Tuning a regulator??

[DavidHickey]

Just curious,
I'm new to diving and committed the Cardinal sin. I purchased a Apeks Black Pearl 1st and 2nd and a Apeks ATX 50 octo off the internet. "Mainly because my dive store did not carry the Black Pearl" Anyhow I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought the wife an ATX 200 with an ATX 50 at the LDS. They had to order the ATX 50 and she said when it comes in we need to bring the ATX 200 first and 2nd stage back so she can attach and tune the regulator. They know I bought mine online and are not happy at all about it. Is there really tuning required when getting a brand new regulator? Or is she trying to push the fact that since I did not buy from them my regulator is not ready to go. I basically hooked up my hoses per the Manufacturers torque Specs. Both the Black Pearl 1st and 2nd stage and the ATX 50 Octo I bought are brand new. Just wondering if I need to get them serviced and tuned or if they are factory set.
Thanks
DAvid

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Normally buying a first and second is fine as they will have bene tuned at the factory. Adding an octo is also normally fine as they are set to breathe a little harder anyway and are normally compatible with most first stages as they all stay in the same general IP range of 120 to 145 psi.

So it will probably work fine. But if it freeflows, it needs adjusted or if you are not happy with how it works it needs adjusted.

And in some cases, if the reg has sat for an extended period on a shelf somewhere, adjustment and sometimes a new seat in the second stage(s) is required.

Saving some bucks buying on-line may in the end cost you more long term if the shop is not impressed. Also having bought what you bought at the LDS would have put you pretty high on the list of being a good customer and they may have thrown some deals your way in addition to free adjustment, service etc, that you are now unlikely to receive.

 

[Azza]

Just curious,
I'm new to diving and committed the Cardinal sin. I purchased a Apeks Black Pearl 1st and 2nd and a Apeks ATX 50 octo off the internet. "Mainly because my dive store did not carry the Black Pearl" Anyhow I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought the wife an ATX 200 with an ATX 50 at the LDS. They had to order the ATX 50 and she said when it comes in we need to bring the ATX 200 first and 2nd stage back so she can attach and tune the regulator. They know I bought mine online and are not happy at all about it. Is there really tuning required when getting a brand new regulator? Or is she trying to push the fact that since I did not buy from them my regulator is not ready to go. I basically hooked up my hoses per the Manufacturers torque Specs. Both the Black Pearl 1st and 2nd stage and the ATX 50 Octo I bought are brand new. Just wondering if I need to get them serviced and tuned or if they are factory set.
Thanks
DAvid

I doubt very much that you need to tune it as this would have been done at the factory. However this is not hard to do if it needs to be done. If you are not confident to do this yourself then take it to another LDS and ask them to do it.

 

[diversteve]

I'd like to dissect your post and add comments if I may. More along the lines of your LDS experience than your regulator issues.

In the first place, why do you feel it's a "Cardinal Sin" to buy the Black Pearl on the Internet since your LDS doesn't even stock it. I don't see why they're not "happy at all" about it, except that they may have lost the opportunity to sell you something else. If this was such a large concern of theirs, my question to them would be: Why don't they carry the Black Pearl? If you were wanting one, certainly other people do (me for one - I just like the way it looks) so why don't they stock it? Good choice on the reg btw...

Don't they realize that by buying it you're now more committed to diving and are most certainly a future repeat customer for other expensive items? I wonder what percentage of new divers go through certification and then never dive again except at resorts using rentals? Or quit entirely after the first year like my first buddy.

If they're offering to setup your wife's regulator for free since you bought it from them, I'd let them. But not if they're going to use it to try to prove a point and make you feel uncomfortable. You're the one being inconvenienced since they had to order it, you now have to make two trips to get what you wanted from them. And a third if they don't do the setup at the time you return with the 200 when the 50 comes in.

You already setup yours so you know how simple it was and you bought all ATX products, so I don't know what setup is actually required. If they're doing it to make a point, it's lost on me what that point is. Don't they want you to be happy with any experience that you have with their store? Or are they not looking for your potential repeat/future business?

Obviously you're concerned enough with this situation to post here, so how does it make you feel? Will you continue to go there and be treated like that? I wouldn't...

I'm so tired of the LDS/Internet argument. The best retailers are those that adapt to changing conditions, the rest deserve to go the way of the dinosaurs. If an LDS has to survive by inflating prices then they need to look for other revenue sources. Part of being a successful business owner is to be willing to adapt to changing business conditions. If they're unable to do this, then they should fade away, as much as we all like the idea of having a local LDS to rely on, maybe in some markets it just doesn't make sense, diving is not exactly a sport participated in by a majority, if it was you'd see dive gear at Sports Authority and camera housings at Best Buy. (although I actually did see some tanks at S/A about 5 years ago, but they didn't have valves for safety reasons, which was stupid)

It's been my experience that there are plenty of people willing to pay LDS pricing on everything from equipment to dive trips to inflated prices for those accessories that the dive manufacturers have convinced us that we just can't live without.

The Internet has made a substantial change in they very way that all items are bought/sold in the last 1/2 dozen years, LDS's need to adapt just like every other retailer has had to.

Look at Scubatoys, they're a brick/mortar store in Dallas who are also very successful Internet retailers, they get the big picture. I buy from Scubatoys and would buy from Leisure Pro if they had what I wanted.

We have an LDS near where I live who gets it also, they've partnered up with an Internet distributor and feature their product line on the LDS's website. So their customers have the option to buy online or at the store locally. Another LDS on the far side of town advertises right on their website that they will match Internet prices, if they were closer I'd take them up on it. They've realized that they have to change their business model in order to survive and have obviously been able to do so.

For most other purchases don't most people shop around for the best price? Why is there some expectation that this shouldn't be the case for Scuba pricing. Aside from the gray market issues, I think it's a shame that manufacturers place warranty restrictions on items sold through the Internet, if it's a reputable dealer, they should license them and be glad of the additional, probably more significant revenue source. And realistically who's ever needed warranty service? I never have in 24 years of diving.

I bought an Atomic reg set a couple years ago at an annual sale for an LDS that I hardly ever go to, they're 40 miles across town. It was a good price and I'm a hands-on buyer when it comes to large purchases. They offered free setup and tuning if I would bring it back the following week after the sale. Which I did. I haven't been back there since then except once to look around. But I had a positive experience there and since they have by far the best selection in town, I recommend them to any divers I come in contact with.

For my last service, I took my reg to a nearby LDS that I've just started going to who are also an Atomic dealer. They serviced and returned it promptly with no comment on it's origin, even though they knew I didn't buy it from them. Why should they care? They made a profit on the service and certainly I'll go back there again.

my .02

Steve

 

[jerryn]

I have my Apeks regulators serviced by Glynn Palmer's Malibu Scuba Repair. He is a real pro and I have found that he is much more knowledgeable than many of the guys at the local LDS. You can call him up and talk with him about the regulator and then decide what to do. His web site is www.malibuscubarepair.com


Jerry

 

[jfoutz]

Just curious,
I'm new to diving and committed the Cardinal sin. I purchased a Apeks Black Pearl 1st and 2nd and a Apeks ATX 50 octo off the internet. "Mainly because my dive store did not carry the Black Pearl" Anyhow I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought the wife an ATX 200 with an ATX 50 at the LDS. They had to order the ATX 50 and she said when it comes in we need to bring the ATX 200 first and 2nd stage back so she can attach and tune the regulator. They know I bought mine online and are not happy at all about it. Is there really tuning required when getting a brand new regulator? Or is she trying to push the fact that since I did not buy from them my regulator is not ready to go. I basically hooked up my hoses per the Manufacturers torque Specs. Both the Black Pearl 1st and 2nd stage and the ATX 50 Octo I bought are brand new. Just wondering if I need to get them serviced and tuned or if they are factory set.
Thanks
DAvid

David,

You’ve committed no cardinal sin. I don’t know if Apeks sends their regs from the factory tuned or untuned. If they send them tuned, you’re golden. If they’re untuned, I would get them tuned. I would do so at another shop. (Does anyone on the board know if Apeks sends their regs tuned?)

Here’s my story: I got my last reg from ScubaToys. My LDS didn’t have it in stock (a Poseidon XStream Duration 90), and I wanted to save some money. Rather than act unhappy about it or cop an attitude or give me a lecture, my LDS took it from me and tuned and flowed it for free. (Poseidons come from the factory untuned.) Yeah, it didn’t hurt that I spent $3,400 with him that month, but I think he would have done it for free even if I hadn’t. He valued me as a customer and wanted to keep my business in the future. Guess what? I’ll probably buy my next reg from him as a result. (It seems like I’m always buying another freakin reg for tech diving… But I digress.)

Dive shops are retailers - their markup is typically 100% on equipment. If they value you as a customer, they will treat you with RESPECT and sincerity. My LDS charges MSRP on all equipment, period. But he’s very up front about that, and he works hard to earn my business by providing good advice and service. Be discriminating in who you buy scuba gear from, just as you would for any other major purchase. If possible, I recommend you ditch that LDS for someone who will treat you right.

Congratulations on the new gear, and good luck!

 

[tkrock]

I must say when I got my Apeks 3 yrs ago, it was already tuned out of the box. Now yes you could be picky and super fine tune it. All my LDS did was take it out of the box, add the octo I wanted which was ATX as well. Said here you go. Breathed fine since the first day and of course have had it serviced since.

 

[scubadobadoo]

David,

You’ve committed no cardinal sin. I don’t know if Apeks sends their regs from the factory tuned or untuned. If they send them tuned, you’re golden. If they’re untuned, I would get them tuned. I would do so at another shop. (Does anyone on the board know if Apeks sends their regs tuned?)

Here’s my story: I got my last reg from ScubaToys. My LDS didn’t have it in stock (a Poseidon XStream Duration 90), and I wanted to save some money. Rather than act unhappy about it or cop an attitude or give me a lecture, my LDS took it from me and tuned and flowed it for free. (Poseidons come from the factory untuned.) Yeah, it didn’t hurt that I spent $3,400 with him that month, but I think he would have done it for free even if I hadn’t. He valued me as a customer and wanted to keep my business in the future. Guess what? I’ll probably buy my next reg from him as a result. (It seems like I’m always buying another freakin reg for tech diving… But I digress.)

Dive shops are retailers - their markup is typically 100% on equipment. If they value you as a customer, they will treat you with RESPECT and sincerity. My LDS charges MSRP on all equipment, period. But he’s very up front about that, and he works hard to earn my business by providing good advice and service. Be discriminating in who you buy scuba gear from, just as you would for any other major purchase. If possible, I recommend you ditch that LDS for someone who will treat you right.

Congratulations on the new gear, and good luck!

AMEN! That's the way it should work! I agree! Times are changing. We are on the internet right NOW. If I had your LDS I would be very happy. I tend to think that if one is looking for answers online (here) then maybe they need to rethink if the LDS they use is providing them with the best service. Not always the case, but an interesting way to look at it. I hate when a LDS makes it seem like our relationship is a sacred marriage and internet retailers are like online porn!!! Okay, now I'm just being silly. Analagy boy to the rescue!!!!!! :11ztongue I assume I will be censored here so please forgive my foul thoughts.