Not servicing my gear EVER!

[DwayneJ]

I am going to get old and die over time. So I guess it is a race.

Its not about life and death, its about avoiding gear issues when the plan is to go diving.

Two dives in a row were blown last year because my buddies 1st stage failed - Octo started free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 1) He replaced the Octo. Second dive same thing happened with his 2nd stage primary - Free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 2). Took his gear to get checked and of course found IP jacked because of bad seals/corrosion in first stage... Had not serviced his regs for 3+ years.

Dwayne

 

[divad]

Its not about life and death, its about avoiding gear issues when the plan is to go diving.

Two dives in a row were blown last year because my buddies 1st stage failed - Octo started free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 1) He replaced the Octo. Second dive same thing happened with his 2nd stage primary - Free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 2). Took his gear to get checked and of course found IP jacked because of bad seals/corrosion in first stage... Had not serviced his regs for 3+ years.

Dwayne

So, are you suggesting that he should have been monitring the IP of his regulator?

 

[redacted]

Its not about life and death, its about avoiding gear issues when the plan is to go diving.

Two dives in a row were blown last year because my buddies 1st stage failed - Octo started free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 1) He replaced the Octo. Second dive same thing happened with his 2nd stage primary - Free flowing at 15' (thumbed dive 2). Took his gear to get checked and of course found IP jacked because of bad seals/corrosion in first stage... Had not serviced his regs for 3+ years.

Dwayne

The problem was not that he had not serviced his regs in 3+ years. The problem was that he was not doing an adequate (any) serviceability inspection before using his gear. And he failed to adequately troubleshoot a problem when it occurred. A simple check of IP would have caught that problem while it was still an incipient failure and well before it became a problem and cause the loss of two dives.

BTW, your regs can experience such problems only days or months after servicing so "annual service" does not replace pre-dive inspections.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

So I just wanted to know. If i never service my regs. what are the risks involved?

Scuba regulators are essentially "downstream" valves, designed to "hold back" air pressure.

The most common failures from normal wear and tear is the gradual loss of ability to "hold back" air pressure, and your regulator will begin to "leak" air... usually at one of the soft "seats" already mentioned. As already mentioned, you'll pressurize the reg, and hear a soft hiss, or notice a tendancy for it to freeflow slightly during the dive.

On the other hand, the most dramatic and catastrophic failures I know of have occured due to, in order of occurance:

1.) Improper or careless annual service.
2.) Defective part (installed at annual service most likely).

The failures due to 1. and 2. above are the ones that can result in sudden, total loss of air, from such things as under tightened or (often worse) over-tightened key components, damage to parts during installation, defective high pressure seats, etc. Regulators have litteraly "come apart" underwater due to an error by the tech.

Old, unserviced regulators tend to "die gracefully"; regulators that have been serviced "badly" seem to die suddenly.

Choose your tech wisely....

Best wishes.

Edit: Please don't infer from my rant above that I'm recommending not servicing regulators! Just make sure the service is performed by a good tech, and learn to perform frequent inspection and testing yourself!

 

[DwayneJ]

So, are you suggesting that he should have been monitring the IP of his regulator?

Actually I'm not suggesting anything. Ultimately he replaced his reg with a new Atomic so I know I should get two good years of uninterrupted diving with him.

 

[DwayneJ]

The problem was not that he had not serviced his regs in 3+ years. The problem was that he was not doing an adequate (any) serviceability inspection before using his gear. And he failed to adequately troubleshoot a problem when it occurred. A simple check of IP would have caught that problem while it was still an incipient failure and well before it became a problem and cause the loss of two dives.

BTW, your regs can experience such problems only days or months after servicing so "annual service" does not replace pre-dive inspections.

I think the discussion was about "no service" vs shop or self service - In the context of self service, you are absolutely correct both in terms of the lack of tools (IP gauge) and skills to correctly validate and service his own gear... which is why in his case, at the very minimum is have his regs checked by a professional based on the manufacturers maintenance schedule.

Unlike you (and me), many of my dive buddies are not "hands on" and clearly don't have the tools and/or skills to service their own regs.

 

[BoltSnap]

Scuba regulators are essentially "downstream" valves, designed to "hold back" air pressure.

The most common failures from normal wear and tear is the gradual loss of ability to "hold back" air pressure, and your regulator will begin to "leak" air... usually at one of the soft "seats" already mentioned. As already mentioned, you'll pressurize the reg, and hear a soft hiss, or notice a tendancy for it to freeflow slightly during the dive.

On the other hand, the most dramatic and catastrophic failures I know of have occured due to, in order of occurance:

1.) Improper or careless annual service.
2.) Defective part (installed at annual service most likely).

The failures due to 1. and 2. above are the ones that can result in sudden, total loss of air, from such things as under tightened or (often worse) over-tightened key components, damage to parts during installation, defective high pressure seats, etc. Regulators have litteraly "come apart" underwater due to an error by the tech.

Old, unserviced regulators tend to "die gracefully"; regulators that have been serviced "badly" seem to die suddenly.

Choose your tech wisely....

Best wishes.

Edit: Please don't infer from my rant above that I'm recommending not servicing regulators! Just make sure the service is performed by a good tech, and learn to perform frequent inspection and testing yourself!

This is scary, I actually agree with you. Very scary indeed.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

I think the discussion was about "no service" vs shop or self service - In the context of self service, you are absolutely correct both in terms of the lack of tools (IP pressure gauge) and skills to correctly validate and service his own gear... which is why in his case, at the very minimum is have his regs checked by a professional based on the manufacturers maintenance schedule.

Unlike you (and me), many of my dive buddies are not "hands on" and clearly don't have the tools and/or skills to service their own regs.

The special tools are an IP gauge and a bucket of water. That is enough to get you through the inspection at the top of the regulator form: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/346813-regulator-inspection-checklist-rev-7-a.html

"IP gauge" might sound very specialized but is really just a 0-200 psi gauge which can be had for $25 dollars at the local hardware store. Probably more important than the tools is taking the time to look, listen and take records. Individuals will usually give more time and attention to their equipment than a technician who is trying to get a handful of regulators done before the end of the day. But your right some people are not interested and for them professional service may be a good option.

 

[dmoore19]

If in fact the question is a serious question, then my question is are you serious?

Why would you not service a regulator is a better question.

When is a freeflowing regulator acceptable? When is it acceptable to question your equipment for any reason? If there is a suspicion it could fail how could you justify taking a chance with your life or your buddies life? Isn't your air supposed to be included to provide your partner a safe ascent if necessary? When would spoiling a day of diving be worth more than getting your regulator, or any other piece of equipment for that matter, serviced? I am a vacation diver and would rather not take a chance on something that isn't 100% ready. Even more important is being so selfish as to ruin another divers day because you don't think you need to get your equipment serviced.

 

[DwayneJ]

The special tools are an IP gauge and a bucket of water. That is enough to get you through the inspection at the top of the regulator form: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/346813-regulator-inspection-checklist-rev-7-a.html

LOL I know what an "IP gauge" is and have one. You need to meet my dive buddies - I'm not their mother and they are old enough and have enough money to look after themselves.