Not servicing my gear EVER!

[Texasguy]

While servicing might have its merits, it might also break things (in theory). Remember Mark Twain's short story: My Watch? [Samuel Clemens] Mark Twain's short story: My Watch It may happen...

 

[windapp]

Both your first stage regulators, and second stage regulators have soft seats that wear over time. The second stage is liable to start leaking a little if the seat gets too worn out, and then more and more as it gets more worn. The first stage seat, on the other hand, can fail catastrophically and suddenly if it is not replaced at appropriate intervals. You could find yourself at 100 ft with a freeflowing regulator, and a buddy stupid enough to dive with someone who refuses to have his regulator serviced at reasonable intervals. Worse, if the seat decides to desintegrate suddenly, you could find yourself with a hole blown in your lungs. You need to understand that these parts are intended to wear out. It is part of the design. If your regulators didn't have soft seats, they wouldn't seal.

So many times, people come on this forumn and basically say "Please give me permission to break the rules'. I suggest doing some serious research on how regulators work, especially the kind you are using. Then you can make proper decisions on how often to have them serviced.

 

[copter53]

Both your first stage regulators, and second stage regulators have soft seats that wear over time. The second stage is liable to start leaking a little if the seat gets too worn out, and then more and more as it gets more worn. The first stage seat, on the other hand, can fail catastrophically and suddenly if it is not replaced at appropriate intervals. You could find yourself at 100 ft with a freeflowing regulator, and a buddy stupid enough to dive with someone who refuses to have his regulator serviced at reasonable intervals. Worse, if the seat decides to desintegrate suddenly, you could find yourself with a hole blown in your lungs. You need to understand that these parts are intended to wear out. It is part of the design. If your regulators didn't have soft seats, they wouldn't seal.

So many times, people come on this forumn and basically say "Please give me permission to break the rules'. I suggest doing some serious research on how regulators work, especially the kind you are using. Then you can make proper decisions on how often to have them serviced.

Well thats the thing. I havent got it serviced but that doesnt mean I havent got them checked. Some stuff wears out faster then others. So what im saying is its been 4 years and no ip creep no worn out stuff thats what the tech guy says. He thought the reg was new when I brought it to him. thats how good AA is!

 

[redacted]

Both your first stage regulators, and second stage regulators have soft seats that wear over time. The second stage is liable to start leaking a little if the seat gets too worn out, and then more and more as it gets more worn. The first stage seat, on the other hand, can fail catastrophically and suddenly if it is not replaced at appropriate intervals. You could find yourself at 100 ft with a freeflowing regulator, and a buddy stupid enough to dive with someone who refuses to have his regulator serviced at reasonable intervals. Worse, if the seat decides to desintegrate suddenly, you could find yourself with a hole blown in your lungs. You need to understand that these parts are intended to wear out. It is part of the design. If your regulators didn't have soft seats, they wouldn't seal.

So many times, people come on this forumn and basically say "Please give me permission to break the rules'. I suggest doing some serious research on how regulators work, especially the kind you are using. Then you can make proper decisions on how often to have them serviced.

I believe I recall a number of reports of HP seats failing catastrophically in one manufacturers diaphragm regulator. But these were attributed to defective parts and occurred early in the part's life. I don't believe I nave ever seen anything suggesting such a failure as a function of extended age.

The threat of lung damage is an interesting addition - BOO!

It is not a question of whether seats and o-ring seals age and fail. It is a question of how much time it take4s and what the failure modes (and consequences) will be.

 

[shekes]

Not sure if it was here on Scubaboard that I read about 4 years ago about a regulator that was dived with something like daily and never serviced for 12 years. After 12 years he opened the second stage and it was full of algae and what not but still functioning. I am fairly confident that the regulator was a Sherwood Brut.

 

[windapp]

I believe I recall a number of reports of HP seats failing catastrophically in one manufacturers diaphragm regulator. But these were attributed to defective parts and occurred early in the part's life. I don't believe I nave ever seen anything suggesting such a failure as a function of extended age.

The threat of lung damage is an interesting addition - BOO!

It is not a question of whether seats and o-ring seals age and fail. It is a question of how much time it take4s and what the failure modes (and consequences) will be.

It was a mk 10+ piston reg. The seats material was crap. They had a recall and changed the seats. It actually did cause some lung damage in some divers when it failed.

I would say the older the material, the more unpredictable the failure mode.

 

[windapp]

Well thats the thing. I havent got it serviced but that doesnt mean I havent got them checked. Some stuff wears out faster then others. So what im saying is its been 4 years and no ip creep no worn out stuff thats what the tech guy says. He thought the reg was new when I brought it to him. thats how good AA is!

why would you go to the trouble of taking a regulator apart and not replace the seats and dynamic o-rings?

 

[bluekieran]

I can't tell if this is a smart troll or a full retard, but then I'm pretty drunk.

 

[spoolin01]

It was a mk 10+ piston reg. The seats material was crap. They had a recall and changed the seats. It actually did cause some lung damage in some divers when it failed.

I would say the older the material, the more unpredictable the failure mode.

My first reg was a Mares Abyss (MR22 1st?) bought 2nd hand, probably early 90s vintage. I had it rebuilt because it looked well used. After a couple hundred dives it began leaking then in a dive or two went to modest free flow. The HP seat had broken off a chunk that just extended to the orofice contact. I'd be curious to know more about the prospects for lung damage from HP seat failure.

 

[redacted]

why would you go to the trouble of taking a regulator apart and not replace the seats and dynamic o-rings?

because parts like seats can be hard to get (maybe beaverdiver will sell them to you) and often a simple cleaning and lube will restore like new performance.


















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