Scuba Regulator Repair and Regulator Service in Pattaya, Thailand

The Regulator Set Repair Process

A scuba regulator is a complex piece of life-support equipment.  It represents a considerable amount of investment and value. Over the life of your regulator, contaminates from sand, salt, and chlorine can corrode your regulator, affecting performance and reliability. That’s why it is necessary to have your gear serviced by a certified repair facility. Let Mermaids Dive Center service your regulator.

1.   The regulator is inspected by our engineer to determine the cost of repair.  This way we can contact the customer before proceeding if it looks like the regulator may exceed the value of a new one.

2.  Prior to disassembly the both the first stage and second stage regulators performance is measured and a leak test performed to determine the regulators pre-service functionality.

3.  The first stage of the regulator is disassembled.

4.  All metal parts are placed in the ultra sonic cleaner, and a proprietary chrome-safe acidic solution is used to dissolve all corrosion and undesirable sea-life growth.

5.  All plastic/rubber and silicone parts are washed and then treated with a silicone spray.

6.  Metal parts are removed, washed in a neutralizing solution, dried, and then polished.

7.  All the old parts then go through an inspection process. To determine any how worn the regulator was, and to suggest a revised service interval to the user. For example, A dive instructors & Divemasters performing hundreds of dives per year may well need to have there regulators serviced every 3-4 months, not once per year as is commonly understood.

8.  The new kit of manufacture recommending parts that must be replaced during annual servicing is checked for compatibility and completeness.

9.  The parts to be replaced vary depending on the manufacturer, but all O-rings and filters are replaced.  The High Pressure Seat Diaphragm may also be replaced.

10.  The 1^st stage regulator is then assembled, and adjusted to the manufacturers specification.

11.  The second stages are then disassembled.

12.  The SPG or console high-pressure joints are disassembled and all metal parts cleaned. All high-pressure console high-pressure o-rings are replaced, and lubricated with expensive PTFE grease 'christo-lube’ prior to assembly

13.The SPG is assembled, and its pressure indication compared against a master gauge.

14.  All metal parts and hose fittings are placed in the ultra sonic cleaner.

15.  All plastic parts are washed and treated with silicone.

16.  All parts of the second stage are inspected.

17.  All new parts that are recommended by the manufacturer to be replaced during annual servicing are inspected.

18.  The mouthpiece is inspected and inhalation and exhalation diaphragms are carefully checked.

19.  The regulator body is checked for cracks.

20.  The second stages are assembled.

21.  The first stage is adjusted to the manufacturer's spec on Intermediate Pressure.

22.  Both second stage regulators are now reconnected to the first stage and both 2^nd stage regulators are now tested for inhalation resistance, purge button functionality, and adjusted to the manufacturers specification while supplied by intermediate pressure air from the users 1^st stage. This matching process assures the best possible performance of the regulator set as a ‘matched system’, and explains why some second stage regulators don’t work so well when connected to another manufacturers 1^st stage that utilizes a slightly different intermediate pressure.

23.  After all checks and adjustments, the regulator is fully pressurized at maximum working pressure (usually 200bar/3,000psi) then submerged in a leak test bath to confirm that all the regulators, hoses and connectors are gas tight.

24.  A Repair/Maintenance Report is filled out to confirm the service or repair action carried out. A copy of this report is supplied with every serviced regulator, and kept on file here at Mermaids.

25.  Finally, all regulator sets go through a final ‘Quality Assurance’ test to verify again that: -

The regulator is adjusted to specification, and then checked by a human to assure that beyond the specification, it really does breathe OK.

Any authorized Modifications & additions have been carried out.

All the hoses have been refitted correctly, the connections are tight, and no bubbles are emitted from anywhere.

All unused ports are plugged.

All old parts are ‘bagged’.

Any replacement parts are priced

Paint marking are made on adjustment devices to ‘fix’ the current service state an indicate any future user tampering.

The warrantee card is filled out.