability.

 

[geoff w]

Does anyone know how someone can go about getting certified to rebuild Atomic Regulators?
...
Willing to drive up to 500 miles from Orlando to learn...

Too bad you didn't take the Atomic service clinics at DEMA in Orlando last year. Contact Glynn Palmer at Malibu Scuba Repair, he teaches the Atomic service clinics, as well as for other manufacturers. I'm sure he's teaching the service clinic at DEMA in Las Vegas again this year. Malibu Dive Repair

 

[Atomic Aquatics]

We understand that people wish to service their regulators themselves. While many people are more than capable of doing so, we can only offer our warranties if repairs and servicing are done through trained retailers.

To become an authorized to service Atomic regulators, you must work for a licensed retailer. Parts are sold only to the retailer, not the individual.

 

[MikadoWu]

We understand that people wish to service their regulators themselves. While many people are more than capable of doing so, we can only offer our warranties if repairs and servicing are done through trained retailers.

To become an authorized to service Atomic regulators, you must work for a licensed retailer. Parts are sold only to the retailer, not the individual.

I understand this, very much so. I also understand and respect that it helps the Local LDS with a reoccurring revue, much needed for land locked shops.

Sadly my LDS, is not a good shop. Beyond the many issues they have, when I did have them rebuild my last Reg. it took over 5 weeks to complete. This was an old B2 1st Stage and a Ti2 Octo. The tech had no idea of the upgrade kit and did not report to me that the hose was bad. Another shop in our area ships them out to another shop, and those guys are average at best.

Maybe an option could be a Regional Repair shop or something, that is focused on Just Rebuilds and not trying to push sells on the customers. Guys that are just masters of their trade. Just a thought.

 

[redacted]

We understand that people wish to service their regulators themselves. While many people are more than capable of doing so, we can only offer our warranties if repairs and servicing are done through trained retailers.

To become an authorized to service Atomic regulators, you must work for a licensed retailer. Parts are sold only to the retailer, not the individual.

What are the requirements to become a licensed retailer for Atomic?