Regulator Service?

[EODiver]

I learned to dive in the 70's and married into the US Divers/ Aqualung line. So, right or wrong I have stuck with them. In doing so, I have become very familiar (comfortable) with them, and feel that I can maintain my Conshelfs and Royal aqua master better than the average tank monkey working at the LDS. I have even been told that my favorite Conshelf Supreme (circa 1982) is too old to service. This is what really sent me over the edge and spurred me into doing ALL my own service. Vance' s book has allowed me to have a better understanding of other makes and helps explain how things work when they are all buttoned up.

You don't need any special tools to work on most regs, just use some common sense. I don't have an ultrasonic, so I use vinegar and heat it up in the microwave, and let my parts soak while I have a cup of coffee and get the rest of my bench set up. A bucket of water works in place of a magehelic, and let's you rinse everything off after doing your maintaince.

The only real problem can be sourcing parts for USD/ Aqualung, since Scubapro has finally allowed Internet sales.

As said before, This isn't rocket science. Try it, and see if you like doing your own service. Just try it in a pool or other controlled environment before using it in earnest. After a couple of rebuilds you will probably feel a lot more comfortable, and not want anyone else touching your regs.

 

[herman]

Vintage Double Hose sells the parts for both your RAM and your Conshelf. The one tool that will make your life a lot better when working on USD/AL regs is a high pressure assembly tool. You can do it without one but it's a lot easier with one....been there done that.

 

[EODiver]

Thanks Herman, Bryan has already received plenty of my cash. I was only
trying to point out that there is almost always a Low tech alternative. I have actually machined some of my own tools, especially for the Royal.

 

[scubafanatic]

+1 Been servicing my own regs for decades and I believe a qualified person diving the reg he is working on will do at least as good a job if not better then the person not diving it. Knowing how to do so will also put you in a position to save your own dive when something goes wrong on site instead of missing the dive and taking the reg to a shop after.

...anyone serious enough about scuba to take a reg repair class is probably serious enough about scuba to own/bring along a back up reg set..... so missing dives isn't the issue.

 

[beaverdivers]

Thanks Herman, Bryan has already received plenty of my cash.

It cost Beaver Divers a small fortune to work on regs.

However, it is more expensive to work on your own regulators!

For those hard core divers that choose to do so, POWER to Them!

Why not just form a relationship with your Local Dive Store ( LDS ), so you can work with them in a Win - Win fashion.

Personal, we offer all our divemasters to go through the Scubapro Tech training.

According to Renee' Dupree, the Scubapro Service Guru, Beaver Divers sends more people
to the Scubapro Tech Clinics than any other Scubapro Dealer!

We are always looking for the next " Star Tech ".
If you become so good at reg repair, why not be a professional at least part time.

I am sure it would make reg repair much more affordable.

I really good tech is worth his/her weight in gold.

 

[chile7236]

However, it is more expensive to work on your own regulators!

not so sure i agree with this....please explain.

 

[halocline]

However, it is more expensive to work on your own regulators!

Total BS. That's a shocker, considering who posted it....

No personal offense, but an alternative to the kind of half-truths (and outright falsehoods) and sales-pitches-disguised-as-'information' that you routinely post is exactly what scubaboard is supposed to be.

 

[beaverdivers]

Real costs:

* Training & practice
* Tools
* Time
* Parts
* a work shop
- heat
- water
- bench with vise
- SCUBA cylinder w/ 3000 PSI
- gauges
* Staying current

Due to the fact that a repair tech doing it himself, is only doing a few regs. the cost per reg is much higher than a SCUBA store.

Also the person's time alone is probably worth much more than what a tech makes in a shop.

What do you make an hour at your job?

 

[chile7236]

i think you underestimate most of the folks on SB then, BD...pretty sad. btw, my location says all it needs to about my job.

 

[Mayor]

...anyone serious enough about scuba to take a reg repair class is probably serious enough about scuba to own/bring along a back up reg set..... so missing dives isn't the issue.

Very true I always have a back up first and second stage in the dive case. Had to use it a few times.