Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
On Tue, 18 Jul 2000, Metcalfe Kevin J COCA wrote: > Also, what kind of work is involved. i.e. is it more like "turn until > the IP gauge reads XX", or is it kind of touchy feely like adjusting a > bicycle hub, bottom bracket or headset. (The kind of adjustment where > you're going by feel. "That's too tight. Now it's too lose", etc.) SCUBA regulators are really pretty simple. If you have enough skill to do minor repairs on your car, you can probably maintain your regulators. You'll need reasonable manual dexterity and know how to use shop tools and perhaps some specialized tools. A source of compressed air (i.e., a full cylinder) is required, both for cleaning/drying parts and for testing. You'll need a clean, well-lit place to work, a good bench vise, a supply of parts for the regs you want to service, and the proper cleaning agents and lubricants. An ultrasonic cleaner is a good investment, but not required; unless your regs are really, really dirty or have some corrosion, treating the metal parts to a vinegar solution soak followed by a soap and water bath and scrubbing with a soft sponge will do. You'll need schematics of the regulators you want to work on. In a few cases, disassembly and assembly instructions will be useful, but for the most part if you're attentive and can get someone familiar with your regulators to show you the procedure, that will do. The only gauge you'll really need is an IP gauge. You can measure cracking pressure fairly well with a bucket of water and a ruler, but a cracking pressure gauge makes it really easy. The one skill a class may be good for is troubleshooting. That is, given a set of symptoms, have the ability to narrow down the possible cause(s) and make the repair with a minimum of fuss. The better classes cover some of the common problems and their causes. Without the class, you'd have to draw on other resources when problems ocurr. You could always strip the reg down and do a complete rebuild when any problem arises, but that is wasteful of time and parts. Getting parts and specialized tools may be difficult, even if you get into a class. Those things are typically only sold to authorized dealers who have certified technicians on staff, not to the technicians themselves. So you'd have to have a decent relationship with such a shop to get those things, or know someone else who does and is willing to get you the stuff you need. Also, from time to time the manufacturer may make changes to parts to improve reliability or performance and issue technical bulletins that are sometimes useful. These things are sent to the authorized dealers only. -- Art Greenberg artg@ec*.ne* -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]