Regulator set to overhaul or not to overhaul?

[Centrals]

@Escualo
Your Apeks set is dead easy to service(DIY) as there is no special tool required. Service kit for both 1st and 2nd stage is your only concern.
Intermediate pressure gauge(IPG) is dirt cheap and every diver should has one to monitor their own regulators.
Your set sounds ok to dive and you should use the IPG to monitor it before or after every trip.
I believe 9.5 bar is the pre set value for your set any slow drift upward is the time to service the regs.

 

[Escualo]

Thank you everyone for their contributions, this being my first ever post has given me a lot of fresh insights and knowledge as well as understanding what is common practice when it comes to diving equipment.

My major takeaways:
- I will get an IPG so can carry out additional test on my own, obviously this do not replace the service but it is an extra layer of assurance
- It was never my intention to do some extreme diving to begin with so the first few shallow dives should highlight any issues
- Impressed by the level of knowledge of you all and how resourceful you are

Thanks and happy bubbles!

 

[Escualo]

@Escualo
Your Apeks set is dead easy to service(DIY) as there is no special tool required. Service kit for both 1st and 2nd stage is your only concern.
Intermediate pressure gauge(IPG) is dirt cheap and every diver should has one to monitor their own regulators.
Your set sounds ok to dive and you should use the IPG to monitor it before or after every trip.
I believe 9.5 bar is the pre set value for your set any slow drift upward is the time to service the regs.

I researched into this with a friend of mine who is also very hands on, but I reached a point where you need a special tool to remove the front cover of the second stage.

 

[lexvil]

Not to pile on to either side here, I often (to often maybe) buy a used regulator and if it passes all of the simple tests I dive it, I’m old and dumb maybe but I haven’t died yet.

Get an IP gauge and pay attention to it before every dive, I don’t service a regulator until it needs it.

 

[Centrals]

I researched into this with a friend of mine who is also very hands on, but I reached a point where you need a special tool to remove the front cover of the second stage.

The latest model is pretty difficult to remove the front cover but really not necessary to buy the special tool for it.
There are some suggestions on line.

 

[happy-diver]

Even though you send your regulator to a shop that you trust, after receiving the serviced regulator, prior to go diving, test it in a pool, to be sure that the reg works.

When I do electrical gas plumbing or structural work to my house I get someone else to live in it for a while
in case it burns, explodes, floods, or falls down, I know a guy keeps his car running to save his starter motor

maybe he keeps it running to escape from my house