Regulator Service?

[RiverRat]

+1. I'd rather a practiced tech do it.

I did take the equipment class, though, and enjoyed learning how it all works.

It's all relative. I've seen some "practiced" techs work. They "practiced" butchering regs all days long
Now a good, competent tech, yeah that's great, stick with them to do all of your work if you want.
I don't think you need to work on them all day long to do great job own your own regs as long as you have the know how.

 

[Centrals]

However, I would be quite surprised if all of the positive respondents were actually willing to invest in the required tools and education required to execute the activity. Maybe I'm wrong?

I had to pay someone to teach me how to service Apeks regs. Didn't spend much on tools(allen key, Intermediate pressure gauge, spanner wrench, ultrasonic bath). Christo-Lube MCG111 is indeed expensive. The magnehelic gauge would be useful if you are running a shop.
I hope my local dive shop is still stocking the service kits which is the most important.
.

 

[beaverdivers]

What is the True Cost to obtain the knowledge, tools and stay current on servicing your own regulator?

 

[buddhasummer]

I'm a long time Apeks user and have always sent my gear back to the manufacture for service/repair [LDS's are a joke !!!] even though I've known how to repair/rebuild [and have the tools/test equipment] for years....But I'll be transitioning to HOG [have bought, tried three HOG set-ups and really like the product] because I can get parts, they really aren't designed much differently and are ALOT less.....Apeks [Aqualung as usual] makes it nearly impossible to get parts or self-service their gear and I find that kind of monopolistic practice offensive......For those reasons they have lost a long time customer......I'd tell Aqualung to "GET THE HINT" but considering their ignorant handling [TOTAL lack of] over Sunnto's 'D' series computer straps, their 'Trade Restriction' policies and 'back-door' dealings w/Scubapro, I know it'll be ignored........Kinda reminds me of Bush, Enron and Madoff all rolled into one Company, LOL & ROFl :O !!!!!......

I have never had any problems getting Apeks kits, if you want some sources feel free to pm me.

 

[RiverRat]

What is the True Cost to obtain the knowledge, tools and stay current on servicing your own regulator?

True cost? Hard to say. Depends on the individual and the gear they have.

For me:

Knowledge: I spent a lot of TIME (time=money to some degree) on the internet, on this site actually, researching regulators, parts sources etc. I bought Vance's book $50.00 ?? Have to check the price. If you're mechanically inclined this should come fairly easy to you. If not, you may not even want to get involved. Better to spend your time looking for someone that knows what they're doing. It's not rocket science, but one needs to be meticulous, pay attention to detail and have a real desire to want to learn how these things function. The Apeks regs I have are known to be fairly "easy" to rebuild. Simple yet bullet proof design. So far parts are easy to find.

Tools: Again, for the Apeks you don't need that many tools. Other regs you WILL need some specialized tools. I chose to purchase my own Ultrasonic cleaner ($200-$400 ?) but you don't absolutely need one. But it is nice to have for a really dirty part. Everyone should have an IP gauge, $20.00, to test IM pressure. Even if you don't do repairs it can help you determine if your HP seat is about to go bad and it's time for a rebuild. Magnahelic gauge, not needed a tub of water works just fine, but nice to have considering I got mine from Ebay for $10.00 Inline adjustment tool. Nice to have, saves me from disconnecting reg from air supply while adjusting and having to re-connect to test etc. I forget I think upwards of $100.00 for that. Don't have to have it though. Brass oring picks, must have for me. Regulator mounting tool. Strap wrench, to take off stuck covers, already had in my standard toolbox along with various wrenches, screwdrivers, wire cutters etc. Standard O-ring kit (put together myself), ordered in bulk orings are cheap. As you can see I've probably spent $500.00-$600.00 on tools, books, orings etc. and in addition had many of the basic hand tools already.

Staying current: Internet is good for that. Plus having friends in the business helps too Not much has changed with my regs over the years.

 

[herman]

What is the True Cost to obtain the knowledge, tools and stay current on servicing your own regulator?

How about the flip of the question? What is the TRUE VALUE of the knowledge and tools.

How much is it worth to be able to have a reg serviced and returned to service in a short time as opposed to waiting for a week or more to get a reg back. How much is it worth to be able to tune a second stage while on vacation. How much is it worth the know for sure the reg was done correctly. How much is your time and trouble worth not to have to take a reg back for a second or third adjustment.

Beaver, the LDS lines don't work here, we have too many knowledgeable folks who know better. Regs are not rocket science and are easy to service if you have a little bit of mechanical skill. No doubt there are people who should no be allowed within 10 feet of a screwdriver but just because you work for a LSD and took one of those 1/2 day no fail seminars does not make you a professional.

I often read how many special and expensive tools you need and that they are not worth the cost for a reg or 2, I disagree. Assuming you have the basic tools and anyone who is considering doing his own reg service likely has the basic wrenches, the required special tools are not that much of an expense. Many of which can be home made.

Take a USD/AL Conshelf/Titan for example. What special tools are needed to service it?

An IP gauge is needed (under $20 for an acceptable one), circlip pliers ($10), oring picks ($5) and maybe a tool to hold the reg ($15 for an official one, $0.25 bolt or a free used CO2 cartage). A couple of other tools that are nice to have but you do without would be a HP assembly tool ($20), an ultrasonic cleaner ($50 Harbor Freight) and some way to check cracking pressure- a $20 magnehelic off eBay or a $3 U tube manometer will do nicely. A tube of Christolube is a little on the expensive side but there is no reason that 90% of us can't use silicone like was done before nitrox became popular, it's fine at 40% or less mixes and a lot cheaper. In any case you are paying for the Christolube either way, it's build into the cost of labor. Manuals are free on line and a Reg Savvy book is $50. So what are we up in special tools --$50 in required tools +$75 in nice to have tools+ $50 in manuals = $175. $75 of which are "nice to have", not required and if you are a little mechanically inclined the Reg Savvy ($50) is not needed unless you run into a problem you don't understand.. Back all the nice to have and the book and we are up to a grand total of $50 in tools

Now lets compare the cost.
Parts are going to be the same if we pay for them so they are a wash....and if you do like I do and assemble my own service kits the cost is a lot less. My labor is "free", since I would be wasting time watching TV or other useless time waster plus I look at it as a hobby so the labor is one of enjoyment, besides if I consider the time I would spend taking the reg across town to the LDS, it's almost a wash. Reg labor in my area tends to run on the high side at $35 per stage but we have a real professional service shop here- not some tank monkey working on regs when there are no tanks to fill. At $35 per stage that is $105 for 1 reg for 1 year, I have dozens of regs but assuming just 2 that is $210/yr or a saving of $35 my first year including all the nice to have toys. I did forget an inline adjustment tool, another $100 but more than that will be saved in the second year so I could buy it then with the money I saved....or at least that would be the rational my wife would use.

Bottom line is, reg service is not for everyone but it is also not rocket science. The tools to do a good job are not so expensive that the average dive can't afford to invest the time and money to do his own service if he chooses to. So what is it worth to me to know it's done right and that I understand what the reg is telling me when it starts to freeflow- Priceless.

 

[scubafanatic]

You know, after doing the class yesterday, it ain't rocket science. It's a matter of replacing some o-rings and other small parts carefully and in the right order, and adjusting things properly according to manufacturer's specs. If I can repair an aortic aneurysm or reroute a portal vein, I can by gosh certainly put a few metal and plastic parts in the right place. I'm at least as smart as the guy who is doing it at the shop is.

....if I were in the income bracket you're probably in, I'd just put my butler through the reg class instead......just sayin'.....

 

[scubafanatic]

I have a bunch of regulators, too. And I'd rather spend $100 to have a trusted, experienced, and skilled (key words there) tech work on my regs. In reality, I would only be working on a handful of regs per year, and I question if that's enough frequency to be truly competent at it.

...agreed! As I gained dive experience, I (through some trial and error) discovered which dive shops staff 'real' reg techs and who are good candidates for my reg service needs. I have numerous 'connections', meaning several local shops I trust, so if a something bad happens to one shop, I can easily switch to an alternate shop, and I spread my business around to help keep more than one shop in business. While I own a BUNCH of reg sets, I certainly don't come anywhere near having to do annuals on all of then annually, so maybe I get 2 or 3 done each yr....modern regs can safely sit in my air conditioned house tucked away in their sealed/clear storage totes for years without needing annuals.....I'd be more serious about doing it myself if actually had to do 'annuals' on a lot of reg sets annually.

 

[Bob DBF]

I didn't answer the poll since I have been working on my own gear for quite some time.

I started working on my own gear when the shops decided my gear was too old. I just started on the old regs and worked up to the new as they needed attention. As herman said "reg service is not for everyone but it is also not rocket science". I have been working on one type of equipment or another all my life and I have made up special tools as I need them for regs or anything else I am working on. Some day I will buy the Reg Savvy book but other items are ahead in line and the reg tech manuals are better than some of the tech manuals I have had to use.

The good news is that I have not had a reg malfunction after service. This includes the mandatory 130' test dive I subject the gear to as soon as practical after repair. Way more fun than just a bench test.


Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Rich Keller]

What is the True Cost to obtain the knowledge, tools and stay current on servicing your own regulator?

$250 for the HOG reg course. Saving hundreds if not thousands in the years or decades to follow, PRICELESS! "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime." He will also be able to afford to eat lobster on a regular basis if he does not have to pay a scubapro shill to fix his reg.