testing brand new regulators prior to use?

[OkByMe]

I took my brand new SP MK25/G260 plus all the other pieces (octo, SPG, LP hose) to my LDS to see how much work it would be to put everything together. I was quoted $110 to hook everything up, check IP, and do a "bubble test."

The price seems a little excessive, but that's only secondary to my question, which is whether or not a brand new regulator and attachments should be tested prior to first use? I was planning to rent a tank and use my own IP gauge and bath tub to test it out at home.

I don't know if you have seen this site or not, but this will give you an idea of the scope by which you may be called upon to tune your gear. Although it is more tech than rec, the principles are the same.

Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers

 

[redacted]

sorry but have to disagree on this...Proper instruction during a simple ow course is not just to teach the student how to dive but to inform them on what type of gear could be appropriate for their use. What is so wrong with being able to sell and supply this gear?
Educate them on what is available and explain benefits and features so that they purchase gear that fits their needs and fits right the first time. Without sales for the facility an instructor will not have many classes to teach and the facility will close down. If there are no sales of gear, just classes, everyone purchases elsewhere but the LDS, the price for a ow class can easily double or triple and become a big barrier to many just to enter the activity.
Just look at how expensive it is to take a tech type class or get a rebreather certification. Is it because of the time it takes to actually do a class? No its not.. Its because a big part of it is there are actually so few in the activity.
Less people in the activity the cost for those still in it will rise..Gear will cost more because less of it will a have to be produced, many manufacturers will go out of business as they cannot sell enough of product to survive, less divers on a boat so costs per person for a boat ride to sites goes up.
Look at it from a store owners perspective. There are 3 instructors that teach for a LDS. Two of them constantly are able to get their students to purchase at a minimum a wet suit and usually out of a class of 4 students at least 1 of them purchase a gear package of regulator/bcd/computer.Same 2 instructors arrange island trips and local dives. The other instructor almost never get any students into a wetsuit, let alone any gear sales. All 3 instructors extremely experienced and capable. WHO do you think will get the most classes assigned? Owning a LDS is a business and needs to be run as such to survive . Teaching and sales definitely belong together in this activity.

A very good reason to seek out independent instructors who will spend the training time the student is paying them for teaching them what they need to learn to be certified and not slipping in shop advertisements at the students' expense.

Or find a shop where the best instructors, not the best salesmen get to do most of the training. I'm sure there must be some that work that way.

 

[FM1520]

sorry but have to disagree on this...Proper instruction during a simple ow course is not just to teach the student how to dive but to inform them on what type of gear could be appropriate for their use. What is so wrong with being able to sell and supply this gear?
Educate them on what is available and explain benefits and features so that they purchase gear that fits their needs and fits right the first time. Without sales for the facility an instructor will not have many classes to teach and the facility will close down. If there are no sales of gear, just classes, everyone purchases elsewhere but the LDS, the price for a ow class can easily double or triple and become a big barrier to many just to enter the activity.
Just look at how expensive it is to take a tech type class or get a rebreather certification. Is it because of the time it takes to actually do a class? No its not.. Its because a big part of it is there are actually so few in the activity.
Less people in the activity the cost for those still in it will rise..Gear will cost more because less of it will a have to be produced, many manufacturers will go out of business as they cannot sell enough of product to survive, less divers on a boat so costs per person for a boat ride to sites goes up.
Look at it from a store owners perspective. There are 3 instructors that teach for a LDS. Two of them constantly are able to get their students to purchase at a minimum a wet suit and usually out of a class of 4 students at least 1 of them purchase a gear package of regulator/bcd/computer.Same 2 instructors arrange island trips and local dives. The other instructor almost never get any students into a wetsuit, let alone any gear sales. All 3 instructors extremely experienced and capable. WHO do you think will get the most classes assigned? Owning a LDS is a business and needs to be run as such to survive . Teaching and sales definitely belong together in this activity.

I agree from the LDS's perspective. But from the student's perspective its much better to wait and rent for a while until you know what you really want or need. Additionally, a lot LDS's
only carry a limited number of brands/styles - a new diver doesn't know what they don't know.

 

[halocline]

While this is getting off topic, I also agree that the quality of dive instruction is likely to improve when it is not treated as a loss leader simply to build a market for a shop's gear sales. I also agree that regardless of the 'fairness' (or lack thereof) of dive shops doing something for a new customer for free, it's simply bad business to deny someone this service, especially for the juvenile reasons that have been presented. (Really, you're so worried about 'liability' of scratching a regulator that you refuse to touch it? Oh brother....)

Here's an alternate experience; the guy brings the regulator in, the shop hooks it up to a tank, checks for vacuum, turns on the air, takes a breath or two, checks the IP, turns off the air, watches the pressure gauge, then simply says to the guy, "looks okay to me, let us know if we can do anything for you." Now you've actually given a local diver a sense that you're there to help him, and what did it cost? Zippo, and about 2 minutes of your time, a VERY MEAGER INVESTMENT in a high-probability return. Any sales enthusiast (where's the beav when you need him?) would say that's a smart move, and doing the opposite is, to repeat myself, idiotic.

 

[ams511]

sorry but have to disagree on this...Proper instruction during a simple ow course is not just to teach the student how to dive but to inform them on what type of gear could be appropriate for their use. What is so wrong with being able to sell and supply this gear?
Educate them on what is available and explain benefits and features so that they purchase gear that fits their needs and fits right the first time. Without sales for the facility an instructor will not have many classes to teach and the facility will close down. If there are no sales of gear, just classes, everyone purchases elsewhere but the LDS, the price for a ow class can easily double or triple and become a big barrier to many just to enter the activity.
Just look at how expensive it is to take a tech type class or get a rebreather certification. Is it because of the time it takes to actually do a class? No its not.. Its because a big part of it is there are actually so few in the activity.
Less people in the activity the cost for those still in it will rise..Gear will cost more because less of it will a have to be produced, many manufacturers will go out of business as they cannot sell enough of product to survive, less divers on a boat so costs per person for a boat ride to sites goes up.
Look at it from a store owners perspective. There are 3 instructors that teach for a LDS. Two of them constantly are able to get their students to purchase at a minimum a wet suit and usually out of a class of 4 students at least 1 of them purchase a gear package of regulator/bcd/computer.Same 2 instructors arrange island trips and local dives. The other instructor almost never get any students into a wetsuit, let alone any gear sales. All 3 instructors extremely experienced and capable. WHO do you think will get the most classes assigned? Owning a LDS is a business and needs to be run as such to survive . Teaching and sales definitely belong together in this activity.

You forgot to mention who is going to fill my tank when all the dive shops go out of business. I am sorry but your analysis is just plain wrong on so many levels.

The internet is affecting businesses is many ways. Old business models become obsolete and new models are born. If you and your shop want to stick to an outdated model then be my guest, but do you think the future holds more or less online gear sales? I used to go to the Best Buy several times a month, I have not been inside their stores for close to 5 years now. Why? I can get better unbiased advice on the net and a cheaper price from an online retailer. No sales tax is just icing on the cake. If Best Buy wants $200 more for the same receiver than an online dealer they lose my sale, plain and simple. The same thing happens with dive shops, trying to stop it is pointless.

The whole "I trained you so be loyal and buy from me" is ridiculous. Other industries believe in earning a client's business, why is the dive industry so special that shops expect to be "gifted" business? Where does this sense of entitlement come from?

By the way, my driving instructor was not an automobile dealership was yours?

 

[elan]

Selling gear to studens - nothing wrong, making dramas and trying to "punish" them if they buy gear elsewhere is wrong.

sorry but have to disagree on this...Proper instruction during a simple ow course is not just to teach the student how to dive but to inform them on what type of gear could be appropriate for their use. What is so wrong with being able to sell and supply this gear?
Educate them on what is available and explain benefits and features so that they purchase gear that fits their needs and fits right the first time. Without sales for the facility an instructor will not have many classes to teach and the facility will close down. If there are no sales of gear, just classes, everyone purchases elsewhere but the LDS, the price for a ow class can easily double or triple and become a big barrier to many just to enter the activity.
Just look at how expensive it is to take a tech type class or get a rebreather certification. Is it because of the time it takes to actually do a class? No its not.. Its because a big part of it is there are actually so few in the activity.
Less people in the activity the cost for those still in it will rise..Gear will cost more because less of it will a have to be produced, many manufacturers will go out of business as they cannot sell enough of product to survive, less divers on a boat so costs per person for a boat ride to sites goes up.
Look at it from a store owners perspective. There are 3 instructors that teach for a LDS. Two of them constantly are able to get their students to purchase at a minimum a wet suit and usually out of a class of 4 students at least 1 of them purchase a gear package of regulator/bcd/computer.Same 2 instructors arrange island trips and local dives. The other instructor almost never get any students into a wetsuit, let alone any gear sales. All 3 instructors extremely experienced and capable. WHO do you think will get the most classes assigned? Owning a LDS is a business and needs to be run as such to survive . Teaching and sales definitely belong together in this activity.

 

[Joe Bailey]

I took my brand new SP MK25/G260 plus all the other pieces (octo, SPG, LP hose) to my LDS to see how much work it would be to put everything together. I was quoted $110 to hook everything up, check IP, and do a "bubble test."

The price seems a little excessive, but that's only secondary to my question, which is whether or not a brand new regulator and attachments should be tested prior to first use? I was planning to rent a tank and use my own IP gauge and bath tub to test it out at home.

Total rip off! At my shop if you buy it from us we assemble it for free. If it came from elsewhere though, there would be a $20 tune fee, but that quote sounds more like a rebuild.

 

[Zung]

... Here's an alternate experience; the guy brings the regulator in, the shop hooks it up to a tank, checks for vacuum, turns on the air, takes a breath or two, checks the IP, turns off the air, watches the pressure gauge, then simply says to the guy, "looks okay to me, let us know if we can do anything for you." Now you've actually given a local diver a sense that you're there to help him, and what did it cost? Zippo, and about 2 minutes of your time, a VERY MEAGER INVESTMENT in a high-probability return. Any sales enthusiast (where's the beav when you need him?) would say that's a smart move, and doing the opposite is, to repeat myself, idiotic.

A true story: quite a few moons ago, I went to a dive shop looking for a light. The wife used the opportunity to show the owner hers, saying it was using up the batteries way too fast. The guy looked at it and said: "This is totally crap, you must have bought it from a competitor. Look, I take it back under warranty, give you a full refund you can use to buy a good light from me."

I buy everything from that shop ever since.