Yearly maintenance

[redacted]

I already have a backup rig, and that rig, unused most of the time, still get the factory recommended schedule maintenance.

So that means I'm out $140 a year. Damn, just imagine all the honeys that I could have bought booze for in a bar for that chunk of change. And my LDS is now vacationing in Monaco, cruisin' around in his Rolls and gambling at the Monte Carlo.

And that is why my 8 active rigs get inspected often and maintained, by me, when they need it. Probably costs me less than $40 per year total. The other $500 goes to some diver operator(s) for enjoyable diving rather than unnecessary regulator service.

If you would like to make charitable donations, that is fine. In fact, I really appreciate it as it makes it that much easier for me to buy gas. Can you deduct that donation to your LDS?

I have no objection to divers choosing annual maintenance if they are doing so based on knowledge and understanding ( of their gear and their limitations). I try to do what I can so divers are not deceived and coerced into paying for mostly unnecessary annual maintenance.

 

[millermil121]

The only thing stupider than having no plan to service your regulator is the idea of servicing it at some fixed time interval with no other consideration. Makes a bit more sense to me to service it after some number of dives as usage has a greater impact than storage under proper conditions for reasonable periods of time. Sure, o-rings and seats take a set which make lead to sealing failures. Such failures can be expected to start as a small problems and increase with further usage. Sure, some soft components can degrade over time but that time is on the order of 5 years or more; not 1 or 2 years.

Whatever method you select to maintain your regs, if you couple that with simple inspections and basic performance tests, a diver can expect to avoid most potential major problems.
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[Thalassamania]

It's rather simple, you replace various soft parts when you find, upon your dive day inspection that they need replacement. You disassemble, replace parts and adjust the second stage when it does not breathe as well as you'd like. You disassemble the first stage and replace internal parts when you start to see changes in the IP, either a failure to return solidly to the proper IP, or IP creep. There is not need for an every-so-many dives or every-so-many months plan per se ... regulators give you LOTS of warning when they go south.

 

[DCBC]

it's rather simple, you replace various soft parts when you find, upon your dive day inspection that they need replacement. You disassemble, replace parts and adjust the second stage when it does not breathe as well as you'd like. You disassemble the first stage and replace internal parts when you start to see changes in the ip, either a failure to return solidly to the proper ip, or ip creep. There is not need for an every-so-many dives or every-so-many months plan per se ... Regulators give you lots of warning when they go south.

well said.

 

[redacted]

It's rather simple, you replace various soft parts when you find, upon your dive day inspection that they need replacement. You disassemble, replace parts and adjust the second stage when it does not breathe as well as you'd like. You disassemble the first stage and replace internal parts when you start to see changes in the IP, either a failure to return solidly to the proper IP, or IP creep. There is not need for an every-so-many dives or every-so-many months plan per se ... regulators give you LOTS of warning when they go south.

One exception to the graceful failure is after a service involving a service error or the introduction of a defective part. Things can go south in a hurry in that case. One incident that was posted on this board a few years ago resulted in the LP hose of the primary coming loose from the 2nd stage during a dive in Cozumel. This was right after service and the most likely cause was a failure of the tech to properly tighten all connections. Of course, it was exacerbated by the diver attempting to fix the leak at depth. The fix at depth is possible but the gas must be turned off and reg depressurized to prevent damage to the o-ring. This is probably one that is best to get with buddy and safely take it to the surface if unsure what to do.

 

[fnfalman]

It's rather simple, you replace various soft parts when you find, upon your dive day inspection that they need replacement. You disassemble, replace parts and adjust the second stage when it does not breathe as well as you'd like. You disassemble the first stage and replace internal parts when you start to see changes in the IP, either a failure to return solidly to the proper IP, or IP creep. There is not need for an every-so-many dives or every-so-many months plan per se ... regulators give you LOTS of warning when they go south.

Very sensible and logical.

HOWEVER, for those of us who like to spend our money frivolously and needlessly...so what? It's our monies and it's our gears. If we want to take them to the shop on a weekly basis for inspection and service, then that's what we do. Whatever it takes for OUR feeling of fuzzy warmth and comfort.

 

[martzak]

Very sensible and logical.

HOWEVER, for those of us who like to spend our money frivolously and needlessly...so what? ...QUOTE]

There is no rational response to that argument. You win.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It's rather simple, you replace various soft parts when you find, upon your dive day inspection that they need replacement. You disassemble, replace parts and adjust the second stage when it does not breathe as well as you'd like. You disassemble the first stage and replace internal parts when you start to see changes in the IP, either a failure to return solidly to the proper IP, or IP creep. There is not need for an every-so-many dives or every-so-many months plan per se ... regulators give you LOTS of warning when they go south.

Currently, I have two back gas regs, a pair of stage regs, a pair of deco regs and a "spare" first and second set up as a stage reg that normally gets used on a buddy bottle on dives with only 2 team members.

That is seven regulators and it grows to nine regs when you consider the sig others back gas regs. If I had to pay a shop for annual service for 18 stages at $25 each plus $15-$20 each in parts, that would cost me upwards of $750 per year.

I also tend to work as a tech which solves the labor cost problem, but it means my preference is not to work on my own regs just for fun and in some cases the regs are not under warranty so there is still the parts cost. I agree that if properly rinsed, maintained and stored, it is actual use that causes wear in the reg.

Consequently my focus is on proper preventative maintenence and pre-dive trip bench checks on all of the regs becomes Plan A. Plan B is the spare first and second that can quickly be switched out with any reg that fails the on-site pre dive inspection. Plan C is a small water proof box with the tools and parts kits needed to rebuild any of the regs that may go south during the trip. To date, I have never had to go farther than a minor second stage adjustment at the pre-dive phase as the potential problems tend to get identified and prevented prior to the trip and the reg gets rebuilt when signs of an impending problem begin to surface.

Given the short duration of use on the deco and stage regs, careful maintence and proper storage, they actually go a few years between annual services and then often get done just because it has been a few years. The back gas regs, due to the higher usage do pretty much stay on an annual service schedule, getting done towards the end of the season each October and that seems to work well in terms of the number of dives they will manage before starting to show signs of wear in terms of IP swing changes, IP creep, etc.

 

[redacted]

Very sensible and logical.

HOWEVER, for those of us who like to spend our money frivolously and needlessly...so what? It's our monies and it's our gears. If we want to take them to the shop on a weekly basis for inspection and service, then that's what we do. Whatever it takes for OUR feeling of fuzzy warmth and comfort.

No one is trying to tell you that you can not be as stupid as you want with your money. Use it in lieu of TP if you would like. But how about if you stop introducing this silly idea to a serious discussion about regulator service. It is not at all helpful.

 

[DCBC]

Very sensible and logical.

HOWEVER, for those of us who like to spend our money frivolously and needlessly...so what? It's our monies and it's our gears. If we want to take them to the shop on a weekly basis for inspection and service, then that's what we do. Whatever it takes for OUR feeling of fuzzy warmth and comfort.

You are totally correct. However as I personally don't have unlimited funds, I can't help but remember what my father told me when I was young; "A fool and his money will soon be parted..."