BCD has h20 in it, cause

[Amanwithaphone]

Hi,
I recently bought my 1st set of dive gear. Did about 10 dives w new bcd, rinsed with clean h20 after all dives, and set aside to dry for a few days. Came back to put it away and there was like 1/2 a cup to a cup of h20 in the bc. The way to dump it was to use the butt air dump and move the h20 towards it. So, did I do something wrong when diving, when cleaning?, both? Anything I need to do now to rectify?
Thanks so much!

 

[rsingler]

Your bcd will always accumulate a little water during a dive. Typically when you elevate your corrugated hose to descend, the bcd will trade a little water for the air. That's completely normal.

In addition to rinsing of the outside of your bcd, it's important to put plenty of fresh water (and occasionally a little anti-growth product like BCD Life) in with the water. Slosh it around and leave it for a bit, then drain. Then store your bcd with a little air in it.

 

[happy-diver]

It takes time for the water to run down the walls
and bcd needs to be inflated to do so effectively

how does h2o evaporate from something sealed

 

[Amanwithaphone]

Ok thanks to both. So I need to put water in the low pressure hose and rinse around? And there needs to be some air in it for this to be effective. Am I understanding right? Thanks much.

 

[rsingler]

I'll either point the hose in the corrugated hose while depressing the deflation button, or (easier for me because I'm lazy) unscrew the shoulder or butt dump and stick the hose right on the hole. It fills faster.
Then yes, leave some water and air in the bcd and turn the bcd in several directions to rise all the pockets in the bladder. Don't hurt your back - it can be heavy!
Then reverse the process. Either hold with corrugated hose lowest and depress the deflation valve, or unscrew a dump valve and hold it with that spot lowest.
I really swear by B.C.D. Cleaner (formerly BCD Life)

 

[The Chairman]

The only BCs that stay perfectly dry are the ones that never go diving.

 

[The Chairman]

I really swear by B.C.D. Cleaner (formerly BCD Life)

Reef safe has a new and ecologically friendly product. I'll be testing it shortly.

 

[dmaziuk]

Ok thanks to both. So I need to put water in the low pressure hose and rinse around? And there needs to be some air in it for this to be effective. Am I understanding right? Thanks much.

After you're done, you may want to unscrew a dump valve and hang your BCD such that the hole is the lowest bit of it all. (If it has multiple valves, pick one that'll work best for this.) And leave it hanging for a while.

 

[Colliam7]

Ok thanks to both. So I need to put water in the low pressure hose and rinse around?

There are specific tools that allow you to - more efficiently - flush the BCD bladder with fresh water, e.g. BC Washout Hose — XS Scuba. I recommend that divers flush the BCD bladder after every ocean dive as a standard, and after quarry dives as well. Those quarries may be considered 'fresh' water but the water is hardly clean or bacteria-free.

Every time you dump air from the bladder during a dive, either by the inflator hose or one of the other dumps, you are going to get some water in the bladder. The more you add, and then purge, air during a dive, the more water you will get in the bladder.

And there needs to be some air in it for this to be effective. Am I understanding right?

After a dive, flush the BCD. Then inflate it (orally is fine) and let it sit in a position where any water in the bladder will pool around one of the dumps. Give it a few hours, a day (24 hours) is a nice interval, then drain the remaining water.

 

[hsinhai]

There are specific tools that allow you to - more efficiently - flush the BCD bladder with fresh water, e.g. BC Washout Hose — XS Scuba.

Specific tool I use is a tap