Water in First Stage

[mahjong]

I completed the fix based on the most thorough suggestion, prior to Halocline's. I plugged both HP ports and then purged the regs. I then reinstalled the HP hose without the SPG and blew air through the hose for a while to make sure it was dry. I then reinstalled the SPG. I pressurized the SPG for a while and no drops showed up, so I am hoping all is good (it's one of the old white-faced Scubapro SPG's and it's in great shape, so I'm really hoping it's not damaged). My technician ordered some new springs for my MK10s. Hopefully they'll arrive soon and I'll have him do a full service on this one.

The water in which I soaked the reg was in my bathtub. I do add a drop of BC Life to the water.

 

[supergaijin]

Does anyone know if a standard rinse tank (say 1m deep or 3feet) has enough pressure to overcome the spring pressure to allow water to enter an unpressurised reg? (with dustcap in place).

I usually soak my Legend (without ACD) this way and when I rebuild it I don't see any corrosion issues.

 

[herman]

Does anyone know if a standard rinse tank (say 1m deep or 3feet) has enough pressure to overcome the spring pressure to allow water to enter an unpressurised reg? (with dustcap in place).

I usually soak my Legend (without ACD) this way and when I rebuild it I don't see any corrosion issues.

If your dust cap is sealing properly (the oring in it is in good shape, ect), it will stop water entry with no problem, not sure how deep but certianly more than any rinse tank. As for spring tension.....what spring? The only spring that would matter would be the one on the ACD (or whatever the manuf calls it) and if you have the dust cap on, that become a non-issue....it's under the cap.

 

[Couv]

Here's how I would dry out the first stage. 1) remove 2nd stages, LP hose, SPG. Plug all LP ports, leave the HP ports open. 2) Run some air through the HP ports; just pressurize the 1st stage for a few seconds, air will come screaming out the HP ports, just let the pressure bleed down until you can remove the reg. 3) Plug the HP ports, unplug the LP ports. Run some air again, although be prepared for ALOT more flow, and the 1st stage will get really cold in just a few seconds. 4) reinstall the 2nd stages, purge 'em a few times, then reinstall the LP hose and SPG and you're good to go. I'd probably change the filter, but I have several laying around and it's very easy for me to do that.

One problem is that rinse tanks are often pretty salty and/or dirty water.

I would use the same process as described above, just add: Blow out the hp hose with the SPG removed to cover the off chance that a little water made it's way into the hose. Very remote possibility, but this will only take another minute. I'm a cheap bastard and would remove and dry the filter.

BTW, the reason Halo's process is effective is that it moves the moisture from upstream to downstream and then out-leaving little chance for water to just shuttle about.

 

[elan]

In the event of seawater being ingested by the first stage would it be an option to strip off all hoses, soak thoroughly in clean tap water, and then blast the water out with air pressure? To avoid a rebuild?

You will not clean/remove water from some of the passages and chambers, i.e. on a diaphragm reg balancing chamber and the passage feeding it.

That is a critical part of the reg as it has a dynamic o-ring working at high pressure which is also one of the most crucial seals. Crystals forming in the area of the ring might lead to the seal failing and the reg leaking (not being able to lock at the IP). So for diaphragm regs I would say no, you cannot avoid a rebuild and the sooner it is done the better

 

[supergaijin]

Drop them in more than say 18-24 inches of water and the pressure will overcome the little spring.

If your dust cap is sealing properly (the oring in it is in good shape, ect), it will stop water entry with no problem, not sure how deep but certianly more than any rinse tank. As for spring tension.....what spring? The only spring that would matter would be the one on the ACD (or whatever the manuf calls it) and if you have the dust cap on, that become a non-issue....it's under the cap.

It was regarding this comment by Jim which got me puzzled....

From my understanding there are 2 springs to the common diaphragm 1st. The main spring on the LP side and the smaller spring on the HP side.

The 1st stage is normally open until the reg is pressurised, pushing the diaphragm outwards and closing the seat. In a rinse tank water pressure will act on the main spring to flex the diaphragm inwards which will open the seat a bit further. Unless there is a failure point in the diaphragm I can't see where the water will get in.

This assumes we're talking about a 1m rinse tank thus 0.1 ata

 

[elan]

It was regarding this comment by Jim which got me puzzled....

From my understanding there are 2 springs to the common diaphragm 1st. The main spring on the LP side and the smaller spring on the HP side.

The 1st stage is normally open until the reg is pressurised, pushing the diaphragm outwards and closing the seat. In a rinse tank water pressure will act on the main spring to flex the diaphragm inwards which will open the seat a bit further. Unless there is a failure point in the diaphragm I can't see where the water will get in.

This assumes we're talking about a 1m rinse tank thus 0.1 ata

They are talking about an ACD system which has a spring which closes the air passage in the yoke not letting the water through when the cap is not put on. Then it's pressurized it opens up letting the air in.

PS. Speaking about the diaphragm if the reg is not pressurized the mushroom seat pusher is already sitting on the limiter under the spring pressure so it will not open the seat any further

 

[Peter_C]

the rubber yoke inlet plug.

There is the problem you are using a yoke valve

If you do go DIN make sure the cap has a cut out so the o-ring can seal against the cap. Most of the cheapo caps do not have this feature.

I dip my regs into my bin and have been doing so for years. Pressurizing is better but would require a bigger rinse tank, or using an Argon bottle.

 

[herman]

It was regarding this comment by Jim which got me puzzled....

From my understanding there are 2 springs to the common diaphragm 1st. The main spring on the LP side and the smaller spring on the HP side.

The 1st stage is normally open until the reg is pressurised, pushing the diaphragm outwards and closing the seat. In a rinse tank water pressure will act on the main spring to flex the diaphragm inwards which will open the seat a bit further. Unless there is a failure point in the diaphragm I can't see where the water will get in.

This assumes we're talking about a 1m rinse tank thus 0.1 ata

Jim was referring to a ACD (or whatever a given manuf calls it) which adds another spring in a reg. The remaining springs in diaphragm reg, or a piston one for that matter, are not effected by a rise in pressure from a rinse tank that could possibly cause water to enter the reg. There are 2 possible entry point into a reg, those are the main air passage in the first stage and any second stage. The ACD is supposed to block off the main air passage anytime the reg is not connected to a tank, it may work and it may be forced open if the ambient pressure of the water around it gets high enough, in any case I would not trust it. Use the dust cap or better yet a pony and it becomes a non issue. The second stages are normally closed so unless they get purged while in the tank, they are a non issue. The one exception is the Atomic second which I understand mechanically opens the stage when it is depressurizes, in which case, Atomics need to be pressurized to be soaked.

 

[Scared Silly]

While there has been good info about blowing water out - remove hoses - blow out - reattach blow out, I would like to give one more recommendation. After all that remove the hoses and all of the port plugs again and leave the reg sit some where warm for a day or so preferably where there is air flow. There is no guarantee that all of the water will be blown out. What little water remains will be tiny droplets and air drying is the only way to assure the reg is dry.