Fresh water in one first stage, salt water in another

[Rob9876]

Got water in or around the inlets of 2 of my first stages this past weekend. One was a pony reg (only a 2nd stage and button SPG) which is nearly new -- we had a torrential downpour when we were breaking down our gear, so there's no doubt rain water got everywhere.

The other is my main reg, which got a blast of salt water from the boat bouncing while we were breaking down gear.

Is the pony reg with rain water basically o.k., or is there something else I should do? As for my main reg -- I know salt water in there is not good, so assuming it needs to be serviced? If service is needed, it may be a week or more before I can take it -- is there anything (fresh water flush, etc.) that I should do in the interim?

 

[johndiver999]

If it were me, I would hook each reg to a tank and purge the second stages. Then I would remove all the hoses and again purge for a few seconds. Then I would plan on taking the reg in for service within 1 to 5 years or when I start seeing anything of concern.

 

[James79]

On the pony reg, I would remove the SPG hose and plug the port (to keep from pushing water up the hose and into the SPG itself), and put it on a tank and purge both seconds extensively. The dry air from the tank will flush out/dry out any fresh water that got into it.... and the sooner the better. The demon you want to stop is corrosion inside the regs... and it's fairly slow with fresh water, but why chance it.

I rebuild my own regs, and for the salt exposure reg I would be doing a rebuild of the first stage (If I believed salt water got inside). Trying to rinse it with fresh water runs too high a chance of pushing salt into nooks and crannies of the first stage interior (in my opinion).

Others may (read that as "probably") have better opinions.

Respectfully,

James

 

[johndiver999]

yeah, probably better to remove the spg hose first, before doing anything. you are right.

 

[BoltSnap]

Remove ALL hoses except for second stages hoses and put the port plugs back on in their place. Connect to the tank and purge from each second alternating between the two. I would take both firsts in for service. The one with salt water intrusion should get serviced immediatley. The one with fresh water intrusion, I would take in for service if it were me since our "fresh" water still has salt and mineral content in it.

 

[Nemrod]

Got water in or around the inlets of 2 of my first stages this past weekend.

If you got water IN the inlet then I would tear them down, in particular the saltwater. If you got water AROUND the first stage inlets then I would clean the surface of the inlet O-ring mating surface and rinse the regulators as usual.

James