Servicing Regulators

[Moonfuzzy]

Soo... I'd like to start servicing my own regulators. I'm not sure how to get from here to there so I'm hoping for some advice

I'm wanting to learn about my dive rite regs for now, since I have about 10 of them and they all need to be serviced. (mostly 2100s or earlier models)

I know there are specialized tools, and I'm happy to pick up what I need. I like tools so I'm looking forward to having new toys. It looks like you need to be blessed by someone to get a manual.

I've opened up a reg or two in my day, but never did any work on them, so I'd like a full walk through and would prefer some sort of official training/certification...

[vicp]

Soo... I'd like to start servicing my own regulators. I'm not sure how to get from here to there so I'm hoping for some advice

I'm wanting to learn about my dive rite regs for now, since I have about 10 of them and they all need to be serviced. (mostly 2100s or earlier models)

I know there are specialized tools, and I'm happy to pick up what I need. I like tools so I'm looking forward to having new toys. It looks like you need to be blessed by someone to get a manual.

I've opened up a reg or two in my day, but never did any work on them, so I'd like a full walk through and would prefer some sort of official training/certification...

Best bet may be to take the HOG (Highly Optimized Gear) regulator servicing class (TDI) - get the Vance Harlow and Regulator Savvy books along with the tools that the course requires. You will be able to rebuild the HOG regs and I am sure transfer most of that knowledge and experience to service your Dive Rite regs.

[Dsix36]

Consider yourself blessed by Dsix!

MANUALS

[nakatomi]

Best bet may be to take the HOG (Highly Optimized Gear) regulator servicing class (TDI) - get the Vance Harlow and Regulator Savvy books along with the tools that the course requires. You will be able to rebuild the HOG regs and I am sure transfer most of that knowledge and experience to service your Dive Rite regs.

That is great advice! Having someone to show you the little tricks involved with servicing regs is perfect. It's about the right amount of torque, the right amount of (christo)lube on the proper spots and not losing any small parts in the process- - or having leftovers...
The last act is the fine art of tuning the regs to perform properly for you.
It's a lot of fun and the more help you get initially, the less costly your path will become...

[hpdiver1100]

Thanks so much!

Consider yourself blessed by Dsix!

MANUALS

[scubadude]

You won't be sorry you pursued this!
Good advice above, get the books.
Start looking around fleabay for a Magnehelic 1-3 inches of water range and also a good 0-200 psi range pressure gauge, you may want one that can do pressure and vacuum, but mine only does pressure, can be had for about $30-$50. I got a big Dwyer Spriahelic high accuracy gauge there for $30.00. These two devices will give you a head start that is above the basic tool kits. Tools can be had in various places at various price points. Some places sell complete kits for the Hog class. Also scubatools.com is good (pricey on some stuff, but nice stuff). If you look around you can get setup less that expensively than the ready to go kits.
If you are doing Dive Rites or Hogs you won't need any model/brand specific specialty tools like some other models.

[Moonfuzzy]

Consider yourself blessed by Dsix!

MANUALS

Nice! Thanks

I went by Dive Rite today and got info from them to get into a training they run on my regs. I couldn't find anything about it on their website but they were helpful in person. I think I'll start there since it covers most of the regs I have now.

I'll take a look at those books and start hunting down the tools

[Xaryo]

Thanks Don

[Sludge]

You don't get good at regs until you've built a hundred or so, and you don't stay good unless you do a hundred or so every year. But that's just my opinion - I could be wrong.

Actually, if you have a lot of regs and hate paying a chunk of change to get them serviced, I fully understand wanting to learn to do them yourself. But read my first sentence.

[fno]

Sludge, your thoughts are why I recycle regs on Ebay. I can rebuild a Poseidon and or Scubapro on a given day with the manual in hand. Do I do it every other weekend? No I do not, so I acknowledge I am not an expert. Is it hard to service a Scuba first stage? No, not at all. Second stage, better know your procedures. I would rather use a reg for a few years, sell it and get a new one. Kinda like how cars used to be bought and sold. Some bought a new ride every year or two and took a hit on the trade. Others keep the car for 15 years and run up 250,000 miles. Who is the winner, both are for different reasons, as long as the car does not stop running at the bottom of a river crossing (unlikely, but an example of the difference in my analogy)