"Dust Caps" and rinsing rant

[Jetwrench]

I have seen many posts on this board advising divers, mostly newbies, to rinse their first stage by installing the dust cap and soaking it in fresh water. In most cases the mfg recommends rinsing while under pressure to avoid getting water or anything else into the first stage. The dust cap provided with the reg is to be installed when the reg is not in use. Now comes the rant.

It's a "dust cap"!

I'll say it again.

It's a "dust cap"!

For the ones looking for advice on care of your reg, consult the mfg's recommendations and follow them. If your owners manual doesn't answer all of your questions, contact the mfg directly.

For those on this board who have suggested otherwise, shame on you! I don't care about your experience level, # of logged dives, years under your belt, or anything else you may use to justify giving advice that is contradictory to what I have found in every reg manual I own. Dust caps are just that. No more, no less. They were not meant to be a waterproof seal. So do what you want but never tell someone else(especially a new diver) it's ok to install the cap and soak away. We are supposed to be doing preventative maintenance! You folks need to stop and think! There are alot of new divers who come to this board looking for advice and will assume what they recieve must be right because they heard it here. Again, think before you speak/post.

I believe this is a safety issue that can be passed on to the new divers and at least brought to the attention of the experienced divers on this board. Something so simple as how to rinse a reg? Go figure... Really! Go figure!

Jet

 

[Charlie99]

Here's what the manual for my Atomics Reg says"

A simple fresh water rinse after every dive to clean the regulator of salt, sand or dirt is all that is required. Dry or blow off any water in the first stage dust cap and fit it in place. Rinse through the ambient ports of the first stage (unless fitted with a anti-freeze kit) and through the mouthpiece of the second stage. Rinsing is particularly important with the chrome plated brass first stages (M1, B1, Z1) to maintain it in top condition and keep the chrome looking attractive. Avoid soaking the regulator unpressurized, as water may enter the second stage and first stage mechanism. If the second stage is purged during the rinse or soaked, it is a good idea to re-connect the regulator to a tank and blow out any water that may have gotten inside the first or second stage.

Please read the above carefully, and note that the recommended sequence is to fit the dust cap in place, THEN rinse. It's pretty hard to pressurize the reg with the dust cap fitted.

Also note that Atomics distingushes between SOAKING and RINSING, and specifically recommends pressuring the reg when SOAKING.

And finally, note that the last sentence refers to reconnecting the regulator to the tank to blow out any water that may have entered because of the purge being depressed during a rinse or a soak.

---------

While it may be called a dust cap, my dustcap uses the same 0-ring as in the yoke valve of a tank, and it is tightly held onto the 1st stage by the yoke clamp. I am quite confident that it will be watertight for the pressures it will see in a dunk tank.

Obviously, rinsing and/or soaking the reg while pressurized is the best practice, but that doesn't mean that rinsing with dust cap in place is foolhardy or unacceptable.

Charlie

p.s. You might contact a reg manufacturer directly, rather than relying upon the word of some guy at your local dive shop.

 

[hermosadive]

p.s. You might contact a reg manufacturer directly, rather than relying upon the word of some guy at your local dive shop.

you could also add "or doing whatever you read from a random member of ScubaBoard"

 

[Dryglove]

Per the instruction booklet for my Apeks ATX200

"If it is not feasible to soak the regulator while it is attached to a cylinder, it may be soaked unpressurized - provided that the dust cap is securely sealed over the inlet, and the second stage purge buttons are not depressed while the regulator is submerged or wet"

 

[Charlie99]

I have seen many posts on this board advising divers, mostly newbies, to rinse their first stage by installing the dust cap and soaking it in fresh water. In most cases the mfg recommends rinsing while under pressure to avoid getting water or anything else into the first stage. The dust cap provided with the reg is to be installed when the reg is not in use. Now comes the rant.

It's a "dust cap"!

I'll say it again.

It's a "dust cap"!

For the ones looking for advice on care of your reg, consult the mfg's recommendations and follow them. If your owners manual doesn't answer all of your questions, contact the mfg directly.

For those on this board who have suggested otherwise, shame on you! I don't care about your experience level, # of logged dives, years under your belt, or anything else you may use to justify giving advice that is contradictory to what I have found in every reg manual I own. Dust caps are just that. No more, no less. They were not meant to be a waterproof seal. So do what you want but never tell someone else(especially a new diver) it's ok to install the cap and soak away. We are supposed to be doing preventative maintenance! You folks need to stop and think! There are alot of new divers who come to this board looking for advice and will assume what they recieve must be right because they heard it here. Again, think before you speak/post.

I believe this is a safety issue that can be passed on to the new divers and at least brought to the attention of the experienced divers on this board. Something so simple as how to rinse a reg? Go figure... Really! Go figure!

Jet

Just in case the Atomics reg was weird and unusual, I looked up what Scubapro say for care and maintenance.

POST DIVE MAINTENANCE
Dry the protective storage cap and fit it into place in the first stage. Tighten the yoke screw enough to keep it in place sealing the high pressure air inlet. Rinse the regulator thoroughly after every dive and flush clean, fresh water through the mouthpiece and out the exhaust ports of the second stage.

They also warn against pressing the purge on the 2nd stage, and say to reconnect the tank and blow out the water if the purge is inadvertantly pressed.

If you are recommending pressuring the reg for long periods while soaking the reg, you might be interested that Scubapro also says (the capital letters are by Scubapro): "NEVER LEAVE A REGULATOR SYSTEM PRESSURIZED FOR LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY. IF YOU LEAVE YOUR REGULATOR UNATTENDED, SHUT OFF THE TANK VALVE AND DEPRESSURIZE (“BLEED”) THE SYSTEM USING THE PURGE BUTTON."

 

[Mark Vlahos]

From my Aqualung Regulator Manual...


User Care & Maintenance
It is important to provide the proper preventative maintenance in
order to ensure the best possible performance and maximum life of your
Aqua Lung Regulator. The following maintenance procedures should be
performed routinely after each use to ensure that the regulator is cleaned,
inspected, and prepared for the next use or for storage.
1. Whenever the regulator is removed from the cylinder valve, it is
important that the dust cap is installed over the regulator inlet fitting.
This is critical to prevent the entrance of moisture into the first stage.
This cap is normally attached to the first stage yoke and may therefore
be wet. Wipe or blow the dust cap completely dry before securing it
over the inlet fitting. Check to ensure that the O-ring is seated securely
inside the dust cap.
2. As soon as possible after diving, the regulator should be rinsed thoroughly
with fresh water while it is attached to a cylinder and pressurized
with air.
3. Rinsing alone, however, will not sufficiently clean the regulator. To
clean the regulator as thoroughly as possible, it is necessary to soak it
in warm (not over 120°F) tap water for at least one hour.
a. The preferred method is to attach the regulator to a charged SCUBA
cylinder, open the cylinder valve to pressurize the regulator, and
thoroughly soak both the first and second-stages. Pressurizing the
regulator will effectively prevent the entrance of moisture and/or
contaminants into the regulator while it soaks.
b. If it is not feasible to soak the regulator while it is attached to a
cylinder, it may be soaked unpressurized - provided that the dust cap
is securely sealed over the inlet with its O-ring intact, and the second
stage purges buttons are not depressed while the regulator is submerged
or wet.
NOTE: When soaking or rinsing an adjustable model regulator
unpressurized, check to ensure that the second stage adjustment knob
(VAK) is turned completely “in” (clockwise) to prevent moisture from
entering the valve and LP hose.
CAUTION: DO NOT depress the purge button, loosen the first stage
yoke screw, or turn the second stage adjustment knob all the way “out”
(adjustable models) if the regulator is submerged unpressurized. Doing
so will allow the entrance of moisture, and will require that the regulator
be returned to an Authorized Aqua Lung Dealer for service.

The above does reccomend that you rinse the regualtor pressurized, but in light of the consideration that not all divers own their own tank it does provide for a procedure to rinse your regulator unpressurized.

I have given advice in another thread that reflects both methods of rinsing and don't think the rant in entirely warranted. Of course it is always a good idea to read the f***ing manual but sometimes it is not practical. I am currently traveling on business and while I do not have any of my dive gear with me I was compelled to search my hard drive for the electronic version. Not all divers take the manual with them on every trip they make, even dive trips.

So relax and go diving. http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/Standard%20Smiles/04.gif

Mark Vlahos

 

[simbrooks]

I put the dust cap on, but dont drop the regs in, just rinse up to or submerge the 1st stage up to the point where the dust cap is - no point going much higher if its covered by the dust cap.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

That's why I prefer DIN regs. I screw the "dust caps" on firmly enough to seat the O-rings and dunk the regs in my 40 gallon plastic tub with water and wetsuit shampoo. After 600+ dives with these regs I have not gotten a drop of water in the first stages.

 

[MB]

Gosh Jet, this seems to hit a hot button for you. Why the passion on this? Have you had a couple of regs dunked by friends?

Its a sin to see a perfectly good reg compromised by careless rinsing or soaking, but it seems to me that a little care and attention can avoid that. For fresh water dives, rinsing is fine, but for salt water, a good soak will prevent salt corrosion in the gazillion nicks and crannies in the gear. Your cautions about protecting the 1st stage are sound, but you seem convinced that dust covers can't seal. Do you have some observations regarding why that is?

 

[saying]

That's why I prefer DIN regs. I screw the "dust caps" on firmly enough to seat the O-rings and dunk the regs in my 40 gallon plastic tub with water and wetsuit shampoo. After 600+ dives with these regs I have not gotten a drop of water in the first stages.

Question for you. My DIN caps have a little hole in them so I've been reluctant to do what you mention above.

What up with that?