As a basic rule, dive gear ought to be serviced yearly or each 100 dives, whichever comes sooner. Don’t skip the annual service, even in the event you solely dive a few times a yr. Divers Alert Community (DAN) publishes an annual report about dive accidents, and yearly roughly 11% of incidents are attributable to gear failure — actually because the dive gear wasn’t correctly maintained.
Even when your gear labored wonderful a yr in the past, keep in mind scuba gear is life-support gear. Not having your dive gear frequently serviced is like:
- Avoiding the dentist — till you will have tooth ache
- Not shopping for new tires — and sliding off the highway
- Skipping a journey immunization — and getting sick
Additionally, your dive gear is an funding. Take correct care of your scuba gear, and it could possibly final a decade or extra.
What Scuba Gear Wants To Be Serviced?
As mentioned above, correctly sustaining your scuba gear is essential for each security and efficiency. Common servicing ensures your gear stays in high situation and is prepared to your subsequent underwater journey. However what items should be serviced and the way usually?
Regulators
Usually, your regulators ought to be serviced yearly or each 100 dives. Verify the producer’s suggestions, or ask your native dive store for recommendation on servicing the regulator you’ve bought from them. In case you have a submersible strain gauge (SPG), make sure you carry it in for inspection on the similar time.
To maintain your regulators in high form, at all times use the mud camp and rinse your complete regulator meeting in clear water after diving. When storing, permit the hoses to type massive, light curves (versus tight loops or bends).
Dive Pc
Don’t wait till your pc provides you a low battery warning to have it serviced. Inevitably, that low battery alert will occur on the primary day of a week-long scuba journey. Along with checking battery well being, the technician will examine the o-rings and verify for indicators of salt buildup on the unit.
Most dive computer systems ought to be serviced yearly. Some can go be serviced each two years (verify the producer’s guide or ask your dive store).
Buoyancy Compensation System (BCD)
BCDs ought to be serviced yearly or as beneficial by the producer. In case you have a second-stage regulator hooked up to the low-pressure inflator, don’t overlook to carry that in as effectively. Throughout the annual service, a technician will examine the bladder, o-rings, low-pressure inflator and second stage (if relevant).
Dry Swimsuit
Have your dry go well with inspected yearly. Stress testing and thorough inspection may help detect pinhole leaks which may in any other case result in critical issues throughout a dive.
Cylinder (Tank)
A visible inspection of your scuba cylinder (generally known as a scuba tank) ought to be carried out yearly to verify for corrosion, dents, pitting and any injury to the valve. Hydrostatic testing is required each three to 5 years, relying on the cylinder sort and native laws. Contact a dive store close to you for extra data or to schedule service.
Examine Scuba Equipment and Snorkel Gear Often
Though scuba equipment and your masks, snorkel and fins could not require common service at a scuba gear service heart, they nonetheless should be inspected frequently to your security.
Equipment
Dive lights, digicam strobes and floor marker buoys (SMBs) ought to be inspected earlier than each dive journey. Verify the batteries and o-rings in your lights and make sure the SMB inflates and holds air.
Masks, Snorkel and Fins
Periodically look at your snorkel, masks, fins and snorkel keeper for cracks or tears. To stop injury to your masks lenses, retailer your masks within the unique field.
In case you’re the kind of one who dashes out the door, straps on their gear and jumps within the water, begin a save-a-dive package with an additional masks strap, snorkel keeper, fin straps and o-rings.
Prolong the Lifetime of Your Scuba Tools
Now that you know the way usually dive gear ought to be serviced, you might be questioning, “Can I do a few of this myself?” Sure and no (however largely no). Some dive computer systems have user-replaceable batteries, and you’ll verify for small leaks in your BCD or SMB by inflating them totally and submerging them in a tub stuffed with water. However there isn’t any substitute for an expert inspection.
PADI provides an Tools Specialist course that features on-line coaching and hands-on coaching. You received’t learn to service a regulator, however you’ll learn to:
- Clear and keep your gear to increase its life
- Examine gear
- Repair minor gear points
Storing your gear correctly also can scale back the necessity for frequent servicing. Study extra about How you can Retailer Scuba Gear.
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