lube for regulators

[herman]

I agree Andy, over the years, Dow 111 has likely been used on more reg that all the other lubes combined, it was the lube of choice before nitrox became popular. While not O2 safe, it's fine for 32-36 nitrox. I have never seen it separate or dry up like some of the other "better" lubes.

 

[Centrals]

I agree Andy, over the years, Dow 111 has likely been used on more reg that all the other lubes combined, it was the lube of choice before nitrox became popular. While not O2 safe, it's fine for 32-36 nitrox. I have never seen it separate or dry up like some of the other "better" lubes.

Silicone grease is pretty inert and stable. While the PTFE based grease is a 'colloid" ie. two phases system. The MCG-111 that I have been using over last several yrs is starting to separate. I just use a micro spatula to give a good stir before using it!

 

[kwinter]

As I recall, about 10 years ago (before there was Tribolube) the most common O2 lube was Cristo. It had a tendency to dry and become hard and flaky. Dive Rite put out a bulletin urging Optima rebreather divers to NOT use Cristolube on their head and hose fittings. It was making the job of annual service tougher for their techs because they first had to scrape off all the old dry Cristolube. Lamar pointed out that even though the rebreather was subjected to 100% oxygen, it was at low pressure and therefore not necessary to use O2 lube. He suggested plain old silicone lube for all the o-rings and fittings. The only thing that needed O2 lube were the regulators on the HP side.

I believe he did modify this recommendation when Trubolube became available because it didn't gum up like Cristo. I've been using plain old silicone lube on everything except regs. With several rebreathers and scooters in use, you can bet I go through a good amount. I see no reason to pay the higher price of O2 lube for most uses. Of course I use it when servicing regs. It uses a tiny amount. But I wouldn't fill an enviro chamber with O2 lube. It's just not necessary.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[halocline]

In 1996 at a Scubapro clinic we were told to never, never, ever again use ANY silicone grease in a regulator. Ever. At the time our options were Crystolube or Krytox. (Tribolube probably wasn't out at the time.)

Dow 111 was what we had been using for cylinder neck o-rings, and we also coated valve threads with it. Gross.

I understand that there may be another grease referred to as Dow 111 that may not be as gross as the tube of crap I remember, but probably not. All I can say is there is no way I would EVER use that stuff in a reg.

I would probably lose my credentials as a Scubapro Expert Tech if I did.

I guess they didn't teach you in 'expert tech' school that for decades, SP and all the other manufacturers used silicone lubricants. Somehow the users of those regulators survived, and even more shocking, the regulators themselves are still in working order. Even more shocking, every day thousands of regulators with silicone lubricants are still being used! The horror....

The combination of ignorance and arrogance you seem to picked up in your expert training is impressive. Just another reason that DIY regulator service is the best diving related decision I've ever made.

 

[Couv]

Guess what the "S" in ScubPro's S.P.E.C. system originally stood for?

 

[KeithG]

Guess what the "S" in ScubPro's S.P.E.C. system originally stood for?

S as in Spam? Maybe not....

I believe (but could be totally wrong) that many people are confused (actually I know most people are generally confused, including me).

I think there is grease FOR silicone orings, and there is grease made from silicone for orings. Both types of grease are often referred to and labelled as "silicone" grease. I also have read that grease made from silicone is bad for orings made from silicone. I could be wrong.

This "knowledge" has been gleaned from careful study of SB posts. I also have learned from SB that Cristo & Tribo are safe everywhere. So I now only use Tribolube for everything. Sparingly. An extremely small dab will do you. I even used it to lube the yoke clamp on our regs. A touch pick worth did the trick.


P.S. I have no idea what type of guck my LDS jammed into my divebuddy's regulator the last time it was serviced. It did foul the Sherwood patented dry bleed system (sintered piston) and I was unable to resurrect the piston via boiling, ultrasonic cleansing or ritual sacrifices (no small animals were harmed). I did eventually ultrasonic it too long in vinegar and tarnished it. I have declared the piston as toast. Time to eBay another reg to get a spare...

 

[Centrals]

Silicone grease is extremely difficult to remove completely.
You may try a solution of potassium hydroxide in ethanol. But this solution is highly corrosive and flammable.

---------- Post added January 5th, 2016 at 03:52 PM ----------

P.S. I have no idea what type of guck my LDS jammed into my divebuddy's regulator the last time it was serviced. It did foul the Sherwood patented dry bleed system (sintered piston) and I was unable to resurrect the piston via boiling, ultrasonic cleansing or ritual sacrifices (no small animals were harmed). I did eventually ultrasonic it too long in vinegar and tarnished it. I have declared the piston as toast. Time to eBay another reg to get a spare...

 

[KeithG]

Silicone grease is extremely difficult to remove completely.
You may try a solution of potassium hydroxide in ethanol. But this solution is highly corrosive and flammable.

---------- Post added January 5th, 2016 at 03:52 PM ----------

Sounds very dangerous?

I just zipped locked baggy'd her first stage with large warnings to never try to breathe this sh*t again.

 

[tbone1004]

Silicone grease is extremely difficult to remove completely.
You may try a solution of potassium hydroxide in ethanol. But this solution is highly corrosive and flammable.

---------- Post added January 5th, 2016 at 03:52 PM ----------

and this is the reason you have to be careful when you convert a regulator or valve from normal use to high O2 use. Poseidon uses a silicone lubricant of some kind in the actual manufacturing process of their normal regulators and because of that, they say that they can never be truly O2 clean. I do it anyway, but that's what they say and is the reason their regulators are spec'd for air use only.