Target Regulators for Warm Water Newbies

[Lorenzoid]

OWD and selfservicing regulators

I just took the HOG service class. The only prerequisite is OW certification. I think it's a great business model and hope other manufacturers follow.

 

[diversteve]

The wife and I live in Florida, and while we might dive the Springs, 72 degrees, we won't go any colder.

The amount of regulators and price points are simply overwhelming. Where does one start? What reg set do I buy?

For the record we might do the advance cert, probably do nitrox, but not much beyond that.

Are you looking for brand recommendations or specific models within a brand. Many of us can provide either plus reasons why if you set the parameters: Cost, brands sold at your LDS, local service options only? Or are you willing to do online purchasing and mail out for service. In some cases it's both - many online retailer purchased gear can be serviced at your local shop under warranty - some like Aqualung do all transactions only thru a local dealer.

Save all of us some time and identify which brands you can check out/get serviced locally. And a not to exceed cost per set would be helpful.

You want a Targeted response, we need a Targeted set of parameters.

 

[Caveeagle]

OWD and selfservicing regulators

I don't necessarily equate somebody's certification level with their ability to trouble shoot and maintenance equipment. I do doubt the appropriateness for most OW (or AOW) divers.

I do, however, thing OW/AOW divers should have a better grasp how a regulator works, and how to deal with simple problems. For example, how to open up the cover of a typical 2nd stage to clean and clear away sand or other foreign objects. Or how to check IP .... and why you should care.

 

[Freewillow]

I just took the HOG service class. The only prerequisite is OW certification. I think it's a great business model and hope other manufacturers follow.

I am not talking about you, but real beginners. Take a OWD with 20 dives and a regulator that he has serviced himself. He gets a few drops of water in his mouth - exit diaphragm not watertight, mouth piece not tight enough - and he bolts to the surface. GREAT

 

[Freewillow]

I don't necessarily equate somebody's certification level with their ability to trouble shoot and maintenance equipment. I do doubt the appropriateness for most OW (or AOW) divers.

I do, however, thing OW/AOW divers should have a better grasp how a regulator works, and how to deal with simple problems. For example, how to open up the cover of a typical 2nd stage to clean and clear away sand or other foreign objects. Or how to check IP .... and why you should care.

On that, we are in agreement

 

[Lorenzoid]

I am not talking about you, but real beginners. Take a OWD with 20 dives and a regulator that he has serviced himself. He gets a few drops of water in his mouth - exit diaphragm not watertight, mouth piece not tight enough - and he bolts to the surface. GREAT

Why would a beginner diver do a less competent job than an experienced diver, assuming both have received the same education on servicing the regulator? I think experience using a piece of equipment doesn't have a significant effect on knowing how a piece of equipment works and how to repair it. A 16 year-old who is just learning to drive a car can learn how it works and how to repair it without having had much experience driving. Even someone who is not an end user at all could do just as good a job of repairing something as anyone else if they receive good training.

 

[Freewillow]

Dear Lorenzoid. Even a non diver is perfectly able to service a regulator. My viewpoint is that , as a new guy trained in servicing a regulator , one can expect more "potential problems " compared to an experienced service man. The fact of the matter is that a significant percentage of regulators fail immediately after servicing. THIS IS PROVEN.

Where I believe that an inexperience diver is at risk is the way he will handle a malfunctioning regulator. I have 850 dives under my belt. You can give me a regulator that is going to malfunction during a dive. This will NOT put my life at risk. I am trained to go for my secondary: he is sitting directly under my chin - tied with a bungee. I am trained to get air from my buddy. She is trained to give me air in case of OOA and abort the dive in a safe manner. All these "reflexes" do not come immediatelly. We have dived TOGETHER more than 500 times.

Just read a few "incidents and lessons learnt from them ", you will see that beginners, having problems like that, do jump to the surface. The last case that I remember: wife, default in exhaust valve, wtare in the mouth, rushed to the surface, hours in a recompression chamber.........................Do you undersatnd my point now?

 

[beaverdivers]

The wife and I live in Florida, and while we might dive the Springs, 72 degrees, we won't go any colder.

The amount of regulators and price points are simply overwhelming. Where does one start? What reg set do I buy?

For the record we might do the advance cert, probably do nitrox, but not much beyond that.

I would recommend a Scubapro MK11/S360 or MK21/S560. Both are excellent regs. at a great valve.

If you have the money in your budget, you can't go wrong with the Scubapro MK25 EVO/S600. It has been a top-performing reg.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Dear Lorenzoid. Even a non diver is perfectly able to service a regulator. My viewpoint is that , as a new guy trained in servicing a regulator , one can expect more "potential problems " compared to an experienced service man. The fact of the matter is that a significant percentage of regulators fail immediately after servicing. THIS IS PROVEN.

As I see it, the diver who services his own regulators has all the time in the world to test them and make sure they are serviced correctly--and has all the incentive in the world to do so. It isn't like we are comparing the result of one hour of work by the experienced dive shop technician with one hour of work by the diver. Maybe I'm not experienced enough to know what kinds of errors might go undetected in initial testing. If there are such things to look out for, I would think they would be taught in the course.

By the way, in that incident you referred to, the guy and his wife were both "seasoned divers." They were using 20 year-old regulators that had just been serviced.

There are also relatively inexperienced divers out there who practice skills often and are obsessive about continually improving and maintaining their skills for the sake of their own safety. Divers with that sort of mentality are probably the ones who also seek out a regulator repair class and service their own regulators, so they can make sure everything is done correctly.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

No nonsense ("I am not trying to impress anyone. I have been in diving long enough to know that price does not mean quality. Now let me dive!") brands are DiveRite, HOG and Deep6.

Status symbol brands ("Ladies!!! If I can spend 1600 dollars on a regulator then imagine how serious about diving / or how rich I am") are Atomic and Scubapro.

"I have no clue about regulators and purchased what the LDS told me was the best" are Mares, Cressi, Oceanic and Aqualung etc