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Rust in both my First Stages???
- Thread starter Dzydvl33
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As has been mentioned the rust is not from your regulator even if it’s “in” there, it will not make this reg unrepairable unless the HP orifice is not replaceable, I’m not familiar with this reg. There is a recall Huish Outdoors Recalls Scuba Diving Regulators Due to Drowning Hazard which may be a bigger issue.
I don't have much to add here.
@happy-diver has the before and after pictures.
Simple run in the ultrasonic with a phosphoric acid cleaner and you'll be good to go.
This is a classic example of steel tank rust being incompletely captured by the sintered metal filter because there was just so much of it. Traveling at high velocity in the HP compartment, it impacts the reg walls and "paints" the interior. Probably a run of the LDSs steel tanks are flash rusted when they forgot to empty their moisture accumulator and exhausted their filter stack.
No harm done, and it certainly didn't need to be "sent back to the factory", lol! About the only part I think is at risk is the volcano orifice, where the sudden change in direction in high pressure air laden with particles can sandblast the volcano. Might need a new one (dive shop tactic), or a quick Micromesh polish (my practice) . Here's a very early case of it:
As happy said, clean it up and dive.
Oh, and that cough you had for a day after your dive? That was your tracheal cilia and mucus collecting the particles that made it downstream and stuck to your bronchii.
If you have a concern about rental steels, bring a white hankie. Wad it up and do a quick blast open/close of the valve and look at your handkerchief before you set up your gear.
Oh, and it wasn't the Spectre dive boat. You can see the final filter stack they mount on the dock before their whips. They're pretty religious about their supply. The new manager/owner at Bamboo Reef just took over and had some interesting comments about the gas system and repairs he was making as a result of its lack of maintenance.
@happy-diver has the before and after pictures.
Simple run in the ultrasonic with a phosphoric acid cleaner and you'll be good to go.
This is a classic example of steel tank rust being incompletely captured by the sintered metal filter because there was just so much of it. Traveling at high velocity in the HP compartment, it impacts the reg walls and "paints" the interior. Probably a run of the LDSs steel tanks are flash rusted when they forgot to empty their moisture accumulator and exhausted their filter stack.
No harm done, and it certainly didn't need to be "sent back to the factory", lol! About the only part I think is at risk is the volcano orifice, where the sudden change in direction in high pressure air laden with particles can sandblast the volcano. Might need a new one (dive shop tactic), or a quick Micromesh polish (my practice) . Here's a very early case of it:
As happy said, clean it up and dive.
Oh, and that cough you had for a day after your dive? That was your tracheal cilia and mucus collecting the particles that made it downstream and stuck to your bronchii.
If you have a concern about rental steels, bring a white hankie. Wad it up and do a quick blast open/close of the valve and look at your handkerchief before you set up your gear.
Oh, and it wasn't the Spectre dive boat. You can see the final filter stack they mount on the dock before their whips. They're pretty religious about their supply. The new manager/owner at Bamboo Reef just took over and had some interesting comments about the gas system and repairs he was making as a result of its lack of maintenance.
GJC
Contributor
That might not be such a good idea. Those are for steel. I suspect there might be a chance the rubber inside the hose would be shredded, weakening the hose and freeing small rubber bits that could lodge in the second stage. You have any experience actually doing this?The bore snakes used to clean rifle barrels might be a good pull through.
Out of curiosity, are you basing that conclusion, solely upon the color of the sintered filter; or on the sheer amount of rust, over a brief period of time?
I don't recall reading a timeframe for those seven dives.
Hadn't heard the Bamboo Reef news, though had heard there was newer manwgement . . .
That appearance, after only seven dives, suggests to me that he and his wife each had a single pair of moist, rusty tanks that colored the filter, painted the walls and hopefully rained out in the hoses before it got to their seconds and lungs. Would be interesting to look inside the second stages. I would be surprised if much or any made it that far. (I was teasing about the cough)
I say moist, because look at the flat filter. Though the periphery is rusty, the center is clear. I think the rust that blasted through early in the cycling was actually "cleaned out" or washed through in the area of highest velocity air flow in the center of the disc as the dive progressed.
I say moist, because look at the flat filter. Though the periphery is rusty, the center is clear. I think the rust that blasted through early in the cycling was actually "cleaned out" or washed through in the area of highest velocity air flow in the center of the disc as the dive progressed.
OP
Dzydvl33
Contributor
Thanks for all the knowledge. Ether they were worse than the picture showed or It might be time to change dive shops.
Lexvil mentioned the recall. I have ran our serial number and we are supposed to be good.
We have had these regs for for 2 years, a 3 shoulder surgeries for me,, a knee surgery for the Wife and the Rona keep our dive count low.
As far as how I clean them after a dive. When I take them off the tank I ALWAYS use the tank to blow all the water out of the cap before installing. These also have a feature that stops up the inlet to the reg when the air is turned off. It's supposed to stop water intrusion. See the pic it's that little red button looking thing.
Cleaning is done with dust cap in place. A few good fresh water dunk and swish then hang dry.
Rsingler. Interesting you mentioned that about bamboo reef. It was quite a while back that we got tanks there. Could very well have been them. Good to hear that Spectre is doing it right.
I will keep you all posted as I hear more. OH And I WILL be using that white hanky tip to try and avoid this in the future.
Lexvil mentioned the recall. I have ran our serial number and we are supposed to be good.
We have had these regs for for 2 years, a 3 shoulder surgeries for me,, a knee surgery for the Wife and the Rona keep our dive count low.
As far as how I clean them after a dive. When I take them off the tank I ALWAYS use the tank to blow all the water out of the cap before installing. These also have a feature that stops up the inlet to the reg when the air is turned off. It's supposed to stop water intrusion. See the pic it's that little red button looking thing.
Cleaning is done with dust cap in place. A few good fresh water dunk and swish then hang dry.
Rsingler. Interesting you mentioned that about bamboo reef. It was quite a while back that we got tanks there. Could very well have been them. Good to hear that Spectre is doing it right.
I will keep you all posted as I hear more. OH And I WILL be using that white hanky tip to try and avoid this in the future.
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