Knowledge-base

In Part 1 of our two-part warranty blog series, we outlined the differences between the “Manufacturer’s Warranty” and “Parts and Service Program”.  Since there are so many nuances to the general warranty of scuba equipment depending on the manufacturer, piece of equipment, type of malfunction, or age, we are focusing on the free-parts program in this blog. If you have questions about warranty’s outside of this, feel free to contact us about your specific question!

Terminology: Free Parts Program

If you’ve been sending your stuff to AirTech for a few years, you might notice we recently changed a question on our ticket system. We’re always looking to improve our process to make your time with us as smooth as possible. Therefore, we’ve made a change in our ticket terminology.

In the past, our ticket system and staff asked if your equipment was under warranty. However, what we were really asking was if it fell under the manufacturer’s free parts program. Using the term ‘warranty’ for both general warranties and free parts was a tad confusing, so we changed it!  Now on our ticket system, we ask, “Is this equipment under a manufacturer’s ‘free parts’ program”?

How Do I Qualify?

To qualify for a manufacturer’s free parts program, your equipment needs to be registered with the manufacturer and you need to purchase the manufacturer’s required pieces. For most manufacturers, this means that you need to purchase 1 first stage, and 2 second stages.

How Do I Remain Qualified?

To remain qualified with your manufacturer’s free parts program, you need to have your equipment serviced on their required schedules. For several manufacturers, you might have alternating service years and bench test years. We’ve covered the bench test in more depth before, but it’s basically a series of tests on your equipment to ensure it is still operating in the parameters set forth by the manufacture.

After each service or bench test, AirTech Scuba Services records the service date and information with your manufacturer. We keep this information year after year to make your scheduled services as easy as possible. Though, as we said in our last blog, please also keep your own records.

It is best that you not only keep your original purchase receipt but also each service receipt in case something were to happen to your service form.

What Specific Rules Do I Look For?

Some of the things you want to look for include:

1. How often am I required to get my equipment serviced?
2. Is there any sort of grace period?
3. Do I need to do intermediate bench tests?
4. And if you aren’t with AirTech, will my service center keep records of my service and submit my records on my behalf, so that I remain enrolled in the program?

Recalls

At AirTech Scuba Services, we remain up to date on all the manufacturers we service and even some we don’t. If you have been an AirTech customer in the past several years, we have a record of your regulator make, model, and serial number. Though it rarely happens, having these records are priceless and allow us to pull a list of applicable divers and notify them of the recall.

Moving To AirTech?

If you are a fan of our work and want us to become your future service center, we can transfer your service records to our location and we’ll keep the records for you. If you do not have your service form, or cannot get ahold of it, send us your original proof of purchase and service records. We’ll take care of the rest and get you set up!

Resources

While our technicians and administrators stay up to date, we can’t continuously update all of our blogs if we list out each manufacturer’s specific rules. Our goal is to educate our users on general practices we see in the industry, or in our own shop, and equip you with the skill to seek out information for your specific needs.

Below are links we’ve found that help outline some of our manufacturers’ free parts programs. They are live as of June 1^st, 2021 but subject to change with manufacturer term updates or website changes.

• Aqualung & Apeks  https://us.aqualung.com/en/free-parts-for-life.html
• Atomic   https://www.atomicaquatics.com/warranties/?v=751 6fd43adaa
• Genesis (Genesis and Sherwood are under the same distributor and Genesis’s parts program redirects to Sherwood) https://www.sherwoodscuba.com/support/help-center-faq  and  https://www.sherwoodscuba.com/support/product-registration
• Hollis    https://www.hollis.com/support/warranty/?v=7516fd43adaa
• Mares – https://www.mares.com/en/warranty 
• Oceanic   https://www.oceanicworldwide.com/warranty/?v=7516fd43adaa
• SCUBAPRO https://www.scubapro.com/parts-life-program
• Sherwood  https://www.sherwoodscuba.com/support/help-center-faq  and  https://www.sherwoodscuba.com/support/product-registration
• Tusa, USA  https://tusa.com/us-en/Support/Warranty_Policy
• Zeagle   https://www.zeagle.com/support/warranty/?v=7516fd43adaa

In this two-part blog, we’re going to break down equipment warranties. To start things off, we’re going to go over the basics of equipment warranties and what type of information you should keep regardless of your manufacture. These basics are generalizations of the major brands we primarily see and might not cover every single scuba equipment manufacturer, so it’s always best to contact us or your manufacture for specific details.

For the second part, we’ll take a deep dive into the major manufacturers we service and what they do for their customers. As things sometimes change, these blogs are accurate up until April 2021.

Types of Warranties

The Broadest: Manufacturer’s Warranty

This warranty usually covers the equipment for a specific period of time, so long as it remains in the hands of the original owner. These warranty’s normally only cover manufacturer defects. For example, some manufactures cover the seam of a BCD (Buoyancy Compensator). Therefore, they will either replace or repair your BCD free of charge at their repair center.

AirTech Tip: We can either facilitate the exchange and communication with your manufacturer or give you the information for your manufacture’s service center.

More Specific: Parts and Service Program

This type of program is usually something you sign up for or qualify for when you purchased your equipment. When you get your equipment serviced you pay for three things: labor, part kits, and any extra parts that were broken. This program will cover the part kits and some of those extra parts, meaning you usually just pay for the labor. To maintain your program eligibility and to keep your equipment functioning at its best, you do need to follow the manufacturer’s service recommendations. Meaning, if your manufacturer says you need to have it serviced every two years, you must have proof you serviced it every two years.

Airtech Tip: Depending on your manufacturer, we might be able to see if you qualify for the parts program or a warranty. Feel free to contact us and we can look into it or get you in touch with the correct person!

Our Warranty

When you get your equipment serviced with us, we do offer our own warranty beyond those above. If your equipment was serviced within the year and you have not done more than 100 dives, we will fix any equipment malfunction for free. This includes paying for the shipping back and forth and any fees you incurred from having to rent equipment.

This warranty does not apply to any equipment used professionally or commercially, including rental equipment.

Documentation to Keep

1.        Proof of Purchase

It’s always a good idea to keep your original proof of purchase. Most manufacturers only cover warranties for original owners. This mean you’ll need to prove that you are the original owner.

2.      Service Records

Even if it’s not for a parts or service warranty, it is a good idea to keep your service records. This could be the invoice we send you when your service is complete. Some manufacturers want proof that you have followed their guidelines in taking care of your equipment. If you haven’t and something happened to your equipment, they might place the blame elsewhere and void your equipment’s warranty.

It’s also a good idea to know what your manufacturer suggests as a timeline for servicing your equipment.

YOUR Copies

In the age of digital files and cloud-based point-of-sale systems, it’s easy to get lax and assume your dive shop or service center will always have your records. We don’t suggest betting on this. In years past, even we’ve had servers crash or new point-of-sale systems that can’t upload previous customer information. While it hasn’t happened in years, it’s enough to warrant a cautionary tale. Keep your own copies of these records.

Buying Used Equipment?

So, what does all this mean for people looking to buy used equipment? Unfortunately, this means you won’t qualify for most warranty coverage. So, keep that in mind when you’re looking to purchased used equipment.

AirTech Tip: If you’re looking at used equipment, make sure the manufacturer is still in business, still supports that model, and look at the price of the part kits. That way you’ll get a better idea of the lifetime price of that used equipment. We can quickly answer any of these questions for the brands we service and some for those we don’t service!

The 4 parts

Our dive equipment normally consists of 4 main parts.

1. The 1^st stage: This attaches to the tank and provides air to the 2^nd stages and BCD
2. The primary 2^nd stage: This is the regulator you normally breathe off of
3. The alternate 2^nd stage: This is often called your octopus and can be on a normal hose like the primary, or combined with the power inflator on your BCD
4. Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD)

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The requirements

Almost every manufacturer’s warranty guidelines have some sort of bench test requirement to maintain warranty status. “Warranty status” is kept when our equipment is bench tested or serviced within the manufacturer’s requirements, such as ‘every year’ or ‘after x amount of dives’. This is done so customers can receive free parts or kits, depending on the warranty program.  Not every manufacturer has a warranty program and knowing what equipment you have and the warranty program you apply for is essential to all divers!

The specifications

All manufacturers have stage specifications and parameters that are essential to the operation of your dive equipment. If your equipment falls out of those parameters, service may be required, because these requirements have been set to keep you safe and diving for years to come!

The first stages

Almost all manufacturers set the 1^st stage between 125 and 145 PSI. When your tank is between 3000 and 500 PSI, this is essential for the first stage to work properly and provide the correct amount of air to the diver.

The BCDs

Our BCDs (buoyancy control device) are also an essential part of life support equipment and need to be checked for bladder leaks; making sure that it holds air and does not leak. Plus tests on our BPI (balanced power inflator), dump valves, buckles, and tank valve straps are essential for correct operation.

Issues “in the field”

Things can happen to our equipment, leaks or free-flowing regulators could be a sign something needs to be adjusted, or there is a failed internal part. Please bring your equipment into a qualified technician to have them determine what is happening. Within all 3 stages, a leak or free flow can result from any one of those three being out of their specifications. Just because your 2nd stage leaks doesn’t mean that it’s just that stage.

Tip: If your 2nd stage is free-flowing out of your mouth, like when you first set up your system, first try placing your fingers over the mouthpiece to block the opening. Then if it doesn’t stop, please bring it in.

Final thoughts

We all lead hectic lives and the last thing we want to think about is what will happen if our equipment fails during a dive. The reality is that when our life support fails, it puts the diver and their loved ones at risk of serious injury or death. We all must be responsible when it comes to our dive gear and make sure it is working as it should! That way you as the owner can keep diving safe and enjoying the underwater world that we all love.