Regulator annual service costs

[nyresq]

divin dad bubbled-however anyone who thinks that reg service should be open to everyone must only know one or two divers and they must be quite adept at reg service.

Why does everyone think that regulators are mystical pieces of advanced machinery that requires a PHD and 11 years of experience to rebuild? If you've ever watched someone tear one down (or done it yourself) you will see it is a very simple device with very few parts.

No one would ever chastise or berate someone who said they were going to fix the brakes on his car next weekend? but mention your going to service your regs and all you will get is "Oh my god, are you insane? You'll kill your self, let the scuba shop do it, thats what they're in business for!"

yea well, midas is in business to service brakes and mufflers but an auto parts store has no problem selling parts for a 3,00 lb car that goes 120mph with four people in it.
But walk into a LDS and ask them to sell you a rebuild kit for a reg, and just sit back and hold on tight. The owner will tell you every BS line you can think of on how you'll blow up your reg, you'll die, you'll mess it up and then he'll hafta charge you double to fix it, blah, blah, blah. But ask him where you can take the service tech class and then he'll tell you how its not that simple, you need all these specialized tools and YEARS of experience before you'll really get to know how to do it..... yea right... meanwhile the service tech working in the back took the class (maybe) and then did the old "watch one, assist one, do one" OK your a pro!!

One day divers will wise up and realize what a ride the LDS and the manufacturers are taking us for.
Untill then I will have to stick with begging and pleading to the guys who service the teams gear for a spare kit or two for myself.... or else keep looking on ebay for my parts, unless someone has a cheap source for poseidon parts....

anyone? poseidon parts? anyone?

 

[Knavey]

nyresq once bubbled...

One day divers will wise up and realize what a ride the LDS and the manufacturers are taking us for.

Did you sign Genesis' petition yet? Take the link in his sig.

 

[nyresq]

already did, couple of weeks ago.
And would hope that everyone on this site signs it also, with 10,000 members and many more guests, 15,000+ names will make someone take notice. I'm all for it.

if GM or ford did what the scuba manufaturers do, then the feds would be all over them like flies on s^&t...

 

[ddown]

Perhaps you need to come up to the DC area and see the one shop in the whole world that defies your expectations...

__________________
Just because it's non-toxic doesn't
mean it tastes good.

Where is this shop in DC Area Been looking for a reliable one..

DDOWN:wacko:

 

[buttermanr]

I had my Sherwood regulator with octopus serviced for $110.

They initially quoted $80, then found that they needed a part and the whole deal was $110.

RB

 

[Dauntless]

Just wondering, being a reasonably handy person, could one take a regulator repair course and then have access to parts by virtue of being a "certified" repair technician.

Any experience with this route.

 

[Genesis]

In general, no.

However, Dive-Rite is now selling kits, and Fill Express has them for sale (even over the Internet), along with the repair manual (illustrated!) for free download (PDF format)

Also, Abyss publishes their data and sells kits as well.

So, it depends on the brand of reg you own.

 

[g8trdiver]

Well put, nyresq!

I was certified in 85, and then, servicing regs yourself was almost the norm rather than the exception. I didn't, because at the time I used rental gear. Other divers and dive operators I talked to would just assume I serviced my own reg (till they learned that I used rental gear). So, I always was under the impression that that was no big deal. It was something any diver should know how to do.

Flash forward 10 years when I finally bought equipment, and I was surprised to learn that the shop I wanted to dive with required annual inspection stickers (!) on regulators if I wanted to sign up for a dive trip or cert course with them....

I suppose the demographics of the typical diver began to change... ???

To draw an analogy from the photo industry, the margins on cameras and photo hardware are so slim, that it's almost a loss to even carry inventory. Services are the only place such a business really makes money. So, I can see both sides of the issue.

However - I think there are enough divers out there who have NO interest in how a regulator works who are willing to pay to have someone service it.

Implying that it is dangerous or too complex for a reasonably intelligent person to handle is misleading. It's spin.

 

[bdelaney]

g8trdiver once bubbled...
Flash forward 10 years when I finally bought equipment, and I was surprised to learn that the shop I wanted to dive with required annual inspection stickers (!) on regulators if I wanted to sign up for a dive trip or cert course with them....

Interesting thread.

I had a similar situation where a dive shop would not allow me to dive with my regulator on a certification dive. The regulator was purchased for me (at a different dive shop) as a gift and was less than three months old. The owner said that he required the regulator to be bench tested by his staff for $20/stage. I flat out refused to pay for this as the regulator was brand new and purchased from an authorized dealer who assembled and tested the regulator just three months prior. In the end, the manufacturer got involved, and I dove on my own regulator without having it tested again.

 

[cryhumour]

I know I can do the regs myself. There are a couple hurdles I have though...

Where do I get a service manual or parts blow-up?

Where do I get the parts?

Where do I get the acid?


Dano