Yearly gear service

[asp9208]

Ive had my diving gear for about a year and its time to get it serviced. But what all needs to be serviced and how often. I know my regs need to be serviced yearly but what about BC, Computer and even pressure and depth gauges. If it matters, I bought my gear used so I dont have a warranty.

 

[rollerboi]

Why do you say it's "time to get it serviced"? Are you going by the timeframe, or is your gear giving you indication of deteriorating performance?

And, having bought it used, was it ever serviced while in your possession? If the answer is no, I'd probably consider it on almost everything. A pressure gauge, maybe not (I am thinking of a brass SPG, bourdon tube, sealed). A computer, maybe so - I plan to switch out the battery in mine at the very least. BC? If you've been diligent about taking care of it, rinsing after dives and not letting mildew grow inside, I don't personally see a reason to service it. Check the dump valves and integrated weight pocket mechanisms.

If you have a concern, err on the side of safety and have it checked out.

 

[Scoobers]

Think of it like this, its your life support system so if your worried about it have it serviced. I know for myself I take my regs, guages and computer in every year even if they only have one dive on them. As for my BC I usually take it every 2 years.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

If you actually consider your gear "life support equipment", it would be wise to learn as much as possible about it, what the failure modes are, and how to diagnose any potential problems early. Scuba gear is simple and reliable, and "sudden" failure without any warning is rare. There is usually a performance loss, a small leak, visible damage, etc., before the BIG problem occurs, so learning as much as possible about your gear is highly worthwhile.

The regulator section of this board is a great resource for any questions you have about your regs; your BC should NOT require service except on an as-needed basis if you wash it properly (inside and out) and store it properly.

Service frequency really depends on factors such as frequency of use, the environment you use your gear in, and most important: How well you wash and store your gear. BC's for example can/should go for YEARS without any problems if you wash and store them properly. Potential problem spots are the inflator assembly and dump valves, but these are really simple devices and if you keep them clean, they will perform happily for years.

For most "active" divers (about 50 dives a year), regulators can go 2-3 years between rebuilds, but you do need to monitor their performance and do regular inspections (as in before each time you use them!) . Again, cruise on over to the regulator section of the board for advice and discussion on all things regulator

Or, you can take it in once a year, and hope you've chosen an good tech to work on it

Best wishes.

 

[asp9208]

When I say "time to get it serviced" I am simply going on time frame as everything is working fine though it has been sitting unused for two or three months. Though I know it was serviced just before I bought it, I will likely have it all serviced this year just for peace of mind. In this case I am really just looking to what is common practice in terms of service regularity. As for computer, do they actually service anything or just change the battery and if so why do I need to take it every year if its working ok.

 

[Scott L]

It never hurts to have an authorized LDS checkout the BCD at least every other year. IMO a garage is no place to store regs and BCD's...

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

When I say "time to get it serviced" I am simply going on time frame as everything is working fine though it has been sitting unused for two or three months. Though I know it was serviced just before I bought it, I will likely have it all serviced this year just for peace of mind. In this case I am really just looking to what is common practice in terms of service regularity. As for computer, do they actually service anything or just change the battery and if so why do I need to take it every year if its working ok.

If it was professionally serviced before you bought it, was not heavily used since, and it was working fine three months ago.... not time for a service yet. If everything appears to be functioning fine, you are good to go.

If you are concerned about it, have your LDS check it out for you (there should only be a minimal fee).... it should take all of 3 minutes to check the regs and BC.

Now, here is a more complete answer:

As far as service intervals, you'll find two very different "camps" here on scubaboard:

1. Get it serviced annually, no matter what, because you need to in order to keep your warranty in place, and because it is life support!

Many (most?) divers fall into this group; this is what the manufacturer recommends and the dive shop pushes... there is nothing terribly wrong with this, but read on...

2. Inspect & test frequently, but service only when needed based on results of inspection / testing.

Group 2 tends to include the folks who've learned how to repair their own gear, regulator techs, etc. (In case you have not guessed, I'm a Group 2 guy )

There is nothing wrong with doing the annual service thing (assuming a competent tech), but the reality is that the Group 2 folks will actually have LESS failures than the Group 1 gang, because they are proactively inspecting and testing their equipment more often than once a year, and will probably find any problem early, before it becomes a REAL problem.

Best wishes.

 

[knowone]

Praise the lord for o ring shops and wrenches.

 

[Scuba.com]

Okay, NOT speaking as a dive shop employee here, but speaking as an aircraft mechanic and former technical director for a couple of manufacturers. The "it flew in, it'll fly out" mentality or "it worked fine yesterday" will lead you to some unpleasant results down the road. Your equipment might work perfectly well all the way up to the point that it fails. And it only has to fail once to at the very least scare the daylights out of you and at the worst, have some yucky results.

I'm not saying to be a freak and have it checked out constantly, but the advice of finding a technician you are comfortable with and having your gear checked out annually is sound advice. Keep in mind, regardless if you've ever had an issue in the "something-odd" years you've been a diver, it is generally recognized that your gear sitting unused is generally equally in need of being checked as if it were diving every week. Maybe more so. O-rings get dried or flattened out and condensation can create moisture problems.

 

[spectrum]

Ive had my diving gear for about a year and its time to get it serviced. But what all needs to be serviced and how often. I know my regs need to be serviced yearly but what about BC, Computer and even pressure and depth gauges. If it matters, I bought my gear used so I dont have a warranty.

In general the regulator receives some sort of periodic service or inspection. Being out of warranty your decisions are simplified. There is some wisdom that suggests yearly. If you are slightly mechanically inclined and willing to make decisions this checklist may be helpful in determining when attention is really needed.

The BC can be inspected but no wear parts get replaced as a matter of course. Most divers just monitor inflator valve the behavior. If you store it somewhat inflated then it's ability to hold air is self checking.

The computer service would be limited to battery change on demand of before a big trip if borderline. '

The analog instruments would get a cursory inspection with the regulator.

Correct cleaning is important as getting the right service.

Pete