How corrosive is salt?

[fisherdvm]

I find that it doesn't take much time for corrosion to start. I really wonder if the brief dunking in the rinse tank is adequate. My gut feeling is, that it is better than not rinsing at all.

I really wonder if metal alloys and stainless steel start to corrode within 2 or 3 hours of exposure to air. And that even leaving gears unrinsed for 5 or 6 hours will start the corrosion.

How obsessive do you rinse out your BC, regulator, boots, zippers, etc?? I know that the alloy zippers on one of my boots had corroded and took hours of picking with a nail to clear it for zipping. Same with my new BC... despite rinsing in a dunk tank, within 12 hours, corrosion has started to form under the velcro back pad on the back plate. Apparently the velcro held enough sea water that the dunk tank would not let penetrate.

I think we really need to rinse our gears out even more after you get home to make sure the little bit of salt in the valves of our inflator hose, and crevices in the regs are clean.

 

[ronbeau]

I find that it doesn't take much time for corrosion to start. I really wonder if the brief dunking in the rinse tank is adequate. My gut feeling is, that it is better than not rinsing at all.

I really wonder if metal alloys and stainless steel start to corrode within 2 or 3 hours of exposure to air. And that even leaving gears unrinsed for 5 or 6 hours will start the corrosion.

How obsessive do you rinse out your BC, regulator, boots, zippers, etc?? I know that the alloy zippers on one of my boots had corroded and took hours of picking with a nail to clear it for zipping. Same with my new BC... despite rinsing in a dunk tank, within 12 hours, corrosion has started to form under the Velcro back pad on the back plate. Apparently the Velcro held enough sea water that the dunk tank would not let penetrate.

I think we really need to rinse our gears out even more after you get home to make sure the little bit of salt in the valves of our inflater hose, and crevices in the regs are clean.

I rinse the BC, wet suit and booties in the shower after each dive day. My safe second is an Atomic SS1 which simply unscrews from the corrugated hose on the BC. I flood the BC with fresh water after the end of the dive day if available on the dock. I also flood it with fresh water in the shower and slosh the fresh water around inside of the BC bladder.

Some might consider this extreme but it is life support gear so I try to take excellent care of it. I also us BC life to clean the interior of the BC after dive trips of 1 week or more.

 

[irishsquid]

I find that it doesn't take much time for corrosion to start. I really wonder if the brief dunking in the rinse tank is adequate. My gut feeling is, that it is better than not rinsing at all.

I really wonder if metal alloys and stainless steel start to corrode within 2 or 3 hours of exposure to air. And that even leaving gears unrinsed for 5 or 6 hours will start the corrosion.

How obsessive do you rinse out your BC, regulator, boots, zippers, etc?? I know that the alloy zippers on one of my boots had corroded and took hours of picking with a nail to clear it for zipping. Same with my new BC... despite rinsing in a dunk tank, within 12 hours, corrosion has started to form under the velcro back pad on the back plate. Apparently the velcro held enough sea water that the dunk tank would not let penetrate.

I think we really need to rinse our gears out even more after you get home to make sure the little bit of salt in the valves of our inflator hose, and crevices in the regs are clean.

I'm probably on the obsessive side myself. I wonder if the "corrosion" you noticed was salt residue? I'd venture dunk / rinse tanks are mostly diluted salt water dips.

 

[do it easy]

Salt is so bad for dive gear that I only dive in freshwater.

 

[k4man]

Salt is so bad for dive gear that I only dive in freshwater.

is salt bad for gear?? Here's my 2006 Cadillac after driving it for just one winter on salty Ohio roads....

 

[Bob Vincent]

When getting off a dive boat I dunk my gear in a dunk tank and play washing machine for about 5 minutes. Then if freshwater is available I rinse all my gear again. Fill up my BC and dump a few times. Rinse my reg really well and run alot of fresh water in the 2nd stage. My knife on my BC I take out and rinse and I carry a folding knife in a pocket on my BC and do the same. Everything gets rinsed.

I carry a large bag with all my equipment extra masks snorkels parts hoses lights strobes skin shortie etc. But on the boat I only carry a mesh bag with the equipment I'll be using. But I'll check everything really well before leaving for a trip and when I arrive at the place so I don't have a surprise waiting.

If fresh water isn't on site after a dive back to the motel/hotel/condo and in the tub and more rinsing.

 

[cool_hardware52]

is salt bad for gear?? Here's my 2006 Cadillac after driving it for just one winter on salty Ohio roads....

Didn't pop for the undercoating huh?

Tobin

 

[Mr.X]

I find that it doesn't take much time for corrosion to start. I really wonder if the brief dunking in the rinse tank is adequate. My gut feeling is, that it is better than not rinsing at all.

I think we really need to rinse our gears out even more after you get home to make sure the little bit of salt in the valves of our inflator hose, and crevices in the regs are clean.

If possible I will fill up the bathtub and leave gear rinsing for at least an half an hour. I will also agitate gear to make sure fresh water gets inside crevices and openings. I do this with all gear, video cameras, rebreathers and scooters. Sometimes I add shampoo, or anti-corrosive agents into the water to prevent rust build-up. I also do dedicated rinses because some gear traps salt water and makes rinse water slightly salty. With booties & wetsuits I only give them a mild rinse with wetsuit shampoo - if that. The stuff is cheap vs. the hardware.

Even with all the rinsing salt precipitates can be found coming out of some of my reg diaphragm openings as well as from the scooters. Try as I might, salt is insidious and we can only try to stay on top of it with long rinses. The hose is only when you are desperate!

X

 

[diverdown247]

I dive primarily in lakes now, but even that kind of water can truly bind up gear with silt and other gunk in the water.

As for salt water, I found that I was a religious freak when it came to rinsing my gear AND keeping it out of direct sunlight. My fear was that I hadn't rinsed thorough enough and might leave some salt in my BC to crystalize, thus cutting my BC from the inside out. Now that would truly be a travesty!!

 

[Buoyant1]

If I'm on a trip I rinse it fairly well after each dive, then when I get home it gets soaked for at least 24 hours in ether Sink the Stink or generic baby shampoo..if I'm diving the quarry I hang it when I get home and then just hose it off pretty good the next day to get the quarry muck off of it...(aka those little floaty things that look like poop)