Flooded first stage *sigh*

[Sas]

Well, I was in a hurry on the weekend to clean my gear and did not check that the dust cap on my first stage was secured well enough and dropped it in the tub. Anyway, the thing fell off whilst my first stage was submerged so I am guessing I got water in it. I am taking it in to the LDS to look at but am wondering what I could have broken in the first stage (or hoses)? And if it will be fixable? My computer was not attached at the time. Anyway, after an hour or so I hooked it up to my tank to test if it still worked and it was fine, but yea the shop said that is a bad idea as it might have water in the hoses now (pretty dumb of me, I should have left it alone), and even if it works now, under pressure it might not. I don't really know much about how it all works inside the first stage other than the basics...

Has anybody done this before? And how did it turn out? Hopefully it is not going to be really expensive but they couldn't give me a price as they said they need to look at it.

Anyway, lesson learned not to rush cleaning my gear and not to fiddle with things after I may have screwed them up as it will just make it worse! Grr, I hope I get it back on time for the weekend's diving as I love my reg (and computer!).

Edit: I had been diving in salt water, but it was being submerged in freshwater, if that makes a difference.

 

[String]

If its fresh water (probably in a rinse tank) simply remove the SPG (leave the hose), connect to a tank and gently blow the water out by turning the valve on a bit.

Its extremely unlikely anything would be broken from fresh water (but highly likely if salt).

Of course you should have actually done the above immediately

 

[herman]

I would pop off the second stages as well to make sure you get all the water out of the reg. Fresh water is not really that bad on the reg as long as you blow it out, salt water is another matter. The internals of regs are marine brass, stainless and plastics, nothing a little fresh water will hurt, even salt water is not that bad as long as you get it out fairly soon....Might be a good time for that anual service wheather you need it or not
For what it's worth, this is totally opposite of the advise I would give if you soaked it in salt water. For salt water, I would remove all the hoses, submerge everything, hoses and all, in fresh water and leave it there until you can get it to a repair shop, the water is not the problem, the dried salt and the corrosion it will cause is.

 

[Sas]

Yea I did that after a while, without my computer. I am getting the complete opposite advice from the shop though, that it is really bad to attach it to a tank after and that I need it serviced. He says there are a lot of things that can go wrong in the first stage even with freshwater... Very confused at the moment! They have told me the opposite of what a friend who can service them said, and also what I have read here.

The water was completely fresh but I guess it could have got some salt in it from when I dunked the reg in? So maybe that might damage it..

Going to ring another shop too to see what they have to say.

 

[Sas]

Ok well I rung another shop and they said it is probably fine but I can drop in there and they will look at it for about $15 Says it won't take much time at all! And then if there is a problem they can give me a quote.

I don't know what the go was with the first shop. They've been really good about everything else I have asked about or bought from them but this time I felt I got the run around as they wouldn't name a price and a bit of scare mongering about the harm I had done to my reg set up. Oh well, might have been having a bad day.

 

[don Francisco]

After a freshwater flood, probably not much damage would occur, but you need to get the water out. One thing that helps is to remove both the 2nd stage and the console hoses from the first stage and put them in a warm place for a time to drive the water out. Possibly the best place is in the sun on the dashboard of your car.

Leaving it assembled will only prolong the drying time, perhaps indefinitely.

 

[Sas]

Thanks Don, I am going to get it looked at for sure soon and I am sure they will help me with all that. I don't know much about taking it apart and don't want to do any damage, more so than I already have!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I've seen plenty of regs go into the rinse bin without the water cap; never bothered with the spg, just blew out the moisture from both seconds. I have heard that modern regs don't let much water in through that screen, and some new ones even go so far as to say water does not get through their screen. Never had a problem with any spg's after dunking and never noticed any problems with the 1st or 2nd stages, including the fact that all went well past their annual service dates without any problem.

 

[String]

Yea I did that after a while, without my computer. I am getting the complete opposite advice from the shop though, that it is really bad to attach it to a tank after and that I need it serviced.

What they mean is its bad for them. They cant get money off you for doing exactly the same thing if you do it yourself.

Residual salt in a dump tank is so dilute it wont make a difference at all. Treat it as fresh.

Blow the reg hoses, re-assemble and save time and money.

 

[Rick Inman]

What they mean is its bad for them. They cant get money off you for doing exactly the same thing if you do it yourself.

Residual salt in a dump tank is so dilute it wont make a difference at all. Treat it as fresh.

Blow the reg hoses, re-assemble and save time and money.

Yes, yes and yes.

Blow it out. Then call that first shop and ask them SPECIFICALLY what can fail from fresh water in the reg. Sounds like they are saying that blowing the water out through the hoses will make things worse. Ask them SPECIFICALLY what will be worse. Tell them to speak slowly so you can write it down. Then get ready for a song and dance.

And please tell us what they say.