Can Conshelf SEA be used with 100% O2?

[scubaalblake]

I have 8(!) Conshelf SEA regulators (also called the Cousteau in some markets). Various ages up to 30 years old.
They are brilliant and I have used them for decades for Ocean, Cave, Sidemount, Backmount, stages etc.
I service them all myslf and am very familiar with the maintenance procedures. I source the service kits from Europe because they are all DIN.
I want to repurpose one reg for my 100% deco stage.

Can the SEA be made 100% O2 compatible?
I know all the bits about cleaning the parts, checking for contamination etc.
I dont know if the orings in the kits are Viton, or if the HP seat is 100% compatible.

Anyone know?

 

[happy-diver]

I don't know but I've been using my Aquarius with 100% for decades

Hoses are rubber

 

[scubaalblake]

I've just checked the service kit - 122204 Cousteau Yoke/DIN serv kit is marked:
"Not especially prepared for 100% oxygen use"

Which tends to imply that is *could* be used for 100% if properly prepared (ie cleaned)......
Anyone else using an SEA for 100% ?

 

[rsingler]

I wouldn't have any qualms about it if you switched to Viton equivalent o-rings, with one exception...
The regs are old enough that at some point in their life, they had to have been lubed with silicone. That stuff is very tenacious, and @happy-diver is the only guy I know with actual experience cleaning it off. What solvent did you use (not that one of the -ene's or -ol's is actually a solvent)? It does loosen the stuff for physical cleaning with washing powder or an alkaline detergent.

The maker of Tribolube also makes a spray silicone remover, but it's rather expensive.

I'd be afraid to use the regs without repeated cleaning to remove all traces of silicone. Even then, I'd be anxious with a set that had had lots of goop in it. What do you think, happy?

 

[scubaalblake]

I wouldn't have any qualms about it if you switched to Viton equivalent o-rings, with one exception...
The regs are old enough that at some point in their life, they had to have been lubed with silicone. That stuff is very tenacious, and @happy-diver is the only guy I know with actual experience cleaning it off. What solvent did you use (not that one of the -ene's or -ol's is actually a solvent)? It does loosen the stuff for physical cleaning with washing powder or an alkaline detergent.

The maker of Tribolube also makes a spray silicone remover, but it's rather expensive.

I'd be afraid to use the regs without repeated cleaning to remove all traces of silicone. Even then, I'd be anxious with a set that had had lots of goop in it. What do you think, happy?

Hmm,
Intersting point. I thought the entire point of cleaning for oxygen service (ie multiple simple green + vinegar and sonic + multiple rinses) was to get rid of oils and grease - including silicone? I have had the reg for 10+ years of its 30 year life, during which it's had at least 3 tribolube services.....but there could well have been silicone on it back in the distant past.

Are you saying the oxygen cleaning procesures dicussed in this forum dont remove silicone? I should think that would be a pretty big problem with lots of regs?

 

[runsongas]

dowsil ds 1000

 

[happy-diver]

What did I write toluene tell you what gotta say that chlorine heavy Aldi washing powder
strips CAD strips cheap chrome strips the black of car bolts strips blue and strips silicone

and it really strips the juice out of your plastic reg bits
but if the silicone has soaked into the diaphragm bin it

Sea

I'll be installing one of my punched out epdm insertion rubber diaphragms in this one

I was never one for that viton it has always been epdm for me

Renovated houses on that vice, built a million regs not a mark

built cars, all o2 clean

 

[Couv]

We need a new reaction button for post such as the above. Something that indicates, "I think I like it, but I'm not sure if I understand what he meant." Knowone knows for sure.

Aldi washing powder for clean clothes, car parts, and O2 cleaning diving gear.

 

[whaylonsmithers]

@couv I'm in a different country entirely and that sometimes means the same label for different products. Is there an active ingredient in the Aldi washing powder that I can check for?

And is that hand wash, ultrasonic, kitchen dishwasher or laundry washing machine? I'm guessing soft parts can handle the dishwasher, metal parts the ultrasonic, everything hand wash, nothing laundered.

@happy-diver thanks for the post. A little cryptic but you've promoted learner engagement spectacularly.

 

[Couv]

Aldi is a German owned grocery market chain that has become popular in many parts of the world. In addition to being well organized, easy to shop in, they offer "store brand" products that are on par with major manufactures. I'm sure they have vendors who supply the products.

If I am reading @happy-diver 's post correctly, he uses Aldi's brand of clothes washing powder to cut grease an clean parts to his satisfaction. I use dish detergent or Ultra Simple Green but will try clothes washing powder (Tide) in the future. Again, if I'm deciphering Happy correctly, using something a simple product designed to remove grease from common items should be just as effective on scuba gear.

I don't know if I would put my soft parts in a dishwasher-let me know if that works; but soft parts at Couv's get hand washed. Hard parts get cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner or an acid bath/neutralizer/hot rinse. (All parts start out by in hot soapy de-greasing water.) One thing to be mindful of is not to use boiling water on certain soft parts-like the friction ring under a second stage cover. :-( (Don't ask)