Regulator Repair Course

[Jim Lapenta]

I would guess that any of these courses are good. The problem is not the training. It is getting a manufacturer to recognize it and sell you the parts! Currently to my knowledge the only ones who will do this or allow their dealers to do it officially are HOG/Edge, Dive Rite, and Zeagle(and they seem to have gone back and forth on this- what is the word now Scott). All others have an "official" policy of requiring you to take your regs to a dealer. We all know that is often overlooked by those dealers who recognize that there are people out there who can and do service their own and will sell you parts for any reg.

The problem is that in some cases if the mfg finds out they will be pricks and threaten those dealers or even pull their dealership. For those who are offering the courses, and Dale I'm sure yours is a good one, what mfg's support it and will sell me kits once I'm done with your class? This is the reason that I have a two year goal of replacing all my regs with HOG/Edge. It will take me that long cause I have 6 more to go after already buying two.

 

[Scared Silly]

SCUBA regulators are a life support system. Nothing to fool around with.

The above statement is so over used. There are all kinds of DIY projects like car brakes that people have been fooling around with for longer that scuba has been around. The main point should be that one should have some good mechanical skills if they want to muck about with their gear.

And like taking your car to the shop scuba gear sometimes it does not work any better when it comes back.

 

[herman]

SCUBA regulators are a life support system. Nothing to fool around with. The only way to properly learn equipment repair is thru a certificated, IN-HOUSE program under the instruction of a master technician. I am currently taking a 6 day course at Diving Technologies International in South Florida under the tutilage of Rudy Mola, well know for R&D of most manufacturers. The course covers all regulator types as well as certification to tag my own VIPs. I am a professional yacht captain who is mostly based outside the US and want the certification and training to work on my own rigs. I am enjoying this course and find it very challenging. Believe me when I say, regulator repair is NOT for everyone.

Rudy Mola of Diving Technologies International (google it). offers training in scuba repair and more.
:goingdown:

Unless I read the class information wrong, that course does not certify you to work on any reg, it just gives you the basic theory and some hands on experience to be able to take a manufactures class, most of which require you to work for a shop that sells their gear. There is a difference in understanding and being able to work on regulators and actually be "certified", i.e. recognized as a technician on a particular brand of reg.

Using the "life support equipment" argument here will get you laughed at. Most of us see that as nothing more than scare tactics to keep us from looking behind the certain and seeing the wizard is not really all powerful. While you do need to understand what you are doing and use care, reg repair is not rocket science. If you can rebuild carburetors and brakes, regs are no more difficult.

 

[Waterskier1]

SCUBA regulators are a life support system. Nothing to fool around with. The only way to properly learn equipment repair is thru a certificated, IN-HOUSE program under the instruction of a master technician.

That is total rubbish. To speculate that Rudy Mola is the ONLY person capable of teaching or repairing regulators is absurd. Given the maintenance manuals, and repair processes from the respective manufacturer and a reasonable mechanical aptitude, many, if not most, could do their own servicing. And, some could do their own repair.

Simply attending a good (authorized) course does NOT guarantee the the student is willing or capable to conscientiously work on regulators. My experience related above is proof of that fact.

I currently have more instruments/tools than the local Sherwood Authorized Service center has. And Sherwood says that they don't require them to have all the tools that they prescribe in their maintenance documentation.

While taking a class from a well informed manufacturers' certified instructor might be preferable (but not generally possible for those who aren't employed at a dealer associated with the manufacturer) it is not the ONLY way to learn. In fact, is suspect there are many regulator tech who work on regulators (albeit probably not warranty work) they have never had formal factory training on.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

SCUBA regulators are a life support system. Nothing to fool around with. The only way to properly learn equipment repair is thru a certificated, IN-HOUSE program under the instruction of a master technician. I am currently taking a 6 day course at Diving Technologies International in South Florida under the tutilage of Rudy Mola, well know for R&D of most manufacturers. The course covers all regulator types as well as certification to tag my own VIPs. I am a professional yacht captain who is mostly based outside the US and want the certification and training to work on my own rigs. I am enjoying this course and find it very challenging. Believe me when I say, regulator repair is NOT for everyone.

Rudy Mola of Diving Technologies International (google it). offers training in scuba repair and more.
:goingdown:

And what factory certs are you getting? Who are your contacts for parts at the manufacturers? How much are you paying for this course? Most factory courses take a day or two tops. And just what is a master technician and by whose standards are they called that?

 

[mdb]

We provide parts, service slide shows, schematics, etc. for all our products:
Apollo Sports: Dive Gear click on parts and service/manuals for more info.

There are many good regulator repair folks and a lot who are very marginal.
Some "kid" who has attended a one day session locally, or @ DEMA, and never
really becomes a skilled tech.

There are many folks who should be able to work on their own gear. What they need
is the proper information, tools, and parts.

 

[aeronautic1]

Granted taking a 5 day reg course does not a tech make. But it is a good primer to servicing your own gear.

 

[redacted]

Granted taking a 5 day reg course does not a tech make. But it is a good primer to servicing your own gear.

Do you think it is any better than reading and comprehending a few books like Harlow's "SCUBA Regulator Maintenance and Repair" and Wolfinger's "Regulator Savvy" and "SCUBAPRO Technical Service Manual"?

 

[Rick Inman]

SCUBA regulators are a life support system. Nothing to fool around with. The only way to properly learn equipment repair is thru a certificated, IN-HOUSE program under the instruction of a master technician.

Yes, they are life support equipment, which is why I'd prefer to know I did the work myself. Oh, and I learned to service my regs on the internet.

Well, the internet, plus the Hacker's reg book, plus the help of other mentors. Those slide shows and videos you can download are great. Ever see the Youtube video of the guy rebuilding his SP 1st stage in 5 mins? Folks, this is not rocket science. If you can change your own break pads you can service your own regs. And I love all the "specialty" tools they sell you. Some are nice, but very few cannot be replaced with standard stuff, or easily modified standard stuff.

When I service my regs I know they are O2 cleaned to my standards. I know the condition of the inside parts, what has been replaced and what hasn't, what the IP really is, etc. I can fix a few things in the field with just a few O-rings and a hex wrench.

Hey, if you want someone else you trust to service your gear, that's cool. But let's not perpetuate the myth that regulator service is beyond the scope of the average diver with average intelligence and mechanical skills.

 

[ScoobyPro]

Okay, so I do a bit more on a car than just tuneups and brake pads, I guess I shouldn't worry too much about cracking my own reg.

As far as specialty tools go, what tools can't be done without from Scubatools?

When I looked at what they have, it's a few hundred to buy one of everything for SP and Atomic regs.

Peter