Oxygen cleaning

[ferretchen]

All,
I may need to put an HP extender into my reg setup. I got one from LP, but I don't want to assume that it's oxygen clean. I do dive nitrox, so this is an issue. Can someone recommend a way for me to clean this cheap, simple part, so that my < $10 purchase doesn't get a $50 shop bill attached to it?

My first thought is to clean it with laboratory alcohol or acetone and then bake it in the oven (with no o-rings of course) to drive off any volatiles. This is what we do at work with parts that have to go into devices under high vacuum, and must be extremely clean.

The HP extender is an object about half an inch long with male threads on one end and female threads at the other. It's simple, without any parts or complicated internal surfaces - it's just a tube really.

 

[Rick Inman]

(I don't know the part, but from what you are describing): In a clean environment, soak in Simple Green, rinse with "clean" water, dry with "clean" compressed air, re-assemble (nitrox O rings, like Vitron) and dive. That's what I would do.

However, if you are diving 40% or less, and not PP blending, I'd just screw the thing in and dive.

If introducing 100% O2, there are some O rings in the working end of the SPG you'll want to make sure are right, also... and don't forget the hose.

 

[ferretchen]

Thanks for the advice. Here's the part:

http://www.leisurepro.com/Image/Product/Full/AQU57265.JPG

I'm not PP blending and am only diving 40% or less.

 

[charlesml3]

If you're diving 40% or less then just ignore the cleaning. There's no need at all to do that.

If your LDS is using a membrane filler or is banking Nitrox at mixes below 40% you don't need to get your tank O2 cleaned either. O2 cleaning only counts for mixes that are very high in O2 content.

Rick makes the point about PPO2 blending where the tanks is partially filled with 100% O2 and then filled the rest of the way with air to bring the mix to (usually) 32% or 36%. Those tanks do need to be O2 cleaned. The regs, BC, etc. do not. By the time the gas hits those components, it'll be below 40%.

-Charles

 

[Packhorse]

Screw it in stand back and crack that valve. If it doesnt blow up the first time it probably will not blow up the second time.

 

[BlueWaterDiving]

Rotflmao

 

[ferretchen]

> Screw it in stand back and crack that valve. If it doesnt blow up the first time it probably will not blow up the second time.

I believe that's the "underwriter's laboratory school of scuba testing."

While I'm at it, I'll fire my air rifle and look down the barrel to be sure the pellet comes out straight.