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Nemrod
VDH Moderator
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 1:53 pm
First Name: James
Location: Kansas

Armor All Overhaul

Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:57 pm

Over the past few years, occasionally selling a piece of dive gear here or there, regulators in particular I have been asked numerous times (by no particular specific person), "why do you set your price so high" and I saw one just like you are selling for 150 dollars on eBait for only 15 dollars.

Okay, in the aviation world we have the CFRs (Code of Federal Regulations) which actually defines what an overhaul is and what a rebuild is etc. The 15 dollars regulators are not overhauled, they are not rebuilt, they are not even serviced. They have been given what in aviation is called a "Krylon Overhaul" but in scuba diving world it is the Armor All Overhaul, if even that.

These fine specimens are hawked complete with patina and shined with Armor All. They are taken apart, the O rings shined up and then every thing goobed up nice with silicone grease or shoe polish and then reassembled, sort of, out of whatever pieces were in it originally, sometimes leaving out important bits, who cares, it is eBait, right :?:

When I service my regulators for myself or for whatever purpose, and specifically state (a) (my) regulator has been serviced, they have gotten, as needed:

1. Actual service kits, first and second stage
2. New parts (or sometimes good serviceable parts) as needed (mouthpieces, diaphragms, exhaust valves etc)
3. Replica parts from vdh where appropriate
4. New hoses if needed
5. Mild vinegar rinse followed by ultrasonic cleaning in distilled water followed by an appropriate degreaser such as Dawn, Simple Green etc.
6. Correct lubrication
7. No left over parts or incorrect "make do" parts
8. Initial IP set, cycled, leak tested, cycled again, IP final adjustment
9. Second stage adjustment to correct specs using a Magnahelic
10. And then, where appropriate, I pool test the equipment

This post is not directed at anyone or result from any specific recent incident, just a generic observation of the scuba world and CL and eBait. Of course, what I have seen some so called "tech" do has occasionally been worse.

Of course, all this old junk will kill ya anyways, so maybe it does not matter, just goob her up and hope for the best.

James

tall78
Diver
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:50 pm
First Name: Louis
Location: Indiana

Re: Armor All Overhaul

Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:56 am

Sure wish I had a shop that would take that much care of my stuff. It's hard to find a good quality LDS that does the Right things, let alone Vintage Repair and service. :)

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Herman
VDH Moderator
Posts: 1317
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:45 pm
Location: Raleigh NC

Re: Armor All Overhaul

Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:56 am

tall78 wrote:Sure wish I had a shop that would take that much care of my stuff. It's hard to find a good quality LDS that does the Right things, let alone Vintage Repair and service. :)
Which is the reason most of us do our own. We are under no time or cost pressure. Contrary to what you are told, regs are not rocket science and for the most part do not take a lot of specilized tools.
And if you think the tech in the LDS is highly qualified let me tell you about an official class from a major manufacturer I attended in Feb 2012. The class was 4 hours long in a hotel conference room with no air supply or tools. We dissambled 1 reg by hand as it was not tight and then reassembled it by hand. We did not hook it to any air supply or do any checks what so ever. Several of the people in the class obviously had no idea how a regs work but ALL of us walked out of that room offically certified to service all the models they make....and I have the certificate t prove it. There are great techs out there but just because they work at a dive shop does not mean anything.
Herman

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antique diver
Master Diver
Posts: 2217
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:50 pm
First Name: Bill
Location: North-Central Texas

Re: Armor All Overhaul

Tue Mar 26, 2013 4:05 pm

Herman, your experience exemplifies one of my pet peeves about the diving industry.

Unfortunately, Herman's experience with the regulator repair "class" seems to be all too common. Many of the ones that I attended over a 30 year period were pretty much the same BS as he experienced. How in the world can you adjust a regulator properly with no air supply? The vendors that provide such poor "technical training" should be ashamed :oops:.

I am not very brand conscious or loyal, but I will say that the best manufacturers' tech training that I experienced was provided by Scubapro in about 1999. It was two full days of hands-on experience taught by the actual Scubapro factory tech, not just a BS quickie by the sales rep. Even at that, there were people "certified" that had no business holding a screwdriver and chewing gum at the same time :roll: . Nobody gets to work on my regs but me. I sure don't know everthing about them, but I am still learning... especially from knowledgeable folks on this forum.
The older I get the better I was.

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captain
Plank Owner
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:32 am
Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: Armor All Overhaul

Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:26 am

Yesterday I couldn't spell regulator technician and today I am one.
Captain

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Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: Armor All Overhaul

Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:38 am

captain wrote:Yesterday I couldn't spell regulator technician and today I am one.
EXACTLY..... Or another favorite....I'm good with tools so I'm sure I can handle it....Famous last words :wink:
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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