Oxygen regulator overhaul or replacement?

[Bryan Burke]

During the oxygen bottle's 5 year hydrostatic test (from a PA-30 w/ factory oxygen) the facility sheared the regulator/valve assembly (Piper PN 756-038, Scott Aviation, now AVOX, PN 800114-04) during reassembly. Does anyone have recommendations on where to get the assembly overhauled, or where a reasonably priced replacement can be found?

AVOX wants $1,540, with a 120 day lead time for a replacement - they explained the new part is built after the order is received.

Thanks,
Bryan

[Zach Grant L1011jock]

Bryan,
Sorry I have not gotten to you soner, but it seems to me that the shop that damaged the regulator should be responsible for it. With that said, unless you can find a servicable salvage unit, you are stuck with the Piper nee Avox part to maintain your certification of the system. Now the cheaper alternative may be to get a portable bottle that would satisfy your needs until, one , they could make you one, or two, you retrofit your entire system or remove it all together. These would be my decisions as I went through this. A complete large bottle 4 place portable setup can be had for less than 1K. I know this is not the news you wanted to hear, but I would be very hesitant to uses somebodies "salvage" regulator on something as important as my oxygen system...
-Zach

[Bryan Burke]

Thanks for the reply Zach - I'm still working out the details with the shop, but when I last spoke to the shop's President he said they would stand by their work.

To bring this discussion full circle, following are useful details others down the road might find helpful:

AVOX Systems, formerly Scott Aviation, will manufacture a new regulator/valve assembly (see first post for cost & lead time details) and can be reached at 716-683-5100. If you send them a regulator to evaluate for overhaul the evaluation cost is $250, which can be applied to overhaul or replacement.

Kelly Aerospace will evaluate and overhaul the regulator too, and can be reached at 316-943-6100; I used them. Their standard overhaul charges (June, 2008) are $560. Mine needed an extra on/off valve ($94) and extra machine shop time for damage ($75).

Salvage regulators can be hit or miss relative to overhaul. I did manage to find a salvage regulator and Kelly Aerospace examined it - it is serviceable. Known serviceable regulators have a street value of $400 - 500. I have an extra for a good deal if anyone is in need.

When I returned to the shop (that caused the initial problem) to have the serviced regulator reinstalled on the bottle, the service manager mounted it in my presence. We had a great discussion and he showed me the proper way to mount the regulator - remove the high pressure burst plug enabling a much larger surface to grab the piece near the bottom, rather than trying to grip it near the top risk slipping onto the top half and risk the shearing that occurred to mine.

Regards,
Bryan