Question on gear repair

[dumpsterDiver]

OP: What brand regs do you have and are you trying to service? That makes a big difference on how easy it is to source parts and materials. Which regs you have also influence the ease of repair.

One thing I'll say is that reg servicing isn't like an oil change. I have an IP gauge that "snaps" into my inflator hose. That tells me the "health" status of my first stage. If it reads good, and my second stages breathe well, then I'm off to the races. I only open them up when the IP starts creeping up or something is leaking....and there's usually plenty of warning. Just one point of definition: IP is "intermediate pressure." Your first stage regulates the "HP" of the tank down to an "IP" which should be stable and adjustable, and it's frequently 120-140psi. If it creeps up over time, it can be indicative of issues. Your second stage receives that "IP" and regulates it down again to ambient pressure. What this means to you is if your first stage is putting off the same pressure to your second stages that it should be, and they're breathing fine, then there's nothing to change and nothing really wrong......until there's a leak.

Tobin's point about standardizing regs is a good one. I sold all my regs (well, still selling some) so I could standardize to one make/model to only have to carry parts-kits. His point about making yourself useful to them is a bigger one, and is often the best way to source "hard to find" parts kits.

I agree with the importance of an IP gauge. It is amazing to me that people will spend 5 or $800 or more on a fancy dive computer and not have a $15 IP gauge? It is part of the dive shop conspiracy to keep people stupid, scared and dependent on the local shop for help.

I get service infrequently, but I also dive with a pony bottle.. so one bad reg probably won't kill me. I look for bubbles from the first stage when diving, check the IP Pressure, give the hoses a good check every 6 months or so, and (this is important) do a dry suck test on the second stage to test for leaks. This is an important diagnostic that should really be done immediately before EVERY dive. A cracked second stage case, torn mouth piece, folded exhaust diaphragm are all pretty likely within the field of potential scuba failures.

Knowing how to do these simple things, and having a second stage that is easy to take apart and examine AND knowing how to replace the o-ring and/or spool in the pressure gauge will allow you to avoid a large percentage of unnecessary and often expensive trips to the dive shop. You also want to know how to tighten the second stage seat in whatever second stage you use. This is less complicated than rotating the tires on the car.

I don't have the tools, knowledge or parts to really work on most first stages (except my old work horse sherwoods), but if you can do the stuff I mentioned, you won't feel so bad taking the first stage in for service once in a while.

 

[Hickdive]

If people are interested I'll happily show them the simple things like using an IP gauge and what it can tell you.

But the sad fact is not that many are interested.

 

[Kharon]

I have a different opinion on this. While servicing regs is easy, it does take some knowledge and understanding to be a service tech as opposed to a parts swapper. ...

Perhaps on sealed diaphragm 1st stages, certainly not on unbalanced piston 1st stages and almost all 2nd stages. It's just not that difficult and there just aren't many adjustments that you can make on those anyway. Moreover the way those work is really straightforward.

To be clear, I'm not saying that the person who has no mechanical apitude should just go out and disassemble their first stage and expect to put it back together correctly. However, a person with solid mechanical apititude and a service manual from the manufacturer is certainly capable of servicing a reg properly without any extensive reading (2 books), without actual live classes and without extensive practice (buy a bunch of sacrifice regs and rebuild them incessantly). There is a huge difference between a service tech who will be servicing many different brands and models and someone who will be servicing one (or a select few) specific brand and model.

Oh, and a good place for rebuild kits is DiveSeakers: Buy Scuba diving gear for recreational, technical, and wreck.

 

[Steve_C]

Just make sure you know exactly how the parts are supposed to go in. Just because it looks ok it need not be. Watched a DM on a boat setting a hook make a CESA from 60 ft because his reg shut down that had worked fine at the surface. Cause turned out to be that he had serviced his own reg, thought he knew what he was doing, but put a part in upside down. He was ok but done diving for the day. Instrucor/Tech trained he fixed it said that was not the first time they had seen somebody do that.

PS: Usual cascade of issues. He did not have an octo. Was diving a single reg. Think he had lent the other to a customer.