Gear Rinse - Maybe a better way

[Johnoly]

Here are 2 Gear Rinsing tips that I added this past year and have made a HUGE change. I'm a bug & lionfish harvester and ocean dive about every other week in S.E. Fla. I'm brutal on my gear and every trip I always break something small or big.

1st change I made was recommended by SB'er @Divin'Papaw . I used to use Simple Green to clean my wetsuits and gear when it started to smell or about every 4-5 trips. I started using his solution on every trip. It's called Revivex Odor Eliminator by Gear Aid. It's friggin Amazon cheap at $5 for a 10oz bag and you use a 1oz capful for 20 gallons of rinse water (about a rubbermaid tub size). You unscrew the built in measuring cap & dump it in the tub, using your fin to swirl it. I still soak my Regs & Pony first without the cleaner, then pull those, add cleaner and then put the BCD & everything else in the tub. I let it soak 30 mins, then hang it to dry WITHOUT rinsing out the soap. The solution continues to work eating bacteria while the gear dries. It's been 7 months & 40 dives of using it and zero damage to my BCD valves, SMB, reel, wetsuits or any other gear. It's cheap and no more musty gear smells.

2nd Tip change I did came from my regulator rebuilder. Every ~250 dives my IP pressure would creep up and when I took it in for a rebuild, they would SCREAM at me for not properly rinsing my regs because they were crusty & nasty inside. I used to do like everyone else, secure the dust cap and toss it in the fresh water. Finally he said, Look Johnoly, buy a 13ft pony bottle, and put an “ H “ valve on it. Then instead of rinsing with just a dust cap, you can “power rinse” the salt away in your fresh water. Fellow SB'er @2airishuman sold me his 13 pony with a handle. Screwed on a $95 DGX “H” valve and now I attach my pony & main reg sets and power rinse them. A couple of times, I grab the whole setup and shake it underwater as well as the 2nd stages and let it soak ~10 mins. I just took my regs in to be checked and they are as clean as a whistle, a Huge improvement and my monthly IP checks are rock solid and don't move. This was a big safety change for me because I've had crusty regs freeflow on some of the triple-digit-deeps where I dive.

(Tech diver's cringe at a 13 cuft Pony with an " H " Valve )

I just wanted to writeup 2 gear rinsing tips that proves you can still teach a longtime diver a new & better way to rinse & clean gear.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Johnoly

I have used Odor Eliminator for years, used to be called McNett Mirazyme. I've been fresh smelling for a long time

 

[Johnoly]

Hi @Johnoly

McNett Mirazyme.

I remember seeing that in shops but it was ALOT more expensive than the new stuff. Thanks, I didn't know that name change.

 

[Akimbo]

Then instead of rinsing with just a dust cap, you can “power rinse” the salt away in your fresh water.

I have routinely soaked pressurized regulators in a deep sink since the 1970s. Leaving them in the freshwater overnight is pretty common. I had one balanced piston first stage go 27 years before an overhaul due to IP creep.

 

[TMHeimer]

Sounds complicated. I've rinsed with fresh water from a hose (or shower) everything (no soaking). A little baby shampoo inside the BC and on the legs of my wetsuit (for obvious reason....). No problems for 17 years. Replaced BC 2 years ago and wetsuit 2 before that (both were bought in 2005 used.

 

[davehicks]

Excellent!

Enzymatic cleaners are excellent for both stinky wetsuits, drysuits, or anything your cat pees on. If it can kill the horror of cat piss, it can deal with a funky wetsuit!

Rinsing your regulators while pressurized is a true pro tip. It is a lot easier to get water intrusion in your regs that most people realize, and it will cause problems with your regs and certainly increase your service intervals.

 

[Belzelbub]

Thanks for the tip on the Revivex. I’ll have to pick some up.

I’ve been soaking my 2nd stages under pressure for a while now. 1st stages are sealed, so they generally stay out of the bucket hooked to the cylinder I used. 1st stage and cylinder get a good spraying from the hose nozzle while the 2nds soak. My regulator service guy usually comments that everything looks clean and well cared for.

 

[MichaelMc]

I spray each reg with a hand spray bottle before taking it off the tank. It is convenient enough to do between dives. I'm using an old windex bottle, but the small 10oz alcohol squirt bottles from CVS would be even more convenient.

I used to use a one gallon hand pressurized sprayer, but a small squirt bottle does the job for the regs and is much less hassle. A pony would improve the at home soak though.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

My main defence against salt water is HOT, FRESH WATER.... Great for dive gear, boats, dogs, truck, trailer, etc.... (not too hot for the dogs). If you already have your water heater in the garage then its a fairly simple install to get a mix valve on your garage hose bib...

 

[Divin'Papaw]

@Johnoly Glad the odor eliminator/mirazyme is working for you! Yes, one benefit of McNett being bought by Gear Aid seems to be lower prices on the stuff.

I too rinse & soak my regs pressurized.

One more tip I use for my wings/bc. Once a year I spray them down good (after they’ve thoroughly dried) with UV Tech spray. It too used to be McNett and is now Gear Aid Revivex. It’s designed to protect marine plastic, fabric, latex, and other such materials from sun damage. It was first recommended to me by Steve Gamble for my latex drysuit seals. I find it helps preserve and protect those type of materials. I spray down the entire wing … fabric, plastic parts & the corrugated inflator/exhaust hose.

Gear Aid UV Protectant and Conditioner Spray for Plastic, Vinyl, Rubber and Nylon