Servicing your own regulators

[James79]

It's only new when it's new. I'm not criticizing your method, I'm just partial to my method.

Also, I'd never want to dive a piece of dive gear to the point of failure.

All of my business vehicles are re-cycled for new every 36 months, long before failure, long before costs due to anything, other than routine maintenance, for me it's the best decision.

A funeral is a very bad place to have a vehicle failure.

To me, old is good if you own an antique shop.

Rose

While I won't argue over which approach is better, I will ask if when do decide it's time to throw out your Deep6 regs if I can pay the shipping to take a crack at them. All the gear I use are either home made or actually antique, and I'd be curious to see how the Deep6 regs compare.
I tinker, rebuild, and recreate parts because it's part of the fun (for me).... So it's adding value to my time!

Respectfully,

James

 

[CycleCat]

I function/flow/IP test all my regulators prior to each dive trip, and as far as the Deep 6 regs are concerned, any sign of degradation I identify in my pre-checks, the regs are permanently retired/scrapped!

I'll DM you my contact info. I would gladly take those Deep6 regs when you are ready to toss them! I'm not trying to be a smartass! I'm serious!

 

[p_kos]

The value of my own time is very high, PM me and I'll give you some insight.

Rose

BTW, next time your regs are due for retirement/scrapping, send them to me for proper “disposal” I’ll cover shipping.

 

[Mike1967]

Haha I was waiting for it!

 

[Rose Robinson]

The whole “replace rather than service”
argument only wins out when you compare buying a new cheap reg after 5 years of NO service compared to paying for service EVERY year for 5 years.

My point exactly!

 

[Rose Robinson]

Meh no thanks, you'd spend more time in here than it would take to service your regs lol
As I said, even if you paid someone to service them you'd still be a mile in front. So if you actually do throw your regs out every couple of years and buy a new set, that got more to do with having more dollars than sense, not how much your time is or isn't worth.

That's a little insulting. I'll go back to my original question, How much money are you going to spend, on a Taiwan made reg set, that has very little new value, and absolutely no used value.

Throwing good dollars after bad is not being economical.

If you break a handle on a cheap hammer, are you going to source a new handle, ensure that it's properly installed, or just buy a new hammer.

I stated in the beginning of this discussion, my method works better for me.

Rose.

 

[Rose Robinson]

New doesn't necessarily mean properly adjusted.
Of the twelve regulators I have purchased NEW in the last year (yeah, but that's a different story) four have arrived either with an out of spec status on inspection or testing, or freeflowed. Out of the last three years, you can add two more to the list.
Yes, all my regs were handed to me in the box, unopened and untested by the LDS.
So for the four defects that might have been caught by the shop, who would have corrected the problem before delivery? The manufacturer? No, a tech who had been trained once for four hours on that brand with everything else learned by on-the-job on some other poor diver's regulators.
No thank you.

After a botched scuba repair many years ago, when it comes to "life support equipment" no one else has since packed my parachute.

Sounds like part of your problem may be, not what you're buying, but where you're buying it.

I know of no shop in my area, that sells regulators still boxed, without being fully checked/tuned to spec.

Rose

 

[rsingler]

Sounds like part of your problem may be, not what you're buying, but where you're buying it.

I know of no shop in my area, that sells regulators still boxed, without being fully checked/tuned to spec.

Rose

I'm afraid you completely miss my point.
Factory QC isn't what it should be. Of course the shop would check the reg and adjust it/fix it before handing it to me, had I not requested otherwise (I service regs at that shop).
I trust myself more than I do a generic shop tech elsewhere. Buying new is not a guarantee of perfect equipment, depending upon who tunes it before delivery...

 

[p_kos]

My point exactly!

The “point” you quoted me on is actually a false argument if you realize that annual service is a scam. The person who believes that argument believes annual service is necessary to keep a reg functional for many years and that if they “cheat the system” and squeeze 5 years out of their reg without service they win financially but have to get another reg because the old one is now trash beyond saving because it’s been neglected too long. They may not realize that with a proper service that reg is as good as new (members on this board have 50 year old regs running up to or even above original specs). Once again, you spend $250-300 for a new reg you’ll dive for the next 5 years without service rather than spending $150 on service and diving the same reg another 5 years without service. It’s always cheaper to service an undamaged reg that actually needs a service than to replace it.

 

[lowwall]

I'll go back to my original question, How much money are you going to spend, on a Taiwan made reg set, that has very little new value, and absolutely no used value.

Your underlying assumption is incorrect. Taiwanese made regsets are, for the most part, very high quality and capable of decades of service with minor maintenance. And they aren't necessarily that cheap either. You are looking at $550-$700 for a HOG D3 or Deep 6 regset with octo.