Anti-Fogging Treatments for New Masks. (a comparison of techniques)

[lexvil]

I have a brand new Tusa Paragon mask that has the fancy UV 420 Lens Treatment. I usually flame new mask lenses, but I am hesitant to flame the new Paragon due to the treated lenses. Flaming has always worked very well for me, however, I have never owned a mask with treated lenses.

You can flame it, but you may want to do a few dishwasher runs first, I finally flamed my right lens on my new Paragon and it’s fine, I would not risk ammonia however.

 

[PBcatfish]

As an FYI.. I once took a new mask and used the burn method - leaving a good bit of soot - black carbon on the glass. Instead of carefully washing this off, I immediately added some dawn dish soap and then rubbed and scrubbed really hard with a paper towel using the detergent- water-soot slurry.

After a minute or so I rinsed the soap and soot out... I had TOTALLY destroyed the mask by scratching the inside of the lens terribly - presumably the soot is incredibly abrasive.. I would have never suspected this. Thought we might want to include things to avoid.

Soot is carbon, the same stuff that diamonds are made out of. The chemical is the same, but the geometry of the molecule is different. Raw carbon can be pretty abrasive, depending on the details of it's form.

Paper towels can also be very abrasive. Some brands are made from soft fibers. Others are not. I have scratched reading glasses with paper towels before.

Out of curiosity, was that a glass lens or polycarbonate? The poly lenses scratch pretty easily.

 

[PBcatfish]

I have a brand new Tusa Paragon mask that has the fancy UV 420 Lens Treatment. I usually flame new mask lenses, but I am hesitant to flame the new Paragon due to the treated lenses. Flaming has always worked very well for me, however, I have never owned a mask with treated lenses.

I have unintentionally "cleaned" coatings off of sunglasses before. I would be cautious about that too. Have you contacted the manufacturer to ask them what they recommend?

 

[PBcatfish]

Fogging is a Physical phenomena. If you apply a steam (100% humidity, 99F air, i.e., you breath) onto a cold surface (82F glass lens), that steam is going to condense, i.e., fogging on the lens.

Water has a very high surface tension (72 dyne/cm). It will form tiny beads (fogs) on a clean glass surface, when steam condenses on the cold glass surface.

Surfactant, like baby shampoo, coating on the glass, would lower the water surface tension when steam condenses on the glass. The condensate would spread to form a thin water film on the glass, hence, no fogging issue. Unfortunately, the water film also would slowly dissolve & wash away the surfactant (baby shampoo). Pretty soon the glass would be free of surfactant & fogging begins.

So, try to keep the inside mask dry while diving (by keeping the seal tight, minimizing mask flushing & not exhaling through the nose) if you don’t want to fog up the lens.

I'm one of those fools who refuses to shave before diving, & I don't like to put goop in my mustache, so I end up dealing with mask leakage. I'm lucky to get an hour before the defog rinses off. I have found that most of the thin viscosity defogs, that most people use, will not last me much more than 15 -20 minutes. this includes the 50/50 shampoo/water mix that a lot of people report good results with. My current witches brew is a combination of dish soap, baby shampoo & just a little water. This does not spread as evenly as the thin defogs, so I deal with slight distortion until I get in a few rinses, but it lasts about 4 times longer & it is usually full clear by about 8 or 10 minutes into the dive. It's a trade off that I currently accept.

 

[lowviz]

'm one of those fools who refuses to shave before diving, & I don't like to put goop in my mustache, so I end up dealing with mask leakage. I'm lucky to get an hour before the defog rinses off.

Sounds exactly right. Same. Working on something that is harder to rinse off with routine use.

I have found that most of the thin viscosity defogs, that most people use, will not last me much more than 15 -20 minutes. this includes the 50/50 shampoo/water mix that a lot of people report good results with. My current witches brew is a combination of dish soap, baby shampoo & just a little water. This does not spread as evenly as the thin defogs, so I deal with slight distortion until I get in a few rinses,

I'm playing with two types of polymers. Each for a different reason.

Spoiler for those who are following:
I'm not there yet, this is premature, but anyone following may find this useful:

Superabsorbent polymer - Wikipedia

Ammonium - Wikipedia

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Guess who won a mask this past weekend??? ME!! My first thought is "yay, i can try the @lowvis method". But I see the experiment continues. Next dive is mid-august, not rushing you but
The mask is a Sherwood Targa.

 

[lowviz]

Guess who won a mask this past weekend??? ME!! My first thought is "yay, i can try the @lowvis method".

OMG! Things just quieted down here so I logged on and there was a brand new message from a friend.

Yes, the experiment has come to a conclusion. Forget the gels and all that stuff. "Simple and Effective" rules the day. I have to go back and give credit where credit is due, but just level your mask and put a 1/4 inch (roughly) of clear white ammonia inside so it covers both lenses. Let it sit undisturbed for three days. Rinse and test. If no bueno, add two more days. Dishwasher is your friend from there on...

I'm working on the wrap-up. A bunch of stuff from my childhood.

Sneak preview: Google 'rocket candy'. You can listen to the Beatles while you wait for the rest...

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

"making rocket fuel is dangerous"

 

[lowviz]

No, no. You cook this stuff up on the stove. Did it for years and years. I knew it was done when my mon would holler my name and ask what I was doing.

Yes, your warning is noted and absolves you of any implied, inferred, or extant liability.

So much has been lost with the cell-phone / virtual generation. Real-life is so different...

 

[tursiops]

So, I have an OLD not new mask that constantly fogs, but it fits really well.
Spit doesn't help.
Ammonia plus dishwasher?