Dive boat staff = wet dust cap on Atomic Aquatics reg

[BRT]

Please don’t do the burst of air. It’s noisy as heck and I always think someone has a leak when I hear it. Use a towel or something similar.

You do it your way. I'll protect my regs.

 

[johndiver999]

Generally I will not put the dust cap on when switching tanks. If it is rough and there is spray, then I might keep my thumb over the regulator inlet. However, of more importance is the benefit of remembering to crack the valve of the fresh tank to clear any water that has got into the valve on the ride out to the dive site.

Water trapped in the inlet of the valve is a significant potential reservoir for salt water to be blown into your first stage.

 

[oly5050user]

Please don’t do the burst of air. It’s noisy as heck and I always think someone has a leak when I hear it. Use a towel or something similar.

Burst of high pressure air can also blow water to droplets into first stage and also cause O ring on valve to blow out and be lost. Don’t do it. Simply wipe dust cap with a towel or whatever handy and enjoy your day.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Generally I will not put the dust cap on when switching tanks. If it is rough and there is spray, then I might keep my thumb over the regulator inlet. However, of more importance is the benefit of remembering to crack the valve of the fresh tank to clear any water that has got into the valve on the ride out to the dive site.

Water trapped in the inlet of the valve is a significant potential reservoir for salt water to be blown into your first stage.

Good reminder. Here is another related suggestion. Please cover the valve with a towel or clothe when you do this. Nothing is more annoying on a dive boat IMO than people wantonly blowing air out of their tanks. I always put a towel, bandana, or at least my thumb over the valve when I do this. It significantly deadens the sound.

 

[Hoyden]

I find myself in both camps... If I don't have a long standing relationship with you, don't touch my gear. If I am doing a tech dive, don't even look at my gear... But, all of that is why I love returning to CoCo View every year. I can hang my gear in the dive locker with the handy "I am diving" tag and all of my gear will be on the boat and set-up just as if I did it myself when I show up the next morning. I find that I appreciate this more and more every year. I still do a thorough gear check before leaving the dock, but it is lovely to just show up and dive.

YMMV

 

[Scuba-74]

Thanks. How do you manage FW rinses while switching tanks on a boat...do you just squirt it with a water bottle or something? I am thinking of getting a pony bottle for trips, so I can rinse my stuff pressurized at the end of the day.

Why would you need to rinse it while switching tanks on a boat, or on shore for that matter?

just wipe the area around filter with a dry towel or a t-shirt, if you feel that you need to put a dust cap on, wipe that too...

 

[Degenerate]

Am I the only one who doesn't even use dust caps?
Never had any issue with my regs.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Am I the only one who doesn't even use dust caps?
Never had any issue with my regs.

My regs are DIN with ACD. I use the cap to protect the threads.

 

[Scuba-74]

Am I the only one who doesn't even use dust caps?
Never had any issue with my regs.

I’m guessing you are either diving DIN, or you very well may be the only one

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I dive DIN, but I have never dried a dust cap by blowing air from a tank. You have a better chance of getting water in your first stage when you open the valve after installing your reg than you do if it sits in the open without a dust cap on.