BCD Questions

[TMHeimer]

Not sure where to post this. My BCD, bought used in 2005 is still the only one I've had. Though it is now a piece of crap, it's still functional, no doubt due to my OCD in rinsing. 2 questions:
-- I dump as much of the salt water out after my last dive of the day.
-- I rinse the inside by adding a little baby shampoo with the ton of fresh water.
- obviously this has worked.
The questions are:
1. Why isn't emptying the salt water and using baby shampoo mentioned when there are threads on rinsing?
I think I read somewhere about the shampoo, but not the salt water dumping.
2. I have read that you should dump all the rinse water to insure the inside is dry, particularly if storing for a while. I would think the inside never gets dry because there is nowhere for the water/dampness to evaporate.
Am I correct?

 

[BlueTrin]

On my wing, I can remove the dump valve.

After rinsing, I sometimes let it dry on my balcony without the dump valve

 

[kmarks]

I've never heard of the baby shampoo idea. I usually fill mine up as much as I can with "fresh" water from the tap, such as it is when I'm on location, swish it around, and dump it. My stiletto has a way to remove the inflator and hookup a garden hose but I can't get the @#$% thing apart, despite it never having been in salt water. My wing is very easy to just unscrew to open up and wash it out.

I think it would be very difficult to get all the water out, but I always blow a little air into the bladder when I store mine so that the plastic at least doesn't stick to itself.

 

[BRT]

Not sure where to post this. My BCD, bought used in 2005 is still the only one I've had. Though it is now a piece of crap, it's still functional, no doubt due to my OCD in rinsing. 2 questions:
-- I dump as much of the salt water out after my last dive of the day.
-- I rinse the inside by adding a little baby shampoo with the ton of fresh water.
- obviously this has worked.
The questions are:
1. Why isn't emptying the salt water and using baby shampoo mentioned when there are threads on rinsing?
I think I read somewhere about the shampoo, but not the salt water dumping.
2. I have read that you should dump all the rinse water to insure the inside is dry, particularly if storing for a while. I would think the inside never gets dry because there is nowhere for the water/dampness to evaporate.
Am I correct?

I think you are correct. However it can be dry enough for salt crystals to form.

 

[Nathan Doty]

I've never seen the shampoo thing. I usually dump water, clean water in through the inflator, swish, dump again, dry fur a couple days and blow in some air. I'm not breathing through the bladder so I'm not to concerned on it being 'clean'.

 

[ibj40]

I've never seen the shampoo thing. I usually dump water, clean water in through the inflator, swish, dump again, dry fur a couple days and blow in some air. I'm not breathing through the bladder so I'm not to concerned on it being 'clean'.

I do more or less the same thing.

However I then fully inflate my BCD and place it upside down on a chair on my patio. This way, all the residual fresh water collects at the shoulder dump location. I will open that dump valve and let the water drain, then fill with air and dump a couple more times until nothing comes out.

I then store it, inflated and upright, on a hanger in an indoor closet.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

Not sure where to post this. My BCD, bought used in 2005 is still the only one I've had. Though it is now a piece of crap, it's still functional, no doubt due to my OCD in rinsing. 2 questions:
-- I dump as much of the salt water out after my last dive of the day.
-- I rinse the inside by adding a little baby shampoo with the ton of fresh water.
- obviously this has worked.
The questions are:
1. Why isn't emptying the salt water and using baby shampoo mentioned when there are threads on rinsing?
I think I read somewhere about the shampoo, but not the salt water dumping.
2. I have read that you should dump all the rinse water to insure the inside is dry, particularly if storing for a while. I would think the inside never gets dry because there is nowhere for the water/dampness to evaporate.
Am I correct?

Hello. When, I buy a new "Bladder." regardless of the type/style. I pour a conditioner with a quart of fresh water in the oral inflator, and make sure it gets moved around to all areas of the inside.
(This is before, it goes for it's first dive.)
After that, I rinse strictly with fresh warm water, and then every few months use an ounce of disinfectant/deodorant.
I recently disposed of a U.S. Divers Sea Master B.C.D. I didn't want anyone to think they could use it so, I cut the harnesses, etc. When I cut open the bladder, the inside was immaculate. (After, 20 years.)
Cheers.

 

[boulderjohn]

I wonder what the value of the shampoo might be. You want to get the salt out, and plain water should do that.

The value of any kind of soap or detergent is that it provides a chemical reaction that combines with oils, enabling them to rinse away. I am not a chemist, but I can't think how the detergent action would help.

If you are getting hard water deposits, particularly in the inflator mechanism, vinegar would help, but, again, a good rinse should do the job. I also use vinegar when rinsing the P-valve in my drysuit, but that is to kill any nasties left behind.

 

[Belzelbub]

1. Why isn't emptying the salt water and using baby shampoo mentioned when there are threads on rinsing?
I think I read somewhere about the shampoo, but not the salt water dumping.
2. I have read that you should dump all the rinse water to insure the inside is dry, particularly if storing for a while. I would think the inside never gets dry because there is nowhere for the water/dampness to evaporate.
Am I correct?

1. Yes, I would say that counts as rinsing. At least as well as you can with most BCDs.
2. This isn’t really a question, but it is good to get the inside as dry as possible. Again, not very easy to do with most BCDs.

On my current BCDs (Zeagle) it is pretty easy to do both. The inflator screws off the corrugated hose. After diving, I unscrew this, and hook up my garden hose with Salt Away dispenser to the corrugated and turn it on. When the BCD is full, it will open one of the dump valves. I then switch to water only to complete rinsing. I cycle each of the dump valves several times before turning off the water.

When that is done, I drain it upside down overnight, and get as much water as possible out. It’s then stored in my closet with the inflator removed. I figure that at least permits some airflow so the remaining water is out.

I believe Zeagle and Atomic sell a threaded adapter to allow converting a standard hose to the garden hose connection.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

Hello. I'm not sure how much water you guys are getting in your bladder?
Anyone, care to chime in?
1oz. of water? More?
After, diving I have very very little water in my air cell.....if, any at all.
Is there a procedure??
It's become first nature with me, and a majority of the dive duration I control my buoyancy with my lungs. I not thinking you should have much water in your bladder post dive. I could be wrong.
Cheers.