What regulator Kills the most divers?

[Fish_Whisperer]

I watched my instructor work on my Sea Elite Tek X regs. He opened them up, got the grains of sand out of them, inspected the various pieces, pressure checked the reg... He did a careful, thorough job, and with full confidence, I would hop in the ocean with my regs right now.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Now you said 5000 hours, not 3000 miles. The consumer reports also did the sceintific research with NY taxies. There are no difference between 3000 and 7500 mile oil change interval. For you reference, Mercedez recommends at 7500-mile intervals for gasoline engines and 5000-mile intervals for pre-1995 diesel engines. Bimmer also recommends oil changes at very long intervals – 15,000 miles using synthetic motor oil 5000 miles with a general motor oil. I don't think they know what they are doing...

Oil does not lose it's lubricating properties. The additives in the oil do become exhausted; the detergents and other things pick up and hold in suspension carbon and other combustion by-products. My 1990 Volvo 740 Turbo manual states 5000 mile oil change intervals.

Have you noticed that the word "virgin" is no longer printed on the oil containers? The oil cans used to state "100% virgin motor oil." Hmmm; could it be that the oil is re-refined?

 

[Web Monkey]

Is there any proof that the maintenance schedules for regulators make our equipment any safer?

If you don't service it, it will eventually fail.

Shouldn't the service schedule be based on number of dives or cubic feet of air as well as (or instead of) some arbitrary position of the earth around the sun?

I suspect that "How poorly it was treated" (rinsed while open, left to dry without rinsing, beatup in a car trunk, etc.) has more of an effect than time, however an annual or semi-annual requirement will at least get it inspected on a regular basis.

So far, My experience is that regulators malfunction more often as a result of a service technician making a mistake than from not servicing the equipment. Servicing regulators clearly causes them to fail. I will never again take a regulator on an airplane before taking it into a pool after it has been serviced.

Good idea. Check everything. Sometimes BCs turn up with missing gaskets on the dump valve, etc.

I do change the oil in my car every 3000 miles. This frequency was determined through a great deal of scientific failure research. I don't have my engine rebuilt every June because I bought the car that month.

If your car stalls, you can still breathe.

Terry

 

[diveman7683]

What I am looking for is the research that shows that the yearly service recommended by my LDS is something more than just witchcraft.

How about the fact to keep up with the warranty from the manufacturer you have to follow their recommendations for servicing. Same with a new car, you have to follow their recommendations too.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Regulators don't kill people...people kill people.

No, wait, that's guns.

 

[superstar]

Regulators don't kill people...people kill people.

No, wait, that's guns.

and cattle boats

 

[Jeff Toorish]

and cattle boats

excellent point!

 

[divermike86]

from working in a store, if you come in on a regular basis, such as to get air, we will normaly ask you to bring in your reg so we can check it out for you...i've never charged a person for this service...it's no different than car service...if you buy gas from the same station and the guys who work there get to know you, they'll remind you to "change your oil" usually while you're filling the tank, they'll take a look at your car...
the same with your reg...if you come in and get fills, we know you're diving and want to make sure you're safe.....
with the one year service interval, IMO the manufacturers are concerned about liability and if you haven't been diving, it forces the average person to revisit the shop and at least be made aware of refreshers...remember, if you haven't been diving in a year, we want to make sure you're safe where ever you're going....

 

[rockjock3]

Regulators don't kill people...people kill people.

No, wait, that's guns.

Ahhhhhhh. You beat me to it. Now I am going to have to become one of those people. :lurk2:

 

[Tom Smedley]

That regulator that does not remain in your mouth during a tight situation. That regulator that one abandons in a moment of impending panic. That - those - are the regulators that kill people. I once pulled two divers from the "Cave" at Morrison Springs. One had 1500 psi and one had 2100 psi in their tanks. The regulators were hanging - out of their mouths - on the end of their intermediate hoses. Tommy's number one rule of Scuba. "If you have air and you can breathe - you are OK!" was violated. That regulator in your mouth that is providing you air is the best there is.