Corrosion First stage inlet filter.

[Scubanoobi]

A few places I went to in Mexico last year get the tanks on the boat by submerging them in water (no pier), the result is salt water mist spraying into the first stage when the tank is turned on.


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[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Which brand / model reg is this?

 

[uncfnp]

Just curious. By the one photo it looks like the corrosion goes at least part way into the inlet. If he removes the filter and the corrosion only coves the outer portion, could he not be reasonably sure the saltwater did not reach the interior of the first stage. And Sinbad has a good point, there are some first stages with devices to close it off to contamination.

 

[bigduke12]

Which brand / model reg is this?

Its Mares. MR22T.

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[KeithG]

Just curious. By the one photo it looks like the corrosion goes at least part way into the inlet. If he removes the filter and the corrosion only coves the outer portion, could he not be reasonably sure the saltwater did not reach the interior of the first stage. And Sinbad has a good point, there are some first stages with devices to close it off to contamination.

good point - it may just be some surface "rust" on the outside of the filter.

If the OP knows what they are doing I would suggest a quick tear down and inspection. Other wise take it into your LDS and ask them to do an inspection. Then decide if it needs service.

 

[bigduke12]

good point - it may just be some surface "rust" on the outside of the filter.

If the OP knows what they are doing I would suggest a quick tear down and inspection. Other wise take it into your LDS and ask them to do an inspection. Then decide if it needs service.

I will probably end up removing the filter and checking it out. As well as all the hoses to get a look in. If all looks okay I will wait until it is due for a service, and keep an eye out for any loss of performance. One thing I would be interested to know if these filters can be ultrasonicly cleaned to remove corrosion?

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[redacted]

I will probably end up removing the filter and checking it out. As well as all the hoses to get a look in. If all looks okay I will wait until it is due for a service, and keep an eye out for any loss of performance. One thing I would be interested to know if these filters can be ultrasonicly cleaned to remove corrosion?

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Great approach. Even if you see something under the filter or the HP hose connection, I would probably wait on service unless their is some performance problem.

 

[Luis H]

I have a suspicious feeling this might have occurred on my dive trip a few months ago. Now that I think about it, the divemaster changed my tanks a few times.

Regarding rented tanks, I would think that one bad tank could do it?

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Moisture inside a tank is normally fresh water (from poor/ bad compressor filters or moisture separators). Fresh water doesn’t tend to be very corrosive to the materials in a regulator. The moisture in one “bad tank” will be far more harmful to the tank than to the regulator.

If what you are seeing is rust (brown/ orange, iron oxide) then you are probably getting it from the tank. If the corrosion is verdigris (green, copper oxide) then the origin of the corrosion is the regulator and the catalyst is probably salt water.

Any corrosion you are seeing in the regulator is probably from the few drops of salt water that can get easily trapped on the outlet of the tank valve. That is why it is always important to blow it out before connecting your regulator.

A few places I went to in Mexico last year get the tanks on the boat by submerging them in water (no pier), the result is salt water mist spraying into the first stage when the tank is turned on.


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This is a common practice in many parts of the world. Again it is very important to blow dry the connection before attaching your regulator.

I always connect my own regulator.

 

[Scared Silly]

It needs to be replaced. They are meant to discolor, to show a warning of water ingress

Just a point of clarity - the sintered filters become discolored because of water, either fresh or salt or from trapping other materials as Luis notes above. There is nothing special about them in terms of them being "meant to discolor" as they are made from brass which reacts with water - especially salt water.

 

[Centrals]

I will probably end up removing the filter and checking it out. As well as all the hoses to get a look in. If all looks okay I will wait until it is due for a service, and keep an eye out for any loss of performance. One thing I would be interested to know if these filters can be ultrasonicly cleaned to remove corrosion?

If my inlet filter looks like that, I will definitely take a good look at the inside of the reg.
Once corrosion sets in, nothing will stop it.