Regulator Annual Service & Maintenance, Sport’s Biggest Scam???

[ScubaKris]

This is a relative question. The shop is in it for money, just like the dentist that schedules you for a cleaning every 6 months and whatever your insurance will allow. If you are a member of the 3 dive a year club , you may never actually need maintenance. I do my own maintenance, have for decades. I don't strip down the regs regular, then I know what to look for and what needs attention. i.e. if you do a lot of diving, look inside the yoke on your reg, see that little rough flat filter thing. If you do a lok of diving, the air can wear this very thin. It can even come apart on a dive and jam the first stage, you know the thing they say will never fail. the octopus will do you no good now.

If you do a lot of diving, take it in to someone that knows what they are doing and have it checked. I have taken regs to old farts that have been doing for decades only to get it back in worse shape then when I took it in.

 

[scubapro50]

I would really like to get the opinion of those who really know, (IE work on regulators professionally, have experience beyond what they have been told, etc) if the annual maintenance of regulators is just a gimmick?

I own seven sets of regulators for my family. Even if the parts are covered under warranty the service costs of a regulator can far exceed the original purchase price in a few years. I guess as I have traveled the world diving I have found that the dive shops outside of the US rarely do annual maintenance, if ever. They generally run the reg. as is until it shows a problem that needs attention. Some of the regs I have seen are 5 years old being dove almost every day of the week with no problems.

It appears to me from a cost perspective you would be better off buying a new set of regs every four to five years rather than spending the money on annual service.

I have spoken to a few divers that have been around since the 1950’s that have expressed that since the early ‘80s the parts used in regs are so much better than the early years they don’t believe they need to be serviced all that often.

So anyway, I just had one reg. serviced that had 340 dives on it since new three years ago. I had four additional regulators checked but not serviced. They all checked out fine. They are from 2-3 years old with 50 to 100 dives per reg. on average.

So what are your thoughts?

Are we all being fed a line of Bull**** from the Scuba industry to cover their backsides or to generate LDS revenues?

I do not have a strong opinion on this, yet. But, I have to admit it seems that annual service in most cases is over kill.

Good Diving,

Dave

"They don't build them like they use to." The older single hose regulator designs (before 1970) held up well without yearly service but they didn't breath as easy as todays regulators. I owned a 1968 VOIT that went 5 years without an annual service and keep it running by rinseing it off and keeping it clean after every dive and replacing any worn parts myself. Compare that to todays balance models with hunderds of parts ( rubber parts, plastic parts and assorted small metal parts ) that can get clogged up or break and you see the difference. It's like comparing my old VW Beetle with my wifes new Honda Accord ... both get 30 miles plus on millage but I somehow don't think the Honda will last 30 years and make it over 500,000 miles before we trade it in.

 

[SteveAD]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevead
As has been mentioned any good regulator that is well cared for will absolutely give several years of dependable service before giving any problems. What I haven't seen anyone mention is that the annual service, just like the oil change in a car is PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE . We get them checked out/tuned up/ overhauled, before there is a statistical likelyhood of failure. If you are willing to accept an increase in failure rate feel free to use whatever service interval or disposable reg scenario you like.


I think this logic is a bit flawed. I go to my LDS and the same person, the owner, works on my regs and I have never had a problem. I believe NOT having your equipment checked presents a higher statistical chance of failure the longer you go past recommended service intervals. Obviously if you have an idiot working on your stuff your mileage may vary.


dennis

I think you have misinterpreted my intent. I believe in preventative maintenance. As an active instructor my regs get servived more than once a year. My comment was directed at the folks who think annual service is a scam, saying that they are more than welcome to dive a reg until it fails and can then accept that failure, I prefer preventative maintence and failure ferr diving.

 

[Bond628]

My LDS services regs bought from their store for free and I believe Apeks sends the service kits for my set out for free...

 

[Sue-ba]

My LDS services regs bought from their store for free and I believe Apeks sends the service kits for my set out for free...

Now that is service. It would great have anything even closer to that in area. It cost over $100 to get a regulator set serviced here.

 

[Cacia]

Even if the parts are covered under warranty the service costs of a regulator can far exceed the original purchase price in a few years.

you are right IMV. I service mine every two years, and then get a new one.(especially if you know someone that can get you a key-man price) I can sell the old one or trade it. Not sure about the SP 650 since it cost a bit more...we'll see.

here, it is about 125 to service/rebuild.

having an annual service is accepting the risk of an increased failure rate.

I found someone good but this was the case for me for the first four years here. If you knew the characters taking them apart, you would pass and take your chances. I know...some people would say ship to SP but then it would be 200 dollars before I was done. For twice that you can just get a new one.

 

[Bond628]

Now that is service. It would great have anything even closer to that in area. It cost over $100 to get a regulator set serviced here.

I guess thats a pretty good reason to keep me purchasing at my LDS (Sea Urchins, Hattiesburg). I attempted to purchase all my gear that would need servicing through them not only for the fact that Jim would service them for free, but for his expertise with the equipment as well...

 

[Diver Dennis]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevead
As has been mentioned any good regulator that is well cared for will absolutely give several years of dependable service before giving any problems. What I haven't seen anyone mention is that the annual service, just like the oil change in a car is PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE . We get them checked out/tuned up/ overhauled, before there is a statistical likelyhood of failure. If you are willing to accept an increase in failure rate feel free to use whatever service interval or disposable reg scenario you like.


I think this logic is a bit flawed. I go to my LDS and the same person, the owner, works on my regs and I have never had a problem. I believe NOT having your equipment checked presents a higher statistical chance of failure the longer you go past recommended service intervals. Obviously if you have an idiot working on your stuff your mileage may vary.


dennis

I think you have misinterpreted my intent. I believe in preventative maintenance. As an active instructor my regs get servived more than once a year. My comment was directed at the folks who think annual service is a scam, saying that they are more than welcome to dive a reg until it fails and can then accept that failure, I prefer preventative maintence and failure ferr diving.

Sorry stevead, thanks for the clarification.

 

[menc44]

I am fairly new to the sport, but I wouldn't call annual checks a scam. I have been around similar equipment(through various fire departments) that use the same science of regulators, first and second stages. WE service our first stages at least once a year, and by service I mean a certified tech rips them apart and rebuilds them, and the second stages are done even more often than that. These regs are your lifeline, in short without them you die, this isnt the time to be cheap.

 

[moneysavr]

Man I will not even go back one page and read this thread,
As your dive equipment is your life support!
Thats it! service it by a Authorized shop by a certified service dealer! not a shop that sends it out and swaps parts,ask for all parts back and get a written report by the service tech-if not you just wasted your money, As my shops give me a report on the condition of my equipment and work done.
Yearly or more! the or more is if it acts up,was used in a bad environment, or something looks or dose not feel right!
Dive safe
Spend the money!
Brad