Vintage Double Hose

Hey guys been a long time since I posted here. Hope everyone is healthy and getting on with life. I Setup my DAAM with Cyclone ,HPR, DSV and the heavy hoses and have been diving almost exclusively (fresh water only) for some years now. Works as designed, never had an issue. Every year at the start of the season I open it up make sure every thing is tight inside. I put an IP gauge on it pressurize and check for IP creep, then shut air off and let it hang overnight and have never lost more that a couple PSI. Should I be replacing wear items O rings, seats etc. every few years even if I'm not seeing any issues? Or would you wait for a small leak or IP creep before doing a complete overhaul?

Personally, I would wait.
I went more than 10 yrs. on my most used Phoenix before a rebuild.
I wasn't having any problems just figured it was time.
I do a lot of solo diving.

At the 10 year mark I overhauled one of my Phoenix(s). Not because it needed it but just because it had been 10 years. Another Phoenix of mine developed a tiny stream of bubbles from the body-can interface after about 8 years. I replaced only the gasket and all is still good. My 2psi.

These things are really the Energizer bunny....

I find it interesting that the early Aqualung Repair Manual does not specify a service interval... but in the introduction, the first sentence under Trouble Shooting is "If a regulator is malfunctioning (leaking air or water or breathing improperly), it should be considered in need of a general overhaul."
Combine that with the fact that most of the the actual instructions tell you to check condition (not automatically replace) parts, demonstrates an approach of "fix it if it has failed or non invasive checks show it's in need."
I would (and do) just keep an eye on it for any signs of concern (IP creep, mild freeflow from worn out second stage seat, etc.) and rebuild when it tells you it needs it.

Respectfully,

james

I have often wondered if the manufacturers annual service/ inspection requirement to keep the "free parts for life" (I think Aqualung may be the one of the few that actually has this program now) is more of a CYA (cover your @$$ests) for them in case of a lawsuit for failure of their equipment rather than the need for R&R of worn parts. I'm fairly certain no 2 divers are alike unless they dive exclusively with each other so the work load on a regulator or any other scuba equipment is varied in a wide range from diver to diver not to mention how they care for their gear. I've also wondered if using a system of hours under use rather than a timeframe is a better gauge of possible service and if this would be better a method to determine a service interval. Then again, not sure many divers actually clock their use time per reg. I have started doing this with my higher end/ technical regs as I do with all my rebreather equipment. To each their own I guess...

add in environment and care.... My freshwater reg will likely go a lot longer that one seeing saltwater, especially if rinsing is not implemented well....

add in environment and care.... My freshwater reg will likely go a lot longer than one seeing saltwater, especially if rinsing is not implemented well....

I put a little over 300 dives on my Phoenix before I rebuilt it. But that was only because I got salt water in it and the second stage spring was making a horrible sound periodically.

How did things look inside the Phoenix, et al? Any surprises?

Argonaut, Phoenix, Cyclone are all battle axes and even without care will take a beating far beyond what should be expected. I have serviced some that were to the point of requiring extensive soaking to even get the first stages apart. IMO the achilles heel of them as well as any other diaphragm regulator is the HP seat and to a far lesser degree the HP diaphragm. Luis was very wise when we made them all with replaceable volcano orifices. When those are fixed in the body and get damaged or heavily corroded they are next to impossible to correct and make work again. Now you just push out the damaged one, install a new one and go on with it.
HPR does not have anything special as far as it's seat material goes but being made from silicone it will far outlast anything made from rubber. Failings in the seat come more often from debris than from wear from my observations. The combination of demand lever, lever angle and ability to adjust the venturi flow is the magic behind the HPR.