Pressurised reg soaking

[SinkingBouy]

Hi all, new divers who just invested in x2 Apeks XL4+ kits for me and my wife. After reading the manual it specifically says about pressurised soaking the regs for around an hour, which I intend to do.

TLDR What kit should I get to pressure soak the regs.

I was intending to get a "spare air" kit with its own hand pump to eliminate the need to get refills from a diveshop (something like https://banggood.app.link/aSi1Y6tkI9). Only thing is I'm unsure what kind of fitting I'd need to be able to connect the regs 1st stage... We were thinking of getting an H valve to do both regs at the same time.

We don't have any intention of using the spare air (or a pony), it would only be for soaking.

I was also looking at a pony bottle, but these seem larger and need to be refilled by a dive shop (and then would need servicing etc. = more of a pain)

 

[happy-diver]

You need enough air to purge your regs submerged and to blow
your regs off with the blower you plug into your inflator hose man

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You’d be better off getting a small aluminum cylinder that can later be used as a pony bottle (redundant air source) if desired. Like an AL6, AL13, or AL19. You will need to have a source for fills on occasion though. However this is a far more functional option.

Something like this:
Small Aluminum Cylinders, Brushed No-Coat

I’m not sure if you have these exact tanks available in the UAE but I’m sure there are something similar if not these exact models.

 

[chillyinCanada]

@RainPilot

Are you able to help OP?

 

[SinkingBouy]

You need enough air to purge your regs submerged and to blow
your regs off with the blower you plug into your inflator hose man

Yea, that's true. What kinda of pressure we talking though?

You’d be better off getting a small aluminum cylinder that can later be used as a pony bottle (redundant air source) if desired. Like an AL6, AL13, or AL19. You will need to have a source for fills on occasion though. However this is a far more functional option.

Something like this:
Small Aluminum Cylinders, Brushed No-Coat

Yea, I did see the AL6 etc. mentioned before in other posts. Wouldn't that need servicing etc. though before the dive shops refilled it? That's what I'm trying to avoid as I won't ever dive with it

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Yea, I did see the AL6 etc. mentioned before in other posts. Wouldn't that need servicing etc. though before the dive shops refilled it? That's what I'm trying to avoid as I won't ever dive with it

Just a VIP & fill at most. Or just buy it from the shop where you bought your regs & where you’d be getting fills.

A spare air with hand pump is really not a viable option IMO. You’d be better to just rinse them after use on a rental tank at the dive site. Or carefully soak them unpressurized. There are ways to do that safely.

 

[SinkingBouy]

spare air with hand pump is really not a viable option IMO.

Why's this?

Or carefully soak them unpressurized

Got a link to some instructions?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

You’re not pumping up an inflatable mattress or pool toy. Scuba cylinders are high pressure cylinders. Even a small amount of pressure will require ALOT of pumping.

As far as instructions on how to safely soak your regs dry, the search function is your friend as is Google. This topic has been discussed quite a bit. Do the research. It can be done.

 

[Alekseolsen]

If you really don't want to do the VIP etc. Then get a whip, and fill your "rinsing bottle" with the remaining air on your normal tanks before you get them filled
Metalsub Air Equalizer DIN 200/300 buy and offers on Scubastore

 

[halocline]

Unless there's a seat saver that physically separates the seat from the orifice in the 2nd stage, just soak them unpressurized, making sure the dust cap seals correctly. You can check that by installing it, then trying to draw air from each 2nd stage. If you can't, then there is a good seal there. If you can draw air, it might be something simple in the 2nd stage, like a loose mouthpiece or exhaust valve. You'd have to look into that further. Chances are very good that when you try to draw air on the 2nd stage with the dust cap on, you won't be able to and then it is perfectly safe to soak them unpressurized.