question about bcd

[diver_paula]

I think I lost that little rubber cap 15 years ago. Never missed it. Never had any problems with the BC. Even after soaking it for long periods of times.

Paula

 

[donnad]

thankyou so much for your helpful reply!

That cap is to keep dust out ... water doesn't matter there.

You are told not to let water back up through your second stage when unpressurized because that could allow water to get inside the first stage (not because it would hurt the second stage). That's not a problem with the inflator even if it has integrated second.

In any case ... a wet inflator/second stage is no problem (salt or fresh) ... but allowing water into the hose of an unpressurized second stage could cause corrosion problems in the FIRST stage. If this happens, the solution is to put it on a cylider and purge the regulator/hose to dry it out. The dust cap on the FIRST stage helps keep water out at the second stage end too, because there's no route for water to "flow" through.