Rust in both my First Stages???

[Bigbella]

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.

Sorry to hear of the injuries.

Perhaps, more serious corrosion has set in, over those two years? I am still surprised that your gear had been farmed out . . .

 

[Raphus]

Cleaning is done with dust cap in place. A few good fresh water dunk and swish then hang dry.

The dust cap does not prevent water from going into the first stage. I would never dunk the reg without pressure, or sealing the firststage. For example with my finger

 

[Dzydvl33]

The dust cap does not prevent water from going into the first stage. I would never dunk the reg without pressure, or sealing the firststage. For example with my finger

Thats the only way i was ever taught to clean my regs. like has been noted by my LDS and others on here it looked like it came from a tank. these regs do have Oceanic's "Dry Valve Technology", that with the cap i would think would be good enough to keep them sealed during a few dunks.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I once dove a badly rusted tank that had water and extensive rust in it, not flash rust. Flash rust won't do that, flash rust tends to stay put. I have dove flash rusted tanks for hundreds of dives. Even that badly rusted tank showed no rust in my inlet filters.

The moral is it TAKES A LOT OF RUST in a tank to do that.

By the way, as nasty as that tank was, once I cleaned it it passed hydro and vis. This was rust from its first post hydro fill, meaning the hydro five years before. A small amount of water sat in it for five years where the shop filled it with hydro water in it. I dove that fill(the initial fill after the five year previous hydro) after sitting for five years, it had 30 percent Nitrox in it, that's why I didn't pull the valve as I normally do post-hydro and check it. I was also saving that Nitrox for a special use.

Moral of story, I have my own hydro guy now and I am the one who puts the valve back on. I do not use a shop.

 

[davehicks]

Thats the only way i was ever taught to clean my regs. like has been noted by my LDS and others on here it looked like it came from a tank. these regs do have Oceanic's "Dry Valve Technology", that with the cap i would think would be good enough to keep them sealed during a few dunks.

That's a good one unlearn. It really is best to pressurize the regs before washing. I always do this with a spay hose in my driveway after a day of diving.

Like you I used to just toss them in a rinse bucket or dunk them with a cap on. I found pretty soon I was getting some nasty build up in first stages during service. In fact the worst one was an Aqualung Legend with an AutoClosureDevice. It didn't work so well.

 

[Bigbella]

I have been soaking my regulators, only while pressurized, for as long as I can recall; and I have yet to discover any internal corrosion, during my servicing, by that method.

The whole set-up -- BC and all -- simply goes into a water-filled plastic tub and remains for a few hours; or, should I forget, and I occasionally do, overnight -- no harm, no foul . . .

 

[Still Kicking]

I was being sarcastic. Hoses are relatively cheap. Replace them.

Replacing the hoses is not necessary if they dont show any signs of wear. Blast a little air through and that will clear out what little rust adhered to the insides of the hose. The vast majority of the rust that made it past the reg already went into the users lungs so a tiny fraction inside the hoses is insignificant.

 

[Dzydvl33]

Replacing the hoses is not necessary if they dont show any signs of wear. Blast a little air through and that will clear out what little rust adhered to the insides of the hose. The vast majority of the rust that made it past the reg already went into the users lungs so a tiny fraction inside the hoses is insignificant.

Being a Journeyman Welder for the last 15yrs A bit of rust in my lungs is one of the least Harmful things i've inhaled.

 

[Dzydvl33]

That's a good one unlearn. It really is best to pressurize the regs before washing. I always do this with a spay hose in my driveway after a day of diving.

Like you I used to just toss them in a rinse bucket or dunk them with a cap on. I found pretty soon I was getting some nasty build up in first stages during service. In fact the worst one was an Aqualung Legend with an AutoClosureDevice. It didn't work so well.

View attachment 622790

I have been soaking my regulators, only while pressurized, for as long as I can recall; and I have yet to discover any internal corrosion, during my servicing, by that method.

The whole set-up -- BC and all -- simply goes into a water-filled rubber tub and remains for a few hours; or, should I forget, and I occasionally do, overnight -- no harm, no foul . . .

Looks like it may be time for me to buy a couple tanks. I Like the Idea of rinsing while pressurized.

 

[Raphus]

Looks like it may be time for me to buy a couple tanks. I Like the Idea of rinsing while pressurized.

Absolutely!
This time the rust probably came from a tank, but rinsing without pressurizing it, will create problems in the future.

If you buy a tank you solve both problems.