Quick poll - Yes or No

[Aardal]

I voted No also but after seeing a recent experience with another diver I know, I will be checking credentials.

A dive shop out of spokane, wa serviced this guys regulator and spare air for him. When the guy went to pick the regulator rig and spare air up, the guy in passing says, "you won't know if it works until you get in the water." Not thinking he was serious, He didn't think twice about his comment. We were up at whidbey island getting ready to do a night dive. As he was setting up his gear, he hooked up the first stage and put his finger on the purge button and open the bottle up and then it started popping. Make a long story short, the high pressure seat never seated and this is probably what the guy meant when he says, "you never know if it works until you get in the water."

:drown:

Man was this guy a messed up after that! He was so mentally scared that he bought a new rig set-up ($700) and didn't dive after that for 8 months.

 

[Groundhog246]

Aardal once bubbled...
A dive shop out of spokane, wa serviced this guys regulator and spare air for him. When the guy went to pick the regulator rig and spare air up, the guy in passing says, "you won't know if it works until you get in the water."

Has he stopped screaming yet???? If a dive shop did that to me, I'd be making my displeasure very well known. I'd complain to the shop first and expect a full refund, I'd be writing to the company who mfg the reg's, as well as the mfg of any other lines he carried. Then I'd write whichever certifying agency he trains with.

 

[Ari]

It is a well established dive shop, providing a wide range of technical services.

As a matter of fact, I never asked to see credentials.

Ari

 

[The Chairman]

pm me if you need to modify your vote! :tease:

 

[JDostal]

I've never asked to see them...but then again, I'm good friends with everyone at my LDS and I know that they are certified. There are more certificates and plaques hanging on the walls at my LDS than I can count. The guys are good...I would trust them to repair stuff even if they didn't have a certification on a particular piece of gear.

Occasionally, you are lucky enough to meet people to whom certifications no longer mean anything...they are just dang good at what they do...my LDS is like that.

 

[Dectek]

The last regulator I had service by a LDS pegged my pressure tester at 300psi when I checked it out after getting home. When I called the shop to inform them of the problem they told me to bring it right back and they would fix it. I asked if the same tech would be handling the problem and they told me YES. When I voiced my objection I was told that he was certified and a very capable tech.
Just because you sit in a two hour manutacture's seminar or workshop....that does not mean I have to put my life in your hands.
After 15 minutes of the words "NO refund" and "WHY should I let this joker touch my reg again".....I was given a parts kit to service the reg myself.

 

[Curly]

...I took a fairly detailed Equipment Specialist course at our LDS, during which time we got to know who knew what in the shop. I am completely confident in their abilities.

Plus, after the course, I learned that 99% of the maintenance (reg overhaul, valves, etc.), is not quite rocket science. Pretty straightforward.

That being said, I am comfortable overhauling my BC, and performing basic reg maintenance, but leave the real work to the professionals.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I voted no. But it sure brings up a good point.

The service tech once forgot to reinstall the enviromental seal on my 1st stage. After they fixed it, I found a new shop to deal with.

 

[detroit diver]

I voted NO because my dive buddy IS a technician. I've learned a lot about my regs thru him.

 

[omar]

Aardal

Which shop in Spokane?

I checked them out over Christmas while at my in-laws. Only 1 made the grade.

omar