Regulator Cleaning - are ultrasonic cleaners any good ?

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US cleaning of an assembled regulator should be unnecessary and could be damaging. Unnecessary in that soaking should dilute and remove salt deposits before they can set. Damaging in that US cleaning also removes lubricants. Save the US cleaner for when needed on the disassembled parts which will then be re-lubed as required.

Also, it is not obvious to me that 5 minutes in an US cleaner will even do as good a job of removing salts from threaded connections as a good FW soaking. It may encourage them to go back into solution but it will still take time to draw them out.
 
Depends on what you are soaking them in. Dunk tank? Forget it. Actually can make it worse. Seen some that were as salty as the ocean itself.

The amount of salinity in a dunk tank has nothing to do with atomic regulators or seat savers.

Perhaps Jim was exaggerating the amount of salt in a rinse tank, but can we agree that ANY salt in the first stage will "Make it worse"?

C'mon. Gives us a little bro hug. Just a little one. C'mon.
 
I saw a dunk tank in Bonaire that must have been neglected for a day or so. There was a clear white line of salt where the water had evaporated down a bit. Not to mention that it wasn't just regs that were tossed in. People were throwing wet suits, booties with sand on them, hoods, gloves, and BC's in. One look was enough. No way my regs were going in there. It depends on the operation. Amy Slates used big rolling tub things. One for regs and one for suits, bc's etc. They'd fill it as the boat was coming in. After everyone took their stuff out they dumped it. Then had a hose to further rinse your stuff if you wanted. I much preferred that set up over the place in Bonaire with the concrete tank that seemed to just get water added to it.
 
I saw a dunk tank in Bonaire that must have been neglected for a day or so. There was a clear white line of salt where the water had evaporated down a bit. Not to mention that it wasn't just regs that were tossed in. People were throwing wet suits, booties with sand on them, hoods, gloves, and BC's in. One look was enough. No way my regs were going in there. It depends on the operation. Amy Slates used big rolling tub things. One for regs and one for suits, bc's etc. They'd fill it as the boat was coming in. After everyone took their stuff out they dumped it. Then had a hose to further rinse your stuff if you wanted. I much preferred that set up over the place in Bonaire with the concrete tank that seemed to just get water added to it.

aside from the salt, I wouldn't want my regulator anywhere near a rinse tank where someone rinsed off their pee soaked wetsuit :)
 
aside from the salt, I wouldn't want my regulator anywhere near a rinse tank where someone rinsed off their pee soaked wetsuit

????

I find the peeing on my gear is one of the best ways of preventing others from using it. It also assures that other divers do not get too close. :D
 
US cleaning of an assembled regulator should be unnecessary and could be damaging. Unnecessary in that soaking should dilute and remove salt deposits before they can set. Damaging in that US cleaning also removes lubricants. Save the US cleaner for when needed on the disassembled parts which will then be re-lubed as required.

Also, it is not obvious to me that 5 minutes in an US cleaner will even do as good a job of removing salts from threaded connections as a good FW soaking. It may encourage them to go back into solution but it will still take time to draw them out.
Ditto........
 
????

I find the peeing on my gear is one of the best ways of preventing others from using it. It also assures that other divers do not get too close. :D

Hey, I would be happy to "clean" your gear for your.:D
 
Ultrasonic cleaners are useful for small metal parts. Mine will remove chrome.

N
 

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