Why Service the regs?? (when new ones are so cheap)

[vimaldude]

I have used my Aeris A1 reg for last 2 years for about 60 dives. I took it for servicing today and it is going to cost me about $85 (both stages + octo + parts). I do about 40 dives a year and if I follow the recommended yearly service interval, then it would cost me about $170 for 2 years (for about 80 dives total).

I saw the same reg selling for about $170 new online.

My question is:
Does it make sense to even service the regs? I can use it for 2 years and then buy a new one for the same price that it would cost me to service it!!.

Vimal.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

For cheapo regs like that, that is a valid question.

 

[300bar]

For me it does,diving Atomic Ti1.
At your price level a new one might be cheaper,even could make some profit selling the old one.

 

[snowflake4727]

Although 85 for servicing is a very good price.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

My question is:
Does it make sense to even service the regs? I can use it for 2 years and then buy a new one for the same price that it would cost me to service it!!.

Vimal.

Interesting question. For entry-level regs, it does seem that you can turn around and sell them after about 2 years for close to what you paid for them.

I currently have eight sets of regulators to maintain for my family, and for that reason learned to do the repairs myself. Parts are inexpensive, and "annual" servicing is now done "when needed" instead of yearly.... which means maybe every 3 years.

So now I'm the guy who buys regs for $60 -$150 on ebay that originally cost about $450 - $750, rebuilds them, and has a top-of-the-line regulator for an entry-level price

Best wishes.

 

[vimaldude]

Interesting question. For entry-level regs, it does seem that you can turn around and sell them after about 2 years for close to what you paid for them.

I currently have eight sets of regulators to maintain for my family, and for that reason learned to do the repairs myself. Parts are inexpensive, and "annual" servicing is now done "when needed" instead of yearly.... which means maybe every 3 years.

So now I'm the guy who buys regs for $60 -$150 on ebay that originally cost about $450 - $750, rebuilds them, and has a top-of-the-line regulator for an entry-level price

Best wishes.

That sounds cool. I am going to go thorough this thread learning about servicing my own regs. Except for the "moving" parts, these regs are built to last. Ebay sound like a good option. Thanks.

 

[freedc]

I paid $75 for a used reg and will probably pay $75 for service. I thought $150 would be a good price, but this is an interesting question. I definitely would not be comfortable servicing my own regulator, given that it's a life support system and all.

What about getting service every two years instead of every year? Is it like dentist visits and oil changes, where the people selling you the service tell you need to go every 6 months, 3,000 miles and you really are ok if you go every year and 5,000 miles?

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I paid $75 for a used reg and will probably pay $75 for service. I thought $150 would be a good price, but this is an interesting question. I definitely would not be comfortable servicing my own regulator, given that it's a life support system and all.

What about getting service every two years instead of every year? Is it like dentist visits and oil changes, where the people selling you the service tell you need to go every 6 months, 3,000 miles and you really are ok if you go every year and 5,000 miles?

Hi freedc,

The annual service interval is a "hot button" topic. I'm going to answer in a roundabout fashion, so be patient :

"Life Support" is a term that typically gets tossed around by those who do not service regs themselves, or those who have a financial interest in servicing them. It is used by dive shops and manufacturers. It's purpose does seem to be to instill fear rather than knowledge.

Like all mechanical devices, regulators will eventually need service. But when might that actually be? Every 6 months, 1 year , 2, 3, 5 ???

This thread is a great starting place for determining that for yourself:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/260452-regulator-checklist-inspection.html

How frequently you need to service a regulator will mostly depend on how often it is used, the environment it is used in, and proper cleaning and storage more than a set time period. If you take good, careful "care" of your regulator, and perform the non-invasive inspections and tests outline in the link above, you'll know when it is time for a service... long before any "failure" occurs. You'll be able to observe slight changes in performance and intermediate pressure, and know what those changes indicate.

How hard is it to service regs yourself? Not hard at all. You do need some very basic mechanical ability. Someone on this board (Thal?) compared the skill needed to repair a regulator to that needed to replace the internal plumbing in a typical toilet. That comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek I believe.... because I think if you are a wiz at plumbing you are over-qualified for regulator repair; I have a much harder time fixing a leaking toilet than I do a freeflowing regulator

You will probably need to invest in some tools (depending on the reg), gauges to measure intermediate pressure and maybe cracking pressure. Manuals for the specific regulator you are servicing are really helpful, but often not 100% necessary (after you've worked on a few with similar design).

Best wishes.

 

[scubafanatic]

....why are you thinking of servicing it annually anyway ? At 40 dives/yr you can easily go 2-3 yrs between 'annuals', assuming you're reasonably careful with your regs....warranty isn't an issue, not with a disposable reg, so no need to service it annually to maintain the warranty.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

That sounds cool. I am going to go thorough this thread learning about servicing my own regs. Except for the "moving" parts, these regs are built to last. Ebay sound like a good option. Thanks.

Some really good deals can be found on ebay... and some not-so-good deals.

My advice is to do your research first: Which reg do you want? What does it sell for new? Can you get parts and service for it locally? Or will you be servicing it yourself (if so, be even more certain you can get parts for it)? Once you have all those questions answered for yourself, you more likely to buy the used reg you want, and get a great deal.

Best wishes.