Valve cleaning

[BubbleDive]

Just wondering,

After dives in salt water I would like to clean my tank valves by spraying some water in it so the salt gets removed. Only thing I'm wondering is: is it possible that water leaks into my tank?

Greets

 

[ajduplessis]

Not if the cylinder is under pressure.

 

[kwinter]

You can soak the tank and valve to remove any deposits. After it soaks, open the valve and blow a short burst of air out. That will remove any water sitting in pits or crevices that could cause corrosion.


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[BubbleDive]

Excellent!

Thanks for the answers.

 

[SynCitizen]

Not if the cylinder is under pressure.

positive tank pressure will keep water out.

 

[Scared Silly]

Water will not go in immediately but water in a valve is how water most often gets into a cylinder. Sure water is not going to get in the cylinder with valve closed. Further, if one opens the valve with positive pressure in the cylinder the water will get blown out of the valve. However, if there is water in the valve and the cylinder gets filled without first blowing out the valve, water will get pushed into the cylinder. It shows up as a nice little blast pattern of oxidation or corrosion.

My suggestion is if you are rinsing your valve toss a reg on it or make the cylinder has positive pressure and you open the valve immediately after rinsing.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Water will not go in immediately but water in a valve is how water most often gets into a cylinder. Sure water is not going to get in the cylinder with valve closed. Further, if one opens the valve with positive pressure in the cylinder the water will get blown out of the valve. However, if there is water in the valve and the cylinder gets filled without first blowing out the valve, water will get pushed into the cylinder. It shows up as a nice little blast pattern of oxidation or corrosion.

My suggestion is if you are rinsing your valve toss a reg on it or make the cylinder has positive pressure and you open the valve immediately after rinsing.

Great advice.

Slightly off-topic but along the same lines, it is good practice to "clear" the tank valve be slightly opening it for a split second before attaching a regulator to it. This will blow any water or dust that might be hiding there out of the valve opening.

Reason: If there is any water (especially salt water!) in the valve opening, when you pressurize the regulator that water is blasted against the 1st stage's sintered filter. Not the end of the world, but it will rapidly increase the rate of corrosion of the filter, and possibly if enough water was "hiding" in the valve opening it can get forced through the filter, possibly causing some corrosion inside the first stage if a salty spray passes the filter.

Best wishes.

 

[kwinter]

Not just water, but any crud in the valve. ALWAYS crack the valve before connecting the whip to fill it. If I'm not filling my own tanks, I make sure whatever shop I'm at does the same thing.


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