Basic? questions on regulator caring

[HISSDC]

Some of the other types may not be but the classic cone shaped ones with the oring are water tight. Properly installed and if the dust cap has an oring it's installed properly and in good shape, they are water tight....actually they use the same type seal as a tank. That said, it's not uncommon for the orings to be missing and unnoticed.

Now I see. I have some dustcaps that are plastic and bad at waterproof.. so the o ring was missing. Thanks for telling.

 

[HISSDC]

Mine are pretty much in that condition about every 5-10 years but for most of that they're riding around in my bag. I've found ones with the corrugated tubing or that fold up are the worst - I had one crack on a dive once when I needed it - started breathing wet suddenly. Mine never see chlorine except what's in my city water during rinsing.

Atomics have a hard rubber dust cap so moderately tight and it doesn't leak while soaking/submerged. They likely work equally well on other gear.

However due to their seat saver, you can't soak both stages at the same time or water might get into the 1st stage internals thru the 2nd stage/hose. I just soak them one stage a t time since I don't own a tank to drop them in the rinse bucket with.

I believe the Aqualung ACD (Automatic Closure Device) has something to do with not allowing water to enter past the dustcap in case you have one of them.

Could you please elaborate about not soaking both stages at the same time? Never heard of a seat saver..

 

[Fossil_Diver]

A seat saver is a rubber loop about 1/2" wide with a ball on it. You slip the loop over the second stage and position the ball over the purge button. The ball pushes down the purge button which in turn lifts the seat off the orifice. You could probably make one with a piece of inertube and a rubber ball. For long term storage I usualy remove the lp hose to get to the volcano orifice or disassemble the second stage and then adjust the orifice so it is not in contact with the seat. It depends on how the second stage is designed whether I have to disassemble it or just remove the hose.

 

[KeithG]

A seat saver is a rubber loop about 1/2" wide with a ball on it. You slip the loop over the second stage and position the ball over the purge button. The ball pushes down the purge button which in turn lifts the seat off the orifice. You could probably make one with a piece of inertube and a rubber ball. For long term storage I usualy remove the lp hose to get to the volcano orifice or disassemble the second stage and then adjust the orifice so it is not in contact with the seat. It depends on how the second stage is designed whether I have to disassemble it or just remove the hose.

some second stages have a built in seat saver feature. my sherwood regs from 1987ish have a little pin that you can depress that holds the purge button in.

 

[The Chairman]

All this work! OK, I abuse the crap out of my regs and my BC. They never get soaked, unless I'm diving. Since I own my own tanks, I walk off the boat with my reg still attached. When I do pull the reg off, I never use a dust cap unless it's a yoke or I'm not diving that reg in a long time. It's a different story with my rebreather as I know it wants to kill me, but normal regs and BCs get dove and then dry out on their own. Repeat as often as I can.

 

[Hickdive]

It depends on the "dust" cap, and if yoke or DIN, whether you'll exclude water with one or not. Some designs do very well, others not so. As suggested; a suck test through the second stage can give you an idea of how effective yours are.

A soak followed by a rinse is the most effective way of removing salt. If you just dunk in the resort rinse tank then that water will probably be nearly as salty as the sea after the first couple of groups have used it each day.

If you're using kit in the pool then clean it as thoroughly afterwards as if you were using it in the sea.

Replace cracked hoses. Taping over them will achieve nothing except hiding the damage. Aqualung, for example, now specify a five year life span on rubber hoses

Low IP on a DS4 accompanied by a freeflow at depth? Get it serviced professionally . The fact that the IP is low, the environmental cap is stuck on and someone is looking to resolve the issue by adjusting the IP again (downwards, I'll bet) suggests that it has been tinkered with by someone who doesn't really know what they're doing.

 

[BoltSnap]

All this work! OK, I abuse the crap out of my regs and my BC. They never get soaked, unless I'm diving. Since I own my own tanks, I walk off the boat with my reg still attached. When I do pull the reg off, I never use a dust cap unless it's a yoke or I'm not diving that reg in a long time. It's a different story with my rebreather as I know it wants to kill me, but normal regs and BCs get dove and then dry out on their own. Repeat as often as I can.

Thank you!!!

You settled the question for me today, just came back from the sea and my equipment is waiting for rinsing that now won't happen until tomorrow back in the sea again

Rinse or not rinse, it is a more difficult choice than the "what's for dinner" question for me.

I am going for a well deserved nap!!

 

[The Chairman]

Thank you!!!

I'm here all week!

If I have to be out of the water more than a week or two, I'll rinse stuff off. If the DIN threads get gnarly, I'll pull it off the first stage and soak it in vinegar or for a dip in the Ultrasonic. But if I'm getting back in the water in a day or three, I'll just let it dry. I'm despicable.

 

[redacted]

I'm here all week!

If I have to be out of the water more than a week or two, I'll rinse stuff off. If the DIN threads get gnarly, I'll pull it off the first stage and soak it in vinegar or for a dip in the Ultrasonic. But if I'm getting back in the water in a day or three, I'll just let it dry. I'm despicable.

It is not so much the salt water that causes problems as the salt crystals that are left behind when the water evaporates. Depending on temp and humidity, that could be a day or weeks. You can also compensate for poor user care with frequent service and replacement of kit. My regs go 3 to 5+ years between rebuilds and some are 30 to 40 years old. I soak them for 8+ hours after a SW trip ( without pressure).

Is your RB more vulnerable to such damage or is it simply a matter of more serious consequences?

 

[The Chairman]

My regs go 3 to 5+ years between rebuilds

As do mine. It used to be that my salt water regs got frequent soakings in Spring water, but that's rare nowadays with specific regs for specific conditions. The sidemount regs still get that treatment, but not the rest.

Is your RB more vulnerable to such damage or is it simply a matter of more serious consequences?

In a way, the rebreather is less exposed in some ways than my OW regs, but it does have electronics, including an important solenoid. Even if all things were equal, the consequences are usually more pronounced, I'm down there for longer periods and into deco. It's just stupid to take a chance with your life in that case. No, don't just pay lip service to safety when it comes to a rebreather: take the time and the care necessary to do it right. Rebreathers aren't for "If at first you don't succeed..." type divers.