how often should i service ?

[Marek K]

That sounds reasonable to me. In the end, it comes down to what you are comfortable with.

Yeah, well, I'm not sure yet what I'm comfortable with -- or should be comfortable with. But two years sounds reasonably conservative until I get some more experience with going outside the "annual service" paradigm that's been hammered into me since 1985.

As far as the o-rings: The o-rings are actually pretty well "trapped" and protected while the reg is stored... the dynamic o-rings aren't being subjected to motion, and the static o-rings are, well, just doing their static thing... as long as water has not entered the reg, it should "keep" in (proper) storage for quite a long time...

Now that you mention it, it's not like any of the o-rings -- or o-rings in general -- would develop any more flat spots in storage than they would while being used.

OK, then why the "common wisdom" that regs in storage deteriorate faster -- or at least maybe need to be service sooner -- than those being used regularly? Is it just that you can identify problems sooner when they're being used?

 

[redacted]

OK, then why the "common wisdom" that regs in storage deteriorate faster -- or at least maybe need to be service sooner -- than those being used regularly? Is it just that you can identify problems sooner when they're being used?

Another way to get some diver who only did 20 dives during the year to pay for another $75 service. O-rings can deteriorate in storage. But as long as storage conditions are favorable, that should be a 5 to 20 year process. I have removed o-rings from older used regs acquired on ebay that were more like plastic than rubber. And other o-rings from that same regulator are still being used today.

 

[Marek K]

Another way to get some diver who only did 20 dives during the year to pay for another $75 service.

Except that advice wasn't coming from the "Oh my God, it's life support equipment!" crowd, but from seemingly knowledgeable folks in response to casual divers who thought that occasional reg use should allow them to do services less often.

O-rings can deteriorate in storage. But as long as storage conditions are favorable, that should be a 5 to 20 year process.

Storage conditions for o-rings -- specifically spare o-rings -- have been discussed.

I keep all my scuba equipment in bags in the non-climate-controlled garage. Doesn't freeze in the winter, but summer temps are certainly over 100F; and at least some exposure to hydrocarbons. Not ideal, I realize -- but I don't think it should cause undue deterioration over two years...?

 

[redacted]

I keep all my scuba equipment in bags in the non-climate-controlled garage. Doesn't freeze in the winter, but summer temps are certainly over 100F; and at least some exposure to hydrocarbons. Not ideal, I realize -- but I don't think it should cause undue deterioration over two years...?

According to Parker Seals, ambient temp below 120 F is OK. Also you want protection from light, oxygen,ozone, radiation, and contamination.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Not ideal, I realize -- but I don't think it should cause undue deterioration over two years...?

Take a look at the storage life recommendations from the manufactures like Parker Seals. I do not have them in front of me but I believe it is 10 years for nitrile rubber (possibly the most common rubber used in regulators) and indefinitely long for some of the newer materials like viton. Of course that is for o-rings that are not stored under load as a ring installed in your regulator would be. Still 2 years is very conservative, 5 would likely be fine.

Possibly a bigger issue is the pressure seat in the second stage taking a set. At least in my regs that is a soft rubber possibly silicone and it does acquire a set after a year. But to compensate for that you just take the second stage hose off and turn the orifice in an small amount. Something that takes 5 minutes to do. But the most compelling reason to service your reg it to get the dirt and corrosion cleaned up and to replace the lubricant. The o-rings can likely go on for a long time.

 

[Zung]

Regarding storage, I have some datapoints:

My main rig is a SP MK20/G250 that stayed in a closet for 9 years while the kids grow. Last service was early 2000, about 20-30 dives before storage. I dusted it off last year when the kids were certified, IP is 9 bar/131 PSI and rock steady, breathes wonderful too. Since then, I put in another 30 dives or so, and I'm still not convinced it needs servicing.

My wife's rig is in the same situation, except hers had this crappy white HP 1st stage seat that wears real quickly, so there was some IP creep and I replaced it last winter.

My backup rig was a Aqualung/Spiro Cousteau/Supra, last serviced in the mid-90's, IP's still within specs, and no creep; breathes good too.

Bottom line: 10 years or so of storage don't do any harm.

Edit

Forgot to mention that all of the above, plus 2 AIR2, have silicon lube. Nitrox wasn't that hot in the 90's, plus my LDS who used to service them had nothing but contempt for EAN. He still does.

 

[halocline]

When I finished I went back and checked my records on when it was last serviced. Four years and 192 dives ago. And I'm confident that just a cleaning and lube would have gotten at least another year of good performance (but it is my wife's reg).

I have to say I'm very impressed, not only with your regulator maintenance skills but with the fact that you have records of every dive on that reg for the last four years.

I look at a handful of D300s in my closet and I have no idea when I last serviced any of them, or how many dives are on any of them since the last rebuild.

 

[halocline]

Does anyone know if the Tribolube ages in a similar way?

The tribolube guy, David, frequents scubaboard and he'd have a lengthy technical explanation for why tribolube 71 does not separate, dry out, and generally degrade in the way that christolube does. (He's told it to me, but I don't remember much of it)) Whether he's accurate or not I'm not sure, because I haven't used it long enough to have any experience with it.

I suspect that silicone is more water resistant and less evaporative than either of the PTFE greases, but that's purely conjecture on my part and I would not be offended if someone were to prove me wrong. I don't think it matters that much; all the current lubricants seem to last plenty long for my uses.

 

[redacted]

I have to say I'm very impressed, not only with your regulator maintenance skills but with the fact that you have records of every dive on that reg for the last four years.

I look at a handful of D300s in my closet and I have no idea when I last serviced any of them, or how many dives are on any of them since the last rebuild.

I can only do this because it is my wife's reg, not one of mine. Heck, I can't even find all my regulators. I thought I was missing a Mk7. My count is right (4), as I recall, but I really thought I had one with the name STEVE on it; but that would make 5 I finally decided I must be getting old.

 

[SDAnderson]

check your regs before any important dive and just after service, reguardless of who does the work.

+1

Excellent advice.