Gear Rinse - Maybe a better way

[Jake 10]

Thanks for the new ideas and suggestions

 

[Bigbella]

I don't own a scuba tank in order to do this. Is there any harm in soaking regs unpressurized?

The risk of water intrusion into a first stage is all-but guaranteed, if soaked unpressurized. I routinely see all manner of corrosion in dive gear from that very activity. A better bet would be for you to tightly seal the filter with a thumb and plunge it a few times in a tub of fresh water and hose out second stages, without pushing a purge button.

The dust-caps are just that -- crap; and I know of no manufacturer who ensures a watertight fit on any of them.

And brass, as substantial as it feels in the hand, is a efficient heat-sink and handles pressure well, but is rather soft, and easily prone to damage and corrosion . . .

 

[James79]

I don't own a scuba tank in order to do this. Is there any harm in soaking regs unpressurized?

Not all dust caps are water tight, so you do run a small risk of getting water into the 1st stage, and if the purge button gets pressed you can get water into the demand valve of an unpressurized second stage. Both are classified as "un-good", lol. I use a pony bottle if I'm soaking regs, and if you have a regular air compressor (like a pancake compressor or such) I could show you a way to use that to keep positive pressure in the regs.

Respectfully,

James

 

[scubadada]

I saw several dive staff soaking 2nd stages without putting the 1st stage in the water. That is not a good idea either.

 

[Bigbella]

I saw several dive staff soaking 2nd stages without putting the 1st stage in the water. That is not a good idea either.

Provided that the purge button is not pressed, I don't have much of an issue with that . . .

 

[3SecondDiver]

Does anyone use salt away to rinse their gear? I usually fill a big rubbermaid trash can with water, mix in some salt-away and let soak for a few hours then rinse with fresh water. Regs I rinse and let soak in their own little tub with salt away while pressurized. Sealed 1st stage is only rinsed with salt away, not soaked since it’s on the tank. Wing is soaked in the big trash can then valves removed and rinsed inside with salt away and left to dry in front of a dehumidifier (blowing into the top valve and out the bottom) everything is usually dry in half a day as its all hung in a walk in closet with the dehumidifier running.

 

[Johnoly]

The risk of water intrusion into a first stage is all-but guaranteed, if soaked unpressurized. I routinely see all manner of corrosion in dive gear from that very activity.

I agree and that was where I was making mistakes. By me not soaking my regs under pressure, I was letting water in and it was just killing the IP setting with crud inside.

I don't own a scuba tank in order to do this. Is there any harm in soaking regs unpressurized?

I have the opposite problem. My LP121 tanks are too big to soak. That's why I bought the 13cuft tank, but a simple 6cuft tank works too. I also don't take my small tank to the dive shop to be refilled. Instead I use a 'fill whip hose' to transfill air to my small tank. The small rinse tank doesn't need to be 3000psi. Even 500psi is enough to soak your regs under pressure. PS. no matter what > buy your self an IP gauge (~$20) and learn how to easily use it on your regs so you can see for yourself.

 

[Joneill]

I don't own a scuba tank in order to do this. Is there any harm in soaking regs unpressurized?

If Atomic regs, yes - that’s potentially harmful to the first stage!

 

[TMHeimer]

I have used either a hose or side of the house spicket or shower to rinse my reg. Bought it used in 2005. Get it serviced every 2-3 years. So far I've had one hose replaced (because it got caught under my tank gearing up on a picnic table). I have never soaked it. Now, 98% of my diving last 5 years has been to 30 feet or less, so the concern is very minimal. Now, to the "practicing a CESA" threads....

 

[tridacna]

A few years ago my LDS ordered a few boxes of Mirazyme in Feb. UPS dropped it outside the backdoor and it sat in 10F weather for 48hrs. McNetts told us not to sell it and replaced the whole batch at their cost. Told us that the cold destroyed the microbes which are water activated.

I always wondered about how it works - water activated enzymes? Any organic chemists out there?