Do you clean your O2 reg.

Do you clean your O2 reg

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 65.5%
  • No

    Votes: 4 13.8%
  • Don't use O2 bottle

    Votes: 6 20.7%

  • Total voters
    29
  • Poll closed .

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Any 1st stage to be used with richer than 40% O2 needs to be O2 cleaned, according to ScubaPro instructions. Follow your particular manufacturer's specifications.
 
IndigoBlue:
Any 1st stage to be used with richer than 40% O2 needs to be O2 cleaned, according to ScubaPro instructions. Follow your particular manufacturer's specifications.

i know this but i know some people dive without getting the reg cleaned. Just a question
 
Not cleaning valves and first stages is inviting mishap. It adds all of about 15 minutes to the rebuild time, and prevents (at minimim) a couple weeks worth of pain and stitches (trust me, been there, done that - long story).

The full version of my O2 bottle mishap is availbale on TheDecoStop.com
 
in_cavediver:
A much better question is do you clean you 50/50 regs?

Mike

Yep.
 
Ok, Here's the deal- this time last year (two years ago now) I had purchased a new AL 40 and a valve for it to use as an O2 bottle. I was meeting sme friends in Central FL to dive on a weekend, and my then SO offered to fill for me, since he was going to the shop anyway. He asked if I wanted totake the new 40, and I said yes, and I specified that it WAS NOT O2 clean yet. He said he would handle it. As we were in the parking lot of a cave system, I pressurized the O2 reg to check the bottle pressure (as always), when I heard a loud POP. it sounded like an O ring blew, and I assumed that was what happened, until I looked down as I was thinking "shut the valve down". It was then that I realized myhand was no longer anywhere near the valve, and the valve no longer had a knob. When I looked at my hand, there was a huge gash extending from the base of my index finger to the base of my middle finger and between the two. It had already begun to swel grotesquely. My buddy figured out there was a problem, loaded me ( and the gear- we were NOT leaving without the gear) inthe truck and we went to the nearest hospital- in Live Oak, FL. It took the ER staff 3 hours to debride my hand, most of which was spent picking out brass, sliver by tiny sliver. I left the hospital lucky to have 14 stitches in my hand. Thankfully, i still had my hand, and amazingly, there was no tendon or ligament damage.
You see, my then SO did NOT O2 clean the valve. He ASSUMED that since it was brand new it was O2 clean (he had made this assumption several times before, with no ill effect). It was not. Nearest we can reconstruct was that there was lubricant ont he seat which was not O2 compatible. The seat flashed, there was carbon all over my hand and sleeve (and inside the bottle). The force of the explosion (and it was a contained explosion) blew a hole in the brass valve stem large enough to stick a Qtip through- hence all the brass in my hand). The hard plastic knob disintegrated and formed a serrated edge which shredded my hand.

I have the valve peices (all we could find)- I use them as a teaching aid. I am lucky to be alive, much less still have both hands and all my fingers - amazingly- functioning! I thinkI still have pics of my hand somehwere- if anyone wants to see them I'll post them (they are pretty gory).

DO NOT TAKE O2 CLEANING FOR GRANTED. DO NOT TRUST SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR YOU.
 
chickdiver:
I have the valve pieces (all we could find)- I use them as a teaching aid. I am lucky to be alive, much less still have both hands and all my fingers - amazingly- functioning! I think I still have pics of my hand somehwere- if anyone wants to see them I'll post them (they are pretty gory).

DO NOT TAKE O2 CLEANING FOR GRANTED. DO NOT TRUST SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR YOU.

CD,

I am very glad that you recovered, and that you have no lasting effects. I know it could have been very much worse!

If you would, please, could you either post said pics or PM them to me? I would like, with your permission, to use your story to convince "Doubting Thomases" when I teach the subject. Thanks.

BJD
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom