Question Skipping 1st stage Maintenance?

[lowwall]

PS: Is the 0-3” Magnahelic the right choice or should I have gotten the one that measures up to 5”? The Dwyer document says pushing the needle past the limit can damage it and I’m afraid to suck too hard on the 2nd stage mouthpiece now…

0 to 3 is fine. Take it slow. If you get to 2", you need to stop and adjust the stage anyway.

 

[Geo7]

Finally!! I found a design engineer who did the metal work for me.
Now to finish the Regulator Saavy book and review @rsingler‘s videos on the MK19Evo teardown - it’s been months since I did the technician course and need to redo all the homework before I actuallly make my first attempt ... beginning with the MK25Evo …

PS: Is the 0-3” Magnahelic the right choice or should I have gotten the one that measures up to 5”? The Dwyer document says pushing the needle past the limit can damage it and I’m afraid to suck too hard on the 2nd stage mouthpiece now…

View attachment 857582View attachment 857583

Brilliant! Is that a Dell computer monitor stand?

 

[Pearlman]

Where did you buy magnahelic setup you show in your post?

I got everything separately. The faceplate (and rear plate) for the gauges is a custom DIO job (Do-It-[from]Others) using mild-steel. I found a design engineer locally who did the CAD drawings and laser cutting on the metal with all the rear ports and safety-plugs exposed via a cut-out at the rear. I got a VESA adapter separately from Amazon which is bolted to the faceplate then got everything powder coated after all the cutting.

Since I intend to use it just 3-6 days a year I can simply lift and detach the gauges and wrap it in a bubblewrap to store it in a box safely the other 360 days, leaving the empty monitor stand at the desk…

Brilliant! Is that a Dell computer monitor stand?

Thank You. I have a few Benq monitor stands lying around …

 

[Mobulai]

I found a design engineer locally who did the CAD drawings and laser cutting on the metal with all the rear ports and safety-plugs exposed via a cut-out at the rear.

Don’t be shy, share the CAD file

 

[Pearlman]

---

Don’t be shy, share the CAD file

I don’t have them but let me ask. The individual is an independent industry design and engineering consultant who is very busy - it took me two months from handing over the gauges for initial measurements to receiving the metalwork unfinished - I had to scout for a local powdercoat shop by myself and get it done finally. Not entirely his fault - the laser cutting was outsourced and an urgent production job run meant this one-off project lay around untouched for weeks…

 

[Pearlman]

Good news! He will share - but strictly on terms & conditions of personal use only as contributor to open source philosophy and not for mass manufacturing and profit. He will watermark his CAD files and send them across later this week.

 

[Mobulai]

Good news! He will share - but strictly on terms & conditions of personal use only as contributor to open source philosophy and not for mass manufacturing and profit. He will watermark his CAD files and send them across later this week.

I mean.. maybe there’s even middle ground
For everyone interested:
It would be easier to convince a metal workshop to do a batch (and probably cheaper), and we can maybe pay some offset to the original designer to “license” it, also as appreciation for his work

Anyone in?

 

[idadd4]

Hello
My regulators are now almost 3 years old. I have a Scubapro MK25 Evo and an MK19 Evo which I swap on each dive trip to keep both in use. Hence each reg has seen less than 50 dives till now. They were mostly in storage for the whole of the first year as I got them just when the 1st covid lockdown was reopening for travel.

Two of my 2nd stages do alarm me though as potentially unsafe due to the way they breathe hence I plan to get them serviced before my next dive trip. Luckily I have a 3rd relatively unused 2nd stage that I used as a primary on my last dive trip but I was risking the backup reg as a potential panic enhancer in case of any emergency OOA panic situation. To be fair, I didn’t plan it this way - the one service technician I knew at the dive destination was unavailable when I landed and I was short of time before the diving days commenced.

Question is can I safely skip servicing the 1st stages until I cross at least 100 dives on each? I rarely (almost never) dive in silted conditions and it’s usually clear open water and the MK19 Evo is a sealed diaphragm design. They look as good as new such that on the latest trip, the dive staff complimented me on the shiny new regs I had.

One thing to consider, if you are the first owner of your SP equipment, you recieive parts and warranties based on your "Certified" service intervals. A service does not mean they will take your equipment apart and put new kits in it. the LDS is more than likely going to put it on a Magnahelic and check your IP, your SCFM's and a few other readings to determine IF you need a full service or not.

If you are switching your 2nd and Octo's with your 1st stage, I would recommend stopping that. Each 2nd and Octo is usually "tuned" to the 1st stage they are attached too. When you switch between your MK25 and M17 they are different and the pressures are different which would mean the 2nd and Octo should be tuned to each of those 1st stages.

I have seen MK25's years old and many many (MANY) dives in cold water, tropical water and fresh water only "actually serviced" every couple of years. If you are using the equipment, it tends to last longer - Especially the SP line. If the equipment is sitting in a garage or shed for a year, that is the ones I would really want to look at make sure the seals aren't stuck and the o'rings aren't dry rotted.

 

[Still Kicking]

One thing to consider, if you are the first owner of your SP equipment, you recieive parts and warranties based on your "Certified" service intervals. A service does not mean they will take your equipment apart and put new kits in it. the LDS is more than likely going to put it on a Magnahelic and check your IP, your SCFM's and a few other readings to determine IF you need a full service or not.

If you are switching your 2nd and Octo's with your 1st stage, I would recommend stopping that. Each 2nd and Octo is usually "tuned" to the 1st stage they are attached too. When you switch between your MK25 and M17 they are different and the pressures are different which would mean the 2nd and Octo should be tuned to each of those 1st stages.

I have seen MK25's years old and many many (MANY) dives in cold water, tropical water and fresh water only "actually serviced" every couple of years. If you are using the equipment, it tends to last longer - Especially the SP line. If the equipment is sitting in a garage or shed for a year, that is the ones I would really want to look at make sure the seals aren't stuck and the o'rings aren't dry rotted.

Couple of points here.

1. As already mentioned, you have to buy an SP reg, BC and computer within 12 months in order to qualify for Parts For Life. The days of a la carte PFL ended more than a decade ago.

2. SP absolutely wants the reg overhauled every two years regardless of usage and the service logged on the website to maintain PFL eligibility (that's why they provide parts). Whether a shop overhauls the reg or just tells SP they overhauled the reg when it doesn't need it is another matter. Hopefully they don't charge for a full overhaul unless they do one.

 

[Pearlman]

I mean.. maybe there’s even middle ground
For everyone interested:
It would be easier to convince a metal workshop to do a batch (and probably cheaper), and we can maybe pay some offset to the original designer to “license” it, also as appreciation for his work

Anyone in?

There’s a catch though - the VESA QR adapter needs to be bought separately and one corner trimmed as seen in the pic. And you are better off buying it locally in your country and doing that bit - because I paid double price on Amazon for the same kit in my country.

If you have a decent number of opt-ins for the kit I can ask. But to be honest the only good reason you should do it that way would be because executing the same job in the USA would likely cost 2-3x more than here in my country even after factoring shipping cost. I think the individual is quite well off and a small one time order batch isn’t going to do much for him. Just let me know in any case and I will be more than happy to ensure it is packaged and shipped for you guys.