A bit of a heads up

[Frosty]

Hey folks I had nasty shock this week I thought best to pass on.
At home I dive steel tanks but in the past few months Ive been lucky enough to get to do a a fair few pacific island dives.
Before the first trip 6 months ago I had my regs serviced/tuned by my LDS.
On what was to be my second to last dive my reg got very heavy to breath and my computer fritzed out. I swapped to my octi which was no better at breathing.Fortunately we were about to do our safety stop anyways so worst case I would have shared air to the surface but it wasn't needed.
Missed the last dive I just diddn't want to risk it.


The cause---A fairly decent build up of alluminum oxide in my first stage filter.
Yep-the tropical guys can be a bit slack with their water filters.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Geez dude, that is nasty!

What do you mean "their water filters"? You've had one or both of two problems. Your first stage has been exposed to water when not under pressure. Ie: rinsing without dust cover secured. And/or diving a certain aluminum alloy tank that has also had water it.

Are you sure that the service you received prior to leaving was performed?

 

[beanojones]

Rinsing without the dust cap in place makes the filter green; it does not coat the filter with aluminum oxide.

 

[Ste Wart]

I've had this problem. Reg seized while I was solo-diving. A few tense moments occured while I ran through options.

In my case it had nothing to with moisture filters on the compressor. I used one tank, the only DIN fitting in the island. After servicing it had not been dried properly and the water was slowly corroding/accreting on my reg filter.
An astounding case of bad luck really.

 

[Frosty]

Im 100% certain the service was performed. Because kiwi's aint trusting fella's its industry standard to put the removed parts in a plastic bag.For vehicles you put the parts in the car -for regs you zip tie em to the reg set.
The cause of the oxide is water has gotten inside the ally tanks and caused corrosion.The water gets in to the tanks by filling in high humidity with the water trap not working propperly for some reason.Or as stu says they weren't propperly dried after servicing.
Sorry to sound like a know it all.

Anyhoo I guess my point was-Tain't a bad thing to pluck the filter and have a looksee if you've been diving in 'exotic" destinations.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Can't you see it just by looking st the filter? Wouldn't all that site crud be flaking/caking on there as well?

By the way, Dive New Zealand : Dive New Zealand, Dive News, news and articles, Dive New Zealand Magazine, Subscriptions. Check out the article titled Aluminum oxide blocks diver's regulator

 

[Frosty]

Can't you see it just by looking st the filter? Wouldn't all that site crud be flaking/caking on there as well?

By the way, Dive New Zealand : Dive New Zealand, Dive News, news and articles, Dive New Zealand Magazine, Subscriptions. Check out the article titled Aluminum oxide blocks diver's regulator

Yes and yes-but hardly expected given all the dive ops were reputable companies.
Hey I can't see the article you are talking about.-is it in the latest edition?

 

[BRT]

It is more common than people think. It is what started us thinking about Spare Air. We watched a lady below us run out of air when she turned head down. I've seen a man rolling in his wheelchair who had the same thing happen at 140' in decompression (a local fisherman). I've watched tanks being filled in an out of the way location and it was obvious to me that there was no care for filtration and water removal consisted of running the air out of the compressor past a bulk storage tank on the way to the scuba tank. Scary!

 

[tamas970]

Jeez... I guess I can't get away without a well-sized pony. Besides, it would be great to have a DIN filter, that oxidizes Carbon monoxide and removes all crap, before the gas enters my precious first stage.

It is more common than people think. It is what started us thinking about Spare Air. We watched a lady below us run out of air when she turned head down. I've seen a man rolling in his wheelchair who had the same thing happen at 140' in decompression (a local fisherman). I've watched tanks being filled in an out of the way location and it was obvious to me that there was no care for filtration and water removal consisted of running the air out of the compressor past a bulk storage tank on the way to the scuba tank. Scary!

 

[tr3a]

Hey folks I had nasty shock this week I thought best to pass on.
At home I dive steel tanks but in the past few months Ive been lucky enough to get to do a a fair few pacific island dives.
Before the first trip 6 months ago I had my regs serviced/tuned by my LDS.
On what was to be my second to last dive my reg got very heavy to breath and my computer fritzed out. I swapped to my octi which was no better at breathing.Fortunately we were about to do our safety stop anyways so worst case I would have shared air to the surface but it wasn't needed.
Missed the last dive I just diddn't want to risk it.


The cause---A fairly decent build up of alluminum oxide in my first stage filter.
Yep-the tropical guys can be a bit slack with their water filters.

I have had that happen in Mexico (Cozumel). 1500 psi, not enough air to breath. Filter completly choked off (wet AL Oxide). Water in tank (hear it sloshing). Happened to 3 of us. Two days later same thing to another diver.