What detergent to use for cleaning Regs

[OMyMyOHellYes]

If you're soaking your personal regulators in any kind of detergent (simple-green, dawn, etc), which is designed to break down oils, it will probably break down the silicone grease and may even deteriorate the o-rings. Depending on what fails, you might suddenly find yourself suddenly covered in bubbles unable to see, a regulator that's difficult to breathe, more frequent-free-flow, wet-breathing, or any number of other issues. In short, it may be a safety hazard, and you're probably negatively impacting your service schedule.

If you want to sterilize a mouth-piece, fine, remove it, soak, and reinstall with a new zip-tie that's nice and secure.

Perhaps fine so soak rental regulators, just don't go too crazy with concentrations.

Maybe there's also something out there that will break down salts, but not oils. But I'd probably suggest doing an "A-B test" with a control of water-only in one, solution in the other, and place an item with silicone grease on it in both for about a week, and see if there's any difference when pulling them out. Perhaps also throw in an couple o-rings as well.

I'd only envision using detergent at the broke-down vibrator parts washer when servicing regs stage. O-rings and loobs and stuff to be throwed out and replaced anyhow.

Freshwater all else. Hook a pony bottle to reg and throw it into the muck bucket full of water. Soak a day. blow it out, hang to dry. Power fill the BC with fresh water, finish fill with air and slosh around. empty and may repeat... Soak the whole thing (including the Air2) - again partially pressurized overnight. Probably need a second muck bucket from the feed store.

OMMOHY

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I believe the technical term for it is “water”

I offer a specially formulated product that I sell as a concentrate that can be titrated at a 1:10 ratio with plain tap water. Only $5.00 a gallon so that'll make 50 gallons!

I call it my DHMO Desalt - a new scuba equipment cleaning solution. Disclaimer - the active ingredient - dihydrogen monoxide - can cause death if mis-applied, standing in the solution when working with electricity, or haphazardly ingested.

OMMOHY

 

[WOB0.01J]

I usually grab a bucket and put warm water and soak the reg for like 5 hours. Warm water dissolve salt faster

 

[formernuke]

I'd only envision using detergent at the broke-down vibrator parts washer when servicing regs stage. O-rings and loobs and stuff to be throwed out and replaced anyhow.

Freshwater all else. Hook a pony bottle to reg and throw it into the muck bucket full of water. Soak a day. blow it out, hang to dry. Power fill the BC with fresh water, finish fill with air and slosh around. empty and may repeat... Soak the whole thing (including the Air2) - again partially pressurized overnight. Probably need a second muck bucket from the feed store.

OMMOHY

The fact you use a air2 makes everything you say suspect,

 

[CT-Rich]

I am impressed by the work some go through to rinse their gear. What do you think is gonna happen? This isn’t surgery. The air flowing through your regulator is insanely dry. I would worry about ingesting the random chemicals in the cleaning solution.

soaking gear overnight should the result of laziness. If sea salt dries, it probably won’t dissolve because you want it to…

it’s ten times more important to let gear dry than it is to let it soak. When I look at those rinse troughs at resorts, you know what I see? An opportunity to pick up someone else’s case of crotch rot.

rinse your gear, let it drain. If it smells, defunk it with some detergent. My gear is like 20 years old and I have never felt the need to swaddle it in Irish linen or buff it out with a Hitachi massager. My most important equipment rule is to never piss my wetsuit if there is less than 20 minute left in the dive. It’s not that difficult