Service Your Own Regs

[Scared Silly]

I will give some middle ground here. Most regs can be done with common tools. HOWEVER, having a full quiver of tools specific to your regs will make the job much easier and help ensure the job was done right. Of course then there are the non-essential tools.

Vance's book is great as is Peter's Regulator Savvy. Vance gives lots of practical info while Peter's give more on the theory. Both books sit on my work bench.

For tools - Scuba Tools

As for working on your own regs. IMHO, it is probably not worth it until you have 4 regs or so. Also you need a supplier for rebuild kits. Depending on the mfg. some will be easier (Zeagle) than others (ScubabPro). Also I think it helps to have a good rapport with a tech as they can really be helpful. A six pack of beer helps.

 

[aquaregia]

My LDS tech has been really supportive of me: offers plenty of advice etc, just no parts. The guys on the board have been great too. The only tools I've needed so far were an IP gauge and a magnehelic, both of which I borrowed from a mate. Other than that, the standard assortment of wrenches, screwdrivers, allen keys and dental picks have sufficed so far.

 

[redacted]

My LDS tech has been really supportive of me: offers plenty of advice etc, just no parts. The guys on the board have been great too. The only tools I've needed so far were an IP gauge and a magnehelic, both of which I borrowed from a mate. Other than that, the standard assortment of wrenches, screwdrivers, allen keys and dental picks have sufficed so far.

An IP gauge should be considered an essential but the magnehelic is clearly in the luxury category for DIYers.

 

[herman]

An IP gauge should be considered an essential but the magnehelic is clearly in the luxury category for DIYers.

I agree, even so magnehelics are not that expensive used on ebay, besides a manometer is just as good, never needs calibrating and is very cheap to build. It's all I use for cracking and exhaust pressure measurements.

 

[Akimbo]

There is a much greater value in repairing your own regulators than saving service costs. A deep understanding of how they work and could malfunction is priceless. The condition of most repair benches and the expertise of some people at them is enough to justify the effort. It is even worth buying a nasty cheap used regulator to work on even if you don’t have the confidence to work on your own at first.

I often suggest to people who do not service their own regulators to buy brands that offer factory service. Confidence is important to enjoying yourself, especially to divers who view the function of regulators as magic.

 

[captain]

I agree, even so magnehelics are not that expensive used on ebay, besides a manometer is just as good, never needs calibrating and is very cheap to build. It's all I use for cracking and exhaust pressure measurements.

A simple U tube manometer you can make with some clear plastic tubing and a ruler work just as well as a magnehellic.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

There is a much greater value in repairing your own regulators than saving service costs. A deep understanding of how they work and could malfunction is priceless. The condition of most repair benches and the expertise of some people at them is enough to justify the effort. It is even worth buying a nasty cheap used regulator to work on even if you don’t have the confidence to work on your own at first.....

Amen.

And even if you decide not to do your own servicing, making the effort to learn as much you can is still very worthwhile.

Oh, and I bought two "nasty" regs on e-bay to learn / practice on.... and they are now shiney "un-nasty" regs that I use on a regular basis.

Best wishes.

 

[CaveMD]

It probably cost me more to service my own regs. Money however is not the reason why I choose to do it myself. Aside from knowing your own equipment in and out and the benefits from that, it just makes me feel better to know that the regulator is serviced and put together right because I was there, and witnessed it being assembled correctly since I was doing it myself.

 

[WVMike]

For you folks who service your own regs, do you use an ultrasonic cleaner? That seems to be one pricey item for a home service bench.

If not what do you do to clean the parts?

 

[redacted]

For you folks who service your own regs, do you use an ultrasonic cleaner? That seems to be one pricey item for a home service bench.

If not what do you do to clean the parts?

First off, there are some small ones that are fairly inexpensive.

I do have an US cleaner but I went many years without one (as did the scuba service industry before they became fairly common). They do make the cleaning job easier, especially if the reg is in fairly bad shape. I often use mine when I acquire a "new" used treasure but do not routinely clean the regs I dive unless I see some problem (indicating a deficiency in my care and cleaning after use).