<<RANT ON>>
Let's try a little perspective here.
First of all, those who are convinced the LDS is there to rip 'em off aren't going to be convinced of the necessity of VIPs, annual or bi-annual manufacturer recommended servicing, corrosion control, instructor good will, technician competence or anything else good about the retail side of the industry. For them the LDS exists to extract as much money for as little service as possible, with the least effort and with disdain for the customer's well being.
So why bother trying to convince 'em? It's a waste of time. Just smile and take their money, or, if they whine too much, send 'em on down the road or to the internet service shop in the sky. Whatever you do, don't devalue your time or skill in an attempt to appease them; they'll just want more and more for less and less until you're out of business.
As for me, there are reasonable service and NDI precautions to take with equipment that can either fail explosively topside, or with life threatening results to the user underwater. I am going to personally ensure that my equipment is inspected on a reguar basis and properly serviced. Because I have a bunch of tanks I've taken the time to learn how to conduct a competent inspection myself, and I do my own. I also service my own regs and other equipment - because I'm cheap. But I make sure the service and the inspections are done - on time and in spec. Sometimes I don't have time to do it all myself and I pay someone else to do it. I don't expect to find any defects of consequence during any of these inspections and service cycles, because I take good care of my gear, but I do not skip them because of it. When I have someone else do the work I pay them for a good job and I don't expect a cut rate.
Is all this inspecting and servicing necessary? Probably not. When I was young and immortal I used the same Conshelf for over two decades before the exhaust valve finally disintegrated to the point I was getting more water than air and decided it was time for service, but during those two decades I did inspect it regularly, make sure it was cared for well and free of corrosion. Now that reg gets an annual, 'cause I've gotten old and mortal.
The inspection cycles we use today are there to catch the lowest common denominator, to prevent that one in 10,000 chance that skipping it will result in serious injury or death, so the odds are pretty good that you can double or triple or quadruple the interval and never have a problem. Probably.
But, even though it's probably perfectly safe, I ain't filling your tank without a current hydro and VIP, and even though it's definitely safe, I don't expect anyone else to fill mine without a current hydro and VIP.
In addition to that, I ain't teaching you or your children or your friends to dive in equipment out of date on its manufacturer's recommended service and I won't take a class from an instructor that accepts the use of equipment not in service.
I don't care where you get the work done, as long as it's done. VIPing tanks and servicing regs and BCs ain't "rocket science" so it's no big deal to seek out and get the training needed to take care of it yourself if you don't feel the LDS is giving you your money's worth, so don't whine about it. Buy the training and the tools and do it yourself. And document it. That's fine with me.
What isn't fine with me is "it's a rip off so I didn't have it done."
<<RANT OFF>>
Y'all have fun now, y'hear!
Rick
Let's try a little perspective here.
First of all, those who are convinced the LDS is there to rip 'em off aren't going to be convinced of the necessity of VIPs, annual or bi-annual manufacturer recommended servicing, corrosion control, instructor good will, technician competence or anything else good about the retail side of the industry. For them the LDS exists to extract as much money for as little service as possible, with the least effort and with disdain for the customer's well being.
So why bother trying to convince 'em? It's a waste of time. Just smile and take their money, or, if they whine too much, send 'em on down the road or to the internet service shop in the sky. Whatever you do, don't devalue your time or skill in an attempt to appease them; they'll just want more and more for less and less until you're out of business.
As for me, there are reasonable service and NDI precautions to take with equipment that can either fail explosively topside, or with life threatening results to the user underwater. I am going to personally ensure that my equipment is inspected on a reguar basis and properly serviced. Because I have a bunch of tanks I've taken the time to learn how to conduct a competent inspection myself, and I do my own. I also service my own regs and other equipment - because I'm cheap. But I make sure the service and the inspections are done - on time and in spec. Sometimes I don't have time to do it all myself and I pay someone else to do it. I don't expect to find any defects of consequence during any of these inspections and service cycles, because I take good care of my gear, but I do not skip them because of it. When I have someone else do the work I pay them for a good job and I don't expect a cut rate.
Is all this inspecting and servicing necessary? Probably not. When I was young and immortal I used the same Conshelf for over two decades before the exhaust valve finally disintegrated to the point I was getting more water than air and decided it was time for service, but during those two decades I did inspect it regularly, make sure it was cared for well and free of corrosion. Now that reg gets an annual, 'cause I've gotten old and mortal.
The inspection cycles we use today are there to catch the lowest common denominator, to prevent that one in 10,000 chance that skipping it will result in serious injury or death, so the odds are pretty good that you can double or triple or quadruple the interval and never have a problem. Probably.
But, even though it's probably perfectly safe, I ain't filling your tank without a current hydro and VIP, and even though it's definitely safe, I don't expect anyone else to fill mine without a current hydro and VIP.
In addition to that, I ain't teaching you or your children or your friends to dive in equipment out of date on its manufacturer's recommended service and I won't take a class from an instructor that accepts the use of equipment not in service.
I don't care where you get the work done, as long as it's done. VIPing tanks and servicing regs and BCs ain't "rocket science" so it's no big deal to seek out and get the training needed to take care of it yourself if you don't feel the LDS is giving you your money's worth, so don't whine about it. Buy the training and the tools and do it yourself. And document it. That's fine with me.
What isn't fine with me is "it's a rip off so I didn't have it done."
<<RANT OFF>>
Y'all have fun now, y'hear!
Rick
