Transporting regs

[billt4sf]

We just recently bought new regs and I'm wondering what ways people store them and transport them. Right now we rinse them and put them into a net bag, but I feel like we should be more careful. In a couple months we're going to fly to the tropics with them and of course I'd like to pack them some good way to carry on the flight.

Any suggestions?

- Bill

 

[mathauck0814]

In a bag. They're not fragile.

 

[tplyons]

I keep mine in a regulator bag, gently curled up to fit inside. I just want to avoid any unnecessary stress at the point where the hose meets the first stage.

With a set of regulators that would cost about a thousand to replace (with wireless transmitter), I will spend the extra $30 for a dedicated regulator bag to protect them.

Yes, they're not exactly fragile, but I also like to keep them clean, and scratch free.

 

[Ben_ca]

For local diving where I have plenty of room in the car I keep them either in a crate or a bucket. My gear is either assembled and ready to dive or broken down, and in the crate/bucket

 

[mahjong]

After soak rinsing them, I hook them up to a tank and purge them thoroughly. I then let them dry off on a towel for a while, leaving the 1st stage inlet open. Once dry, I wipe off threaded areas, Q-tip clean the inside of connectors, and lightly lubricate (spray silicone) threads, connectors, and bolt snaps. I then reassemble them on my doubles rig, without tightening down DIN connectors all the way, and that's where they are stored. Check IP once in a while, and also check mouthpieces for cracks. For travel, I use a generously sized padded reg bag that gets carried on board with me.

 

[billt4sf]

For travel, I use a generously sized padded reg bag that gets carried on board with me.

Did you get this padded reg back at the LDS? The ones that I saw were simple carry bags, nothing special for regs.

 

[lostcajun]

Dive Bag for local diving and Dive Caddy for travel on flights...

 

[zf2nt]

We just recently bought new regs and I'm wondering what ways people store them and transport them. Right now we rinse them and put them into a net bag, but I feel like we should be more careful. In a couple months we're going to fly to the tropics with them and of course I'd like to pack them some good way to carry on the flight.

Any suggestions?

- Bill

You should do more than simply rinse your reg when you use it. Soak it in fresh water for at least 15 minutes, then swish the second stages around in the water so that the water is forced into the mouthpiece, through the exhaust diaphragm, and then back out the exhaust port. If you don't have a sealed 1st stage, you should also swish that around in the water.

I service regulators on a daily basis, and the difference between the ones cleaned as I described and the ones which are simply rinsed after use is dramatic.

Personally, when I travel I break the set down by disconnecting all hoses from the first stage and then packing each component with lots of padding in my checked bag. As somebody else mentioned here, one of the most vulnerable points in a regulator system is the hose connector where it screws into the 1st stage. BTW, if you do disconnect the hoses yourself, please realize that the torque specification for all ports in the 1st stage is only about 3-1/2 ft. lb. You want to tighten the hoses just a trifle tighter than you can do by hand, and just enough to keep the hose from coming loose on its own. More than that and you risk ruining the threads in that brass (i.e., soft) 1st stage body.

Bruce

 

[Malpaso]

Regulator bag all the time. Regulator bag inside my carry on for travel. Like tplyons said, it's $30 to protect hundreds (or more).

 

[3D diver]

Laundry basket for local use. Suitcase/dive duffel when I travel.