Corrosion on 1st Stage

[ScubaBill1955]

I noticed some corrosion on my first stage. I always soak it in fresh water after diving. What can I use on it to clean it? Could I put a "lubricant" on it to keep it from corroding?

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Thanks,
Bill

 

[halocline]

Try taking your hose protectors off, or at least pulling them up off the connector when you soak. That little bit on the yoke threads you can remove by just taking the yoke screw off and scrubbing the threads with some vinegar; use an old toothbrush. That'll work for the verdigris on the hose end as well. Make sure you rinse the reg really well when you're finished.

What you're seeing is pretty common. If you soak in a communal rinse tank, sometimes there's so much gear in there that you almost have weak salt water. Really hard water can also be fairly corrosive. When I come home from an ocean dive trip, I'll soak my reg (which I also soak in the tank immediately after diving) in warm R.O. water for a day or two. It might be overkill but it's not any trouble.

You could put a little silicone grease on the yoke screw threads, that might protect them for a while.

 

[Slonda828]

I agree with Matt, he's a sharp cookie. Additionally, get rid of your hose protectors entirely, those things are corrosion traps and do very little provided that you know how to route your hoses.

Furthermore, soak your regs when you get home. I soak mine in the tub when I get home (make sure the dust cap is tight and has a good ring in it). I use ancient regs, and if you soak them they will last FOREVER.

BTW white vinegar and water (50/50 mix) works wonders on corrosion and is super inexpensive.

 

[redacted]

BTW white vinegar and water (50/50 mix) works wonders on corrosion and is super inexpensive.

But it can be tough on o-rings and hoses so be carefule when you use it.

 

[Slonda828]

Good point Awap, I should've mentioned that.

 

[tfsails]

What I'm seeing here is more or less "normal" wear and tear for a reg that sees salt water. Merely rinsing it in a rinse tank at the dock after the dive is not enough. That rinse tank probably is a little brackish unless the water in it is freshly filled. The rinse tank is better than nothing, but it's not enough.

When you get home, put the reg in a bucket for several days taking all the usual precautions: Make sure the dust cap is on and tight (but not super torqued) and do not press the purge button while the reg is soaking. If it's an Atomic reg, make sure the second stage hose has an anti-siphon loop in it to make sure no water gets into the first stage. This is necessary because Atomics have a system where the orifice in the second stage draws away from the poppet when the reg is unpressurized, and water can get into the first stage via the second stage hose.