Cleaning a BC

[GrandpaScuba]

First, I dump all the salt water out. Then I put in a bit of baby shampoo, fresh water, shake and dump that several times. Then rinse the outside. Store it upside down and keep dumping the little remaining water out for days after the dive. I've had my used BC 3+ years now and no problems. You can also buy the BC cleaner fluid instead of baby shampoo, but it costs more, it's hard to find shops that sell it, and folks say the baby shampoo is just as good.

Baby Shampoo is probably okay, as it is a pretty mild detergent. Actual BC cleaner contains a pH neutral detergent, an anti-microbial (usually Nonoxynol-9) and a silicone additive. Detergents can dry out the watertight bladder that holds the air in your BC and cause them to crack (over time). The silicone helps prevent the dry-out.

Fun Fact: Nonoxynol-9 is also a common spermacide.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Both the Atomic Aquatics SS1 Alternate Air Inflator and the Zeagle BX System Inflator are threaded to accept a standard garden hose. In each case, you remove the inflator mechanism and attache the hose to the end of the corrugated inflator hose and, carefully, open the garden hose to put water in the BC.

 

[JDMerk]

What about an AirII?

 

[JustinW]

Baby Shampoo is probably okay, as it is a pretty mild detergent. Actual BC cleaner contains a pH neutral detergent, an anti-microbial (usually Nonoxynol-9) and a silicone additive. Detergents can dry out the watertight bladder that holds the air in your BC and cause them to crack (over time). The silicone helps prevent the dry-out.

Fun Fact: Nonoxynol-9 is also a common spermacide.

I thought I had seen that ingredient someplace else before.

Silicone and Nonoxynol-9. Lets see if anyone can find any other products that also contain those two main ingredients. Hmmm maybe BC cleaner has multiple uses, or maybe its just rebranded from an alternative use.

 

[Jimmer]

I thought I had seen that ingredient someplace else before.

Silicone and Nonoxynol-9. Lets see if anyone can find any other products that also contain those two main ingredients.

A hooker? She's technically a product.

 

[JDMerk]

A hooker? She's technically a product.

Technically she is a service provider...as long as we are being technical about it.

 

[fnfalman]

You don't mean a garden hose attachment or whatever to put water in the BC.

Take a cup, fill it up with water, pour it down the corrugated hose via the oral inflator while holding down the deflate button. Repeat until you deem enough water is in your BC. Shake the BC around for a bit to dissolve any salt, hold it (or hang it upside down) and drain via the corrugated hose.

Or you can unscrew the corrugated hose attachment from the wing and pour water directly into the air bladder. Leave the corrugated hose attachment in fresh water bucket for a while. Do your shakey shake with the BC, drain, reassemble corrugated hose, blow up the air bladder and hang.

 

[The Kraken]

I generally recommend pouring the water down the corrugated hose.

Why?

The connections for the corrugated hose and the B/C bladder are made of plastic and are very fine threads.

It is EXTREMELY EASY TO CROSS THREAD THE THREADS and cause a resulting leak.

Once the threads are cross threaded, it's virtually impossible to repair the damage without having to send the unit to the manufacturer for repair.

the K

 

[cool_hardware52]

I generally recommend pouring the water down the corrugated hose.

Why?

The connections for the corrugated hose and the B/C bladder are made of plastic and are very fine threads.

It is EXTREMELY EASY TO CROSS THREAD THE THREADS and cause a resulting leak.

Once the threads are cross threaded, it's virtually impossible to repair the damage without having to send the unit to the manufacturer for repair.

the K

I agree, and I'll add that in addition to fine threads there are "other" complications that can arise when bladder fittings are fiddled with.

Best left alone. All the rinsing that's required can easily be accomplished without removing any hoses, opv or other parts.

There are gaskets that can be lost, installed incorrectly, parts that can loosen when you don't want them too, and other "bumps in the night" too hideous to even allude to.

Tobin

 

[Warren Luck]

I have an Spro stab jacket purchased in 1984. Still works like new though faded. After removing the oral inflator hose at the BC (keep o-ring) I would take all of my gear into the shower with me making sure the 1st stage cover is in place, rince it all several times. Don't let the 1st stage hit the tile or the wife is going to be upset. Then I would take the BC outside (after getting dressed) and rinse the inside with a garden hose until the water had no salt taste. Put the hose back inflate the BC, let it dry. After 25 years I must be doing something right.