Buying First Reg: Concerns with care / rinsing / servicing

[davehicks]

Very interesting post for me. I'm strictly a vacation diver and I'm going on a trip shortly during which I'll be using a DIN regulator for the first time.

In a scenario where I'll only have access to rinse tanks - no pressurized tanks or garden hoses for spraying the 1st and 2nd stages, what is the best way to care for my new reg during and after the trip?

Based on this thread I believe I should put the 1st stage dust cap on and then soak the 1st stage for a few minutes with the second stages draped over the side. After this then reverse the process by soaking the 2nd stages with the 1st stage out of the tank?

When I return home from the trip should I just give the entire reg a good rinsing with a garden hose? I don't yet have a tank at home for pressurizing.

Don't sweat it too much on the trip. Just dive it daily and leave it for the next day. You'll be soaking it for a few hours per day while diving. At the end of the trip, be sure the give the regulators a quick rinse even if it's in a sink or camera dunk tank. Just soak and agitate for 30 seconds. Do the 1st stage and 2nds separately and not all at once. Hang to dry.

After you get home do this all again but for a lot longer. Then hang to dry under a FAN for 24 hours with a few shakes to get the water out.

It would not be a bad idea to buy a new or used 19cf bottle to keep at home. You can use it for soaking your regs, blowing them out, or testing and evaluating them before each dive trip. Get a $20 IP gauge at the same time and you'll be in business.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Very interesting post for me. I'm strictly a vacation diver and I'm going on a trip shortly during which I'll be using a DIN regulator for the first time.

In a scenario where I'll only have access to rinse tanks - no pressurized tanks or garden hoses for spraying the 1st and 2nd stages, what is the best way to care for my new reg during and after the trip?

Based on this thread I believe I should put the 1st stage dust cap on and then soak the 1st stage for a few minutes with the second stages draped over the side. After this then reverse the process by soaking the 2nd stages with the 1st stage out of the tank?

When I return home from the trip should I just give the entire reg a good rinsing with a garden hose? I don't yet have a tank at home for pressurizing.

If you're using a DIN reg and won't be able to pressurize the 1st stage, put the dust cap on and hang it around your neck in the shower. Rinse the seconds and let the water run over the DIN connection covered 1st.
Get out of the shower, hang the reg up, and remove the DIN dust cover. Take a damp cloth and wipe the threads on the reg. Rinse the dust cover in the sink and let both air dry.

For the love of all that's holy, don't use a rinse tank unless you can confirm that it has continuously running fresh water circulating in and out of it. If it doesn't, you can be sure someone is going to drop their BC or wetsuit in it and turn it into a saltwater rinse.

At the end of the trip, do the same thing along with rinsing and soaking the seconds in the sink while working any knobs or levers they have. Drain the water and rinse again. Then let them dry before you pack them away.

Don't pack wet regs on the off chance you'll get sidetracked and forget about them when you get home. I've seen this too many times. People sent me regs to check that they SAID they "rinsed and dried."
Only for me to open the reg bag, and there's crap growing in it.

When you get home, give everything a good rinse. If possible, rent a tank for a day and do the steps I posted earlier.
Hang them in a cool, dry place for a few days to make sure they are really good and dry before packing them.