How Much Does it Cost to Service a Regulator? | #scuba #askmark #Q&A | @Scuba Diver Magazine
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00:00 – Intro
00:44 – cleaning gear
04:12 – curved masks
08:26 – servicing costs
11:26 – gear recommendations
16:18 – Piston V Diaphragm
19:52 – Regulator care
Ivan Ibarra
#askmark
I have a white Xdeep Zen. ( looks nice but gets dirty ) The white Cordura got a little dirty. Can I use a shout detergent spot cleaner, water and a brush? What do you recommend to use? For the inside of the bladder to remove possible mold and growths. We Can’t get SeptiOne Material here in USA any other fungicidal/mold killer you recommend?
Dave's Radio Repairs
I'm still waiting for a mask with a wrap-around mask to give a 150 degree view or better…
I wonder why these mask companies are not putting research in a curve glass or plastic lens..?
Alexander Sasse
#askmark
Hi Mark, my local dive center, which usually always has the best prices, says that you have to pay for a regulator revision 140 € per second stage, so 280 € only for the second stages. Is this price normal? With that money, I could almost buy new regulators. How much should I pay for an revision when visiting a Certified Retailer?
TONKA45
#ASKMARK This is my list for beginner diver; as i am learning or thinking about. Plus if I want to advance I would hope this list will keep me up to date.?
please advise. Saving money & not want to make a costly mistake.
Cressi Calibro Mask
Apeks RK3 Fins Yellow
Scubapro Sport Steamer 5mm
Scubapro GO with AIR2 V GEN
Ale Correa
#askmark What are the practical differences between a mk25 and other scubapro diaphragm regs (like mk17/19)? And the maintenance cost of piston vs diaphragm? Thanks!!
adam collinge
#askmark on a 4 day liveaboard is it necessary to rinse regs off at the end of each day or the end of the trip ?
There is no way Id pay that much money for regulator service. In the states, you can ship your gear to Divers Supply for service. I havent done that, since my local shops are still reasonable…..for now anyway.
#askMark \
Hi Mark. Difficult question.
I’ve been diving with an old computer that a friend gave me a while ago but is time to get something a bit better.
I’m still on open circuit but I’m sure I want to follow the rebreather route on the next two or three years.
I also do other sports, and actually I’m starting to need a triathlon watch as well. So…
Shall I invest on a Perdix 2, knowing that when I eventually get a rebreather I’ll have to buy something similar again or pay to get it hardwired, or should I aim for something like a Peregrine and spend big money on a new one when I purchase the rebreather?
Or should I ditch the idea of a diving dedicated computer and look for something like the Garmin Decend Mk2 that I’ll use on my other sports as well?
Any other ideas?
It is a huge investment, and it’ll be even bigger in a few years time, so I’m quite undecided on what way should I follow…
Thanks for the help and congrats for the good work.
Might as well go for the Petrel 3 with the Fischer connector if you want the dive computer to connect to your rebreather.
On the other hand, if that’s not a requirement (rebreathers come with a PPO2 monitor), the Perdix 2 is CCR compatible (you just can’t monitor PPO2 with it). You won’t find a better/nicer dive computer than the Perdix 2.
I don’t think the Garmin Descent Mk2i is the best investment for either of the sports. There are other Garmin smartwatches that will do for triathlon what the Descent will do, and they’ll do it for a much lower price. Generally speaking it’s better to get separate gear for separate sports. You fall off your bike and ruin your Garmin Descent, and now you don’t have a dive computer either.
#askmark You get a lot of questions about long hoses and I would like to change my set up. Is this something you can do safely when using a custom mouthpiece like a Seacure? Thanks for all the great vids!
Followup, what is the bolt snap by the second stage for? #boltsnapseverywhere
@chris Whitpan Yes, you can do a long hose config with any mouthpiece. It may not be very comfortable for the person who ran out of breathing gas, but it will get them to the surface, and that’s what it’s supposed to do.
The bolt snap on the second stage (on the long hose) is so you can clip it off when you’re on the boat, so the second stage doesn’t hit the deck and get destroyed, or when you’re switching to your alternate, so the long hose doesn’t become a Na’vi sex appendage.
#AskMark
Hi Mark,
Hope that you are in the best of health. Thank you for your video on how to make a long hose reg.
I am looking to buy me a new BCD and want your advice and thought. As a diving instructor I am looking for something that can stand the test of time. One that I can use for training, teaching and every day dive.
I have 3 BCDs in mind:
1-Hollis HD200
2-Poseidon one harness and wing.
3-Apeks WTX harness with WTX D30 wing
Please advice. Any thoughts and ideas?
Much appreciated.
Regards
Let me complicate things further by suggesting you check out the XDeep Zen Standard.
Basically, every BP&W setup does the same thing. They consist of a harness, a plate, and a wing. Feature wise they’re 95% identical. That said, look if there are certain things that tickle your fancy, but keep in mind that additional accessories you may like from a particular brand will also work on a BP&W from another brand. You don’t need to get an Apeks for the Apeks cam bands or hose retainer. You can fit those to an XDeep, Hollis, or Poseidon as well.
I have an Apeks setup (SS backplate & WTX-D40 PSD) because I wanted the PSD version of the wing. That’s a feature only Apeks has at the moment. I would’ve gone for the WTX-D30 PSD, but the WTX-D40 PSD was only € 20 more at my LDS.
#askmark
Hello Mark,
I am a extremely lite breather. I breathe normal to me and do not hold my breath. I am extremely relaxed in the water. I was in a situation. Where I could have been required to supply air to 2 divers. During my next dives in February. I will calculate my dive buddy’s and my SAC and RMV rates. My dive buddy is the very opposite. He is a heavy breather. Even before this situation, I had already bought a 2 meter long hose for my tropical back plate and wing rig. Unfortunately we were diving in rental gear and no computers were available. If you thought. There was a good chance. That 2 divers would need to share your air. How would you configure your regulators and hose lengths. All 4 of my scuba rigs have high quality octo regulators and either AIR2 or SSI. I believe in redundancy. Also during every dive I swap between all 3 second stages.
Don’t do three regulators, and don’t supply air to more than one dive buddy. When supplying air to more than one other person, you’ll need two long(er) hoses, and they can get entangled. Not only when you donate, but also when you route them around your own body.
Donating air also isn’t meant to extend the dive time, but to assist in case of an emergency, and your buddies shouldn’t be breathing their air down to where they need an air donate anyways. What if your regulator fails with three people breathing off of it? Now there’s three people in trouble with no-one to bail them out. That means either the Coast Guard needs to recover three bodies, or three people need to get hyperbaric treatment.
You’ve got a low RMV and that’s awesome. Your buddies don’t and that’s too bad. When they’re getting close to 50 bar, that’s dive over for everyone.
#askmark what is done and replace when you have a service done on regulators 1st stage etc. Thank you Mark#
All the o-rings and seals, and any part which has reached end of life.
They will also adjust the balance spring if necessary.
And all the parts are ultrasonically cleaned and lubricated.
I’d say that about 80~90% of the cost is the labor involved, with the remaining being replacement parts.
#askmark Hey Mark, After I have o2 cleaned my tank. Can I fill it with air instead without losing the o2 certify or must the tank only be used with nitrox to keep the o2 cleaned certificate?
An O2 cleaned cylinder can be filled with Air, but only from a clean source. Usually fill stations have an O2 Cleaned filling whip for the use of filling O2 cleaned cylinders, and another whip for the filling of non-cleaned cylinders.
#ASKMARK
Hi Mark,
Looking at starting UK diving (will just be summer diving) to start down the tech/cave diving route, I have around £3000 budget for dry suit/gloves/boots/undersuit etc, what would you recommend? Or Would the Apeks semi dry be good enough for summer UK diving?
Thanks in advance!
A 5 mm wetsuit will be good enough for summer UK diving. When cave diving you’ll have to assume the water will be colder than open water, since it’s not exposed to sunlight. Depending on where the cave is, and where the water is coming from (like melting snow from a mountain), you may very well need a dry suit, and a good ice diving regulator.
You can order Steramine tablets here in the U.S. and I have found this to be a useful cleanser and disinfectant to clean the inside of my BCD.
Steramine is not a cleanser at all. It is only a disinfectant. You could argue that disinfecting IS cleaning, but……
But if you want to clean your gear of salt water, gunk and funk😂from lakes and pee, use Dawn dish detergant, soaked in a bathtub or some other container. Use warmish water and let soak before water cools and rinse. I use dawn maybe every third of fourth dive. In between just fresh water to clean. Im slightly OCD🤷♂️.
Full service excluding spare parts costs 60-70€ in Amsterdam (Keesie). Maybe you get better of flying over here😉
#ASKMARK.
Loving the Q&A.
What’s the best way to look after your ears on a liveaboard or dive holiday when your going to be doing three plus dives a day? Warm climate.
Thank
Craig
Thanks for the answer Mark! This Q&A is the best!
#ask mark. Hello Mark I have a high interest in rebuilding and troubleshooting scuba regulators. My advantage is with aero space regulators and oxygen compatible. So what is your advice? Joe
Get training.
Never ever use Air2. Sounds good in concept but very bad idea actually.. You breathing source and you controler of air in and out of your bcd is next to each other. Harder to operate. the octo is fine no need to get rid of it.
^^ This. An octo is much, much better than an Air2, and cheaper to boot.
Plus, as Mark mentioned, if you’re only bringing your BCD and not your own regulator, you’ll need to have the LPI hose swapped by the dive center, and not forget to have it swapped back when you return the rental, else you’ll be buying another one when you get home. Not to mention the primary donate, which will require a longer hose, even on your own regulator.
The Air2 is a solution without a problem, which creates new problems of it’s own. Deflating your BCD means taking the regulator out of your mouth, while someone else is tethered to you through your primary regulator. Just don’t.
Just had my 1st stage, 2nd stage and octo for £86
@Daveador where did you get your regs serviced for £86, mate? I’ve just had a set – 1st stage, Reg and Octo and my 2 sidemount sets – 2 x 1st stages, 2 Regs and paid nearly £350!
My local dive shop in Portsmouth
@Big Bloke in UK Try Stoney Cove too, they’re cheaper than that!!!