New Diver.....yard sale Regulator?

[cperc]

Hey guys,
I recently completed my open water cert. and have been looking at getting my own equipment. A cousin called and said their neighbor had some scuba gear for sale at their yard sale. I took a look and picked up a Mares MR12 III for $20. He said that he hadn't used it in 7 years. Should I try getting this serviced and dive with it or not bother since it was so cheap? I don't really know anything about this particular regulator could I dive Nitrox with it or cold water? Thanks for the help I appreciate all your knowledge!! I have pics but I can't post them since I don't have enough posts yet.

-Chris

 

[tbone1004]

post a picture. I wouldn't dive ice temps, sub 40*, but then again there are few regulators that I will dive that cold. Nitrox is fine, I'd get it serviced though. There isn't a whole lot inside a regulator to break as long as it hasn'tb een flooded with saltwater and corroded

 

[Lee Taylor]

I swapped a pressure gauge for a reg. Took the reg to my local dive shop and they pointed to a hairline crack and said "this model was recalled because of a stress cracking problem"

I suppose the guy that I traded with has a name. It is likely U. R. Took.

I wont do THAT again

 

[tstormdiver]

Definitely take it into a shop that is an authorized dealer for Mares for service. Non use is worse on regulators than constant use. Sounds like you may have picked you up a decent regulator. Even if it didn't work & couldn't be repaired, you're only out $20,... not too shabby.

 

[drdaddy]

I hope you got a good deal. Take it to a good tech and see what they say.

I have picked up some really good stuff at garage sales and Craigslist (ebay is a bit more questionable because you aren't dealing "in person").

Here's some advice.

1. Pick out a brand (model?) of regulator, BCD, fins, wetsuits, etc. Get to really know about these. Then look for these.

2. Beware of buying other brands that you know nothing about.

3. Find a good shop that works on certain brands of equipment and stick with a good tech.

4. Talk to the person you are buying from about diving - find out what he knows and about the equipment - but mostly get a feel about their integrity as a person.

5. Most of the time a good deal on a used tank is not worth it. Better to buy new (and even get a "free" air card!). There are exceptions to this, but only if the tank is within a couple of years of it's original hydro and it is really a good deal (1/2 price). But even then you don't know how the person kept the tank up or what air was put in it. Out of my 10+ tanks, I have bought 3 used. I don't regret these as they helped me be ready for a dive anytime, but I mostly recommend new. I just passed up a crazy good deal (3 1 year old HP/3442 steel 100s for $150 each - and I know the good shop/ESDS that they came from) because we had wonderful family visiting - couldn't get away, and my sweet wife says have enough tanks!!!! But this is an example of of a good deal that if I didn't have to deal with the repercussions of my wife I might have bought 3 tanks that I really don't need, on the premise that I could sell them for a profit, but would really use them myself - or not. You can have too many tanks - you can tell this by how many tanks you are paying for a yearly hydro and you haven't even used it more than once or twice.

6. Best deals are usually "package deals" where seller is getting rid of a bunch of stuff. Amazing how expensive (a bunch of snaps, straps, a couple of stainless/titanium knives, a dive flag buoy, etc can be. Throw these in with a $100 wetsuit with a UK hanger, and maybe a dive-light, and you've got a real deal!!!

drdaddy
(I'm sitting here with son, daughter, 3 babies, and 2 nieces - enjoying their company while reading ScubaBoard)
Did an awesome "crab dive" yesterday or I would be very restless.

 

[scubafanatic]

the problem is, you can easily spend $ 150- $ 200 on an annual serivce plus perhaps other 'soft' parts (diaphragms/hoses/etc.) to bring it up to serviceable standard, and for that $ you can get a decent used reg in pretty good shape on E-Bay, all day, every day. In the last few months I've picked up 3 new condition (2 of which were one-pool-dive-demo-units) Aqualung Titan LX's for about $ 200 each, that are not going to require any servicing/reconditioning, as your unit most likely will.

 

[knowone]

After you have completed your NASA course on deciphering personal diaries, tap frogkick into your computer machine and you may learn lots of relatively accurate diving things.

WTF difference is there between ebay and a yard sale other than you can't touch WTF you are buying.

 

[halocline]

Non use is worse on regulators than constant use.

This is not true, unless the reg was used in salt water then left in storage without being soaked/rinsed. The 1st stage seat is not in use when the reg is depressurized, and if the 2nd stage is balanced, then there is also far less pressure on it while the reg is in storage.

Constant use means repeated opening/closing of the valves, which means more wear/tear on seats, more wear on dynamic o-rings, and more wear on any o-ring that has a significant pressure gradient. A reg that is well lubricated and put into storage clean should suffer no appreciable wear, except for the 2nd stage seat if it's unbalanced.

I agree with the rest of your post, though. 7 years is a long time and it needs to be rebuilt by someone who knows the regs. And, if it doesn't work out, $20 is a cheap lesson.

 

[redacted]

the problem is, you can easily spend $ 150- $ 200 on an annual serivce plus perhaps other 'soft' parts (diaphragms/hoses/etc.) to bring it up to serviceable standard, and for that $ you can get a decent used reg in pretty good shape on E-Bay, all day, every day. In the last few months I've picked up 3 new condition (2 of which were one-pool-dive-demo-units) Aqualung Titan LX's for about $ 200 each, that are not going to require any servicing/reconditioning, as your unit most likely will.

Or you could run it through a good inspection, slap it on a tank and check for leaks, check IP, and check cracking pressure and breathing; and dive it on the conservative side tomorrow.

 

[cperc]

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'm a little nervous about dropping a bunch of money into a regulator I know nothing about. It looks brand new and was taken really good care of but I don't know if it's worth the effort into bringing it back up to specs. I will take it to my dive shop and see what they say. Oh well at least I'm only out $20 if it's not worth servicing.

-Chris