This is not directed at you copter53, just the ideas you expressed. You are right about catastrophic failure being unlikely, but I want to make sure you understand that the DIY guys (me included) who are saying "service only when needed" are keeping a VERY close eye on their equipment. We don't wait for problems to occur, we try to head them off....
If you pay attention to what the DIY guys are saying, you will NEVER be diving with equipment that is malfunctioning in even the most minor fashion. While we may not be overhauling our gear on an annual basis, we are inspecting and testing very frequently. This results in you knowing far more about the "state" of your gear than you would if you simply did the annual servicing, and this will normally allow you to detect problems very early, before there are any symptoms like freeflows.
I service my own regs, I do strongly advocate against un-needed service, but I will NOT dive with any piece of gear that is not performing 100%!
But sometimes, things still happen, even when you are inspecting and testing carefully. Small problems can still crop up. A couple dives ago, my wife had an octo freeflow ever so slightly at the dive site when she pressurized the reg. I'd tested it the night before, and it was 100% fine. I could only hear the "hiss" if I put the reg right next to my ear (which I do every time I pressurize a reg). I quickly swapped out the octo from my backup set, and we dove. I certainly could have done a quick "field repair" (detuned the octo slightly) and had her use it, but that would have been silly. I knew it was not a simple "tuning" problem... the seat was worn, and detuning would have stopped the leak, but would also reduce the performance of my wifes backup reg, which is not the right or safe solution.
A general "mechanical rule" is that mechanical problems usually don't just "go away on their own", and "small problems become BIG problems at the worst possible moment".
Personally, I would define "needing service" as any deviation from normal performance and function. The level of service needed just depends on what "deviation" is occuring. Maybe a "touch-up" tuning or adjustment is all that is needed, maybe a good cleaning and relube, but maybe a complete overhaul is needed.
As a footnote: The octo I mentioned above had gone 3 1/2 years since it's last "service". I obviously goofed with that octo; I waited a bit too long before servicing it
Best wishes.
LeadTurn_SD,
Although I may not agree with you 100%, but at least I agree with the "spirit" of what you said. I would just add the caution that very few people would have your mechanical abilities and talent to be able to service their own equipment. Most folks either don't have it or don't have the time or means to be good at it. Even if you and I agree that it is "easy" to do it, not too many people would see it that way for various reasons.
Good post!!
