Servicing your own regulators

[Pumpkin King]

Great discussion!

If it would be useful to anyone, I have access to instructional design and training delivery expertise, as well as training space with projectors, etc. in Stafford, Va once COVID is under control.

 

[rhwestfall]

For the timid and first timers, get a pony bottle to test you fresh rebuild, provided you do have another reg (it’s just weird if you don’t have more than one, isn’t it?) take it diving a few times and breath it down to 500, you’ll learn to trust yourself with minimal risk.

I'd pretty much wager that if you are to the point of servicing your own, you likely have a few.... I used to have luck with asking to do some buoyancy practice at a pool session, and play quietly in a corner with your newly rebuilt stuff...

 

[lowwall]

Of course, you also need practice, not just theory.
For servicing regs, the best is to get an used, low cost, old style reg, employed just for becoming used to servicing it.
Once you successfully dismount, clean, reassemble with new parts and carefully tune it for a couple of times, then you can risk servicing your REAL reg...

I actually have the perfect first stage to do this. I picked it up for nothing as a paperweight. And it's internally identical to my current reg.

 

[p_kos]

I actually have the perfect first stage to do this. I picked it up for nothing as a paperweight. And it's internally identical to my current reg.

View attachment 643581

That will put your cleaning skills to the test for sure, par for the course as far as Ebay and Craigslist finds.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've been asked a number of times to do a HOG or Deep Six Class via zoom.

A couple of problems with that.
The first is, that unless someone has changed the standards, TDI will not allow me to do a remote class. Last word I got on the reason for that is liability dictated by their lawyers and insurance.
I have to be able to physically inspect the work with my own hands. Even with in-person classes, I have found that the definition of "tight enough" when there is no torque spec means different things to different people. Being able to demonstrate what that is and show a student that they are not going to "break" the reg is sometimes critical to ensuring there won't be any leaks.

Another is just my not wanting to sit in front of a camera on my computer for 10 hours over 2 days.
I was charging 275.00 for a private 2 day class in my home. With the virus I will no longer do that.

We moved the shop where I teach and while the pool is open, the classroom shop area is still under construction and until it's ready, I'm not booking any classes. Once it is, I'll still only do private classes unless I have 2 who reside in the same house. Bringing together people from different areas in a confined space is just stupid.

One of the things we will have with the new shop is the ability to offer a classroom outside, under a covering. In that case, I'll up the number to three from different areas after a screening.

This means I may have to up the price to cover my expenses. Not a lot. Maybe $25.

I have now trained 50 people to service their HOG regs and I usually teach 4 or 5 classes a year on demand. I have half a dozen people now on a list who want to do the class. Hopefully, I'll get them here sooner rather than later.

While there are similarities in regs, unless you have the manual and torque specs in front of you, just because they look similar doesn't mean they come apart and go back together the same way. It's not rocket science, but I've had to deal with enough regs that have been screwed up by "trained techs" for other brands who didn't have all the info for HOG regs but were too greedy to refuse the work to not trust just anybody who works in a shop to service a brand they don't sell. I turn down a fair amount of work because I can't get the kits for a certain brand, don't have the specs, and wouldn't have the backing of the mfg it something went wrong.

Edit: I just spoke with the training dept. The practical of the class, which is basically the entire class, cannot be done remotely. Must be done in person. They can start the knowledge review and reading at any time. But the hands on must be done face to face.

 

[lexvil]

Even with hands on inspection mistakes happen. I once bought some used HOG regs from a guy that had just finished the class, one second stage just didn’t perform well, turned out that the barrel was backwards, outlet facing the diaphragm which made for some interesting breathing dynamics. With zoom who knows what would happen.

 

[The Chairman]

Hence, one of the skills to be practiced is how to deal with new soft parts, after installing them.

Traditionally this is done by breathing on the reg 100 times. How hard is that?

With Poseidon,

Poseidon second stages are weird. I took their class, and would probably still defer from rebuilding one. It's why I won't own one.

 

[rsingler]

Poseidon second stages are weird. I took their class, and would probably still defer from rebuilding one. It's why I won't own one.

Don't be a hater. They're great!

OK. Different.

 

[p_kos]

Traditionally this is done by breathing on the reg 100 times. How hard is that?

Poseidon second stages are weird. I took their class, and would probably still defer from rebuilding one. It's why I won't own one.

Really? There is probably nothing easier to rebuild and tune than a Poseidon second stage (Xstream and Jetstream) compared to most high performance regs out there today. Especially since you can set cracking pressure while it’s pressurized without an inline tool (I do have to carry forceps in addition to usual save-a-dive tools but they are handy for other things). The one special tool for the internal oring makes things easier though.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

If you have a normal kit of tools, with screwdrivers, a good set of wrenches, and Allen wrenches, in both imperial and metric, then you really don't need much more. Here's the minimal list with links embedded in their name:

O-ring pick(s) $10.75
View attachment 643425


IP gauge $31.50 You can pick any inflator hose fitting you want HERE
View attachment 643426


1st Stage Handle $26.50
View attachment 643427


Hook spanner $16.25 for one or $62.50 for the whole set
View attachment 643428


Yoke Nut Socket and extension for your reg @$35 That's -IF- you have a yoke regulator
View attachment 643429


A vise. The Parrothead Vise is my favorite for rebuilding @ $64.95. Mount it with two ears next to the edge of your bench and it can be used upright or sideways. It's truly a versatile vise.
View attachment 643430
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Sure, you can add a lot of tools, I certainly have, but these usually what the average Scuba diver really needs. www.ScubaTools.com also has plenty of brand-specific tools as well. Some are solutions to problems I've yet to see, so only buy what you need. Yeah, and take loads of pictures. I'm not sure I stressed that enough. Vinegar (not simple green) is an excellent cleaner and while I do use a heated commercial ultrasonic: it's probably overkill unless you have loads of regs to do and a lot of verdigris. For what it's worth, I think every diver should own all these tools, know how to use them, and except for the vise, they go on every dive trip with me.

[B]@rsingler[/B] might have additions to this he might want to share.

Ok, not as bad as I thought! I haven’t had the chance to watch the vids, so this might be the same question that @formernuke had. Why that IP gauge instead of the IP gauge with the inline second stage tool that DGX sells? Also, can the vise be attached to a weight belt for multi purpose use while diving. Ok, just kidding on that last one. Maybe.
Erik