Is this an obsurd price for servicing? Atomic B2

[Sonic04GT]

I probably wasn't too happy at the time but I completely forgot. I came across the receipt in my dive records folder from my local shop....

Atomic B2's first bi-annual service.

$60 service fee
$26 1st stage parts
$14 2nd stage parts
Total: $100

The reg itself only cost me $630 back in late '08.

Is it just me or is this super expensive for servicing of an Atomic regulator?

I think it was about $50 for the same shop to environmentally seal it for me.

 

[fdog]

Weeellll...we have ours overhauled by the Atomic factory. It's about $110 per reg, and they come back indistinguishable from new. Really, they look brand new, and breathe like it, too.

Is this too much? Here's a common reference, Malibu Dive Repair, who has a sterling reputation in the overhaul trade. You'll notice if you throw in $25 for parts it's about $90 for a rebuild.

So you were charged midline for cost, on a reg that only has to be serviced every two years - so that's about $50 per year...not bad.


All the best, James

PS - I will stick with the Atomic factory rebuild. It has always been perfect, and the peace of mind knowing that someone who (literally) does nothing else is doing the rebuild, makes the extra $20 worth it. Plus it's back in a week, usually.

 

[Slamfire]

It does sound like a typical price for servicing, but it doesn't have to be. If you do the work yourself and manage to get the parts you can service your regs for less than $5.

I recently ordered 275 viton o-rings in several sizes for around $26. These were minimum order quantities and will yield about 20 yrs worth of servicings; not because I'll run out of o-rings, but because o-rings will run out of shelf life.

I have an order of two high pressure seats coming in for $6. I can order low pressure seats from the same source for $2. I also got a big syringe of Christolube for $27 that'll probably last me 20+ years.

The tools don't have to be expensive or super specialized either. And finally the skills required are not particularly difficult. I think changing a flat tire can be more difficult.

 

[diversteve]

I pay $60 for service locally. Parts are free since I bought it from them. The last time the tech explained that the only reason he changed the parts was that he had it all disassembled already - they didn't need it.

 

[drdaddy]

This is how my LDS/ESDS treated me today - I really felt cared for. (Not a Atomic Reg)

My LDS is not acting like it's trying to eat me up to survive. I took my backup reg in and my older Suunto Vytec/backup computer with a discolored battery cover - and do you know what my LDS tech charged me today? He cleaned up my Vytec, put a new battery cover and battery/O ring, and pressure tested it (112 ft it reads). He also went through my reg set - and said it all looked good - nothing need to be replaced (it has been sitting for a number of years with only a few dives). For all this work, Ed/Tech/my LDS only charged me $35.00!!!! And then we visited about computers and my reg manufacturer (Sherwood - as compared to some others inner workings) for another 20 minutes. And mind you, this is a busy LDS (medium sized w/4 full time over 40 year old instructors & bunch of turnover kiddies/college/DMs), but I dropped off this reg early this morning (before officially opened) and it was done when I got there at 4:30. (Oh, and they didn't say "BOO" about my wearing a sweatshirt from another diveshop where I get air on the Coast)

It is very obvious why this second generation LDS continues to keep it's doors open. I truly felt like most of ESDS's customers - special.

My answer to you about how much you paid is this.
--- Is your LDS there when you need them?
--- Are they about themselves, and not their customers? (Obviously we all must make a living)
--- Do you usually feel ripped off by them?
--- When you think of their expertise and the time they spent on you reg - how does their hour wage look - especially with their overhead?

The answers to these questions will tell you if you paid too much.

 

[NY-Andy]

.
The tools don't have to be expensive or super specialized either. And finally the skills required are not particularly difficult. I think changing a flat tire can be more difficult.

I'm sorry but I must disagree. Unless you've been through a company seminar/repair clinic, you don't know what you don't know. The mechanics seem straight forward to you because you must be mechanically inclined.

For example:
It is not intuitive for instance to use a special tool when sliding the piston stem thru the wiper (Oceanic piston). Not using the tool may damage the wiper before you finish assembling it. Without prior knowledge and a special tool, you probably wouldn't know this.

Bottom line, there are people capable of and who are already doing their own servicing. It is my opinion that most shouldn't.


Safe diving,
Andy

 

[redacted]

If your rig included two 2nd stages, then that price is probably typical. If it included only one 2nd, then it is on the high end of what seems to be normal.

 

[halocline]

That seems about the normal price, but don't you get free parts? To be honest, I'm surprised retail price on the parts kits for an atomic reg is not higher than $26 and $14.

 

[halocline]

Unless you've been through a company seminar/repair clinic, you don't know what you don't know. The mechanics seem straight forward to you because you must be mechanically inclined.

For example:
It is not intuitive for instance to use a special tool when sliding the piston stem thru the wiper (Oceanic piston). Not using the tool may damage the wiper before you finish assembling it. Without prior knowledge and a special tool, you probably wouldn't know this.

There are lots of places to learn about regulator servicing other than one of the BS company seminars....the ones that last a day, have zero qualifications to attend (other than working at a dive shop), and nobody has ever failed.

In terms of your example, if you have a knife edge piston and it's not intuitive for you to avoid forcing it through a soft o-ring, then I agree you probably should not be servicing your own regulator.

 

[leabre]

Most LDS within reasonable driving distance of me (45 minute) charge $40 per stage plus parts (most of my regs are SP or APEX so I haven't been paying for parts but now I've switched to HOG's so we'll see how it goes. My singles regs have 3 stages and my doubles regs have 2 stages each. Luckily only one needs to be 02 clean because that's another $50. Some places are much cheaper but I'd have to ship it and then lose any savings.

I have 9 1st stages and 9 second stages. It can get to be pretty expensive. So the shops around here do overhaul no matter what for all annual service. That's just how it is.