1st Stage Mold - NEED ADVICE

[avengedkevinfold]

It appears that there is a little green "mold" inside my 1st stage where the dust cap is supposed to cover this part.
I can suspect that I didnt put the dust cap on tight enough one time. I have a mares mr12

I did a search on the internet and scubaboard with no luck.
I discovered it yesterday and dove with it with no problems.

Few questions.


1-Can I clean is easily myself?
2-Is this common?
3-Is this a big deal? Should I be concerned?
4-Its a new reg with about 14 dives on it, should I get it serviced even though it hasn't been 1 year yet?
5-Is it safe to dive with?
6-Am I f__ked?

Thanks

 

[Garrobo]

If you don' have the knowledge to open it and clean it your self maybe you should take it to a reg man for cleaning only. Shouldn't cost much. Then I'd store it in a vacuum sealed baggie between dives. I wouldn't breathe through it till the mold is taken care of.

 

[redacted]

It is called verdigris I believe. It is what happens when brass is not completely cleaned of salt water. It is an indication that you need to be more careful and more thorough in caring for your reg. It is really only a serious problem if it is inside your reg where it can damage valves and dynamic o-rings or in the filter to a degree that is seriously restricts gas flow.

It can probably wait until a future service. A picture would permit a more better determination.

 

[DevonDiver]

As others have mentioned, what you are seeing is 'verdigris' on the filter. The filters turn green if they get wet....

That is a good thing, as it acts as an indication that water has gotten into your first stage. In itself, it is not a serious problem....HOWEVER....

If water is inside your first stage, then the next time you connected/pressurised your regulator, then that water will be forced out of the 1st stage and into the hoses.

Now...for your LPI, Second Stage and AAS, this isn't an issue...because the water will be expelled from the end. But with your SPG, the water - once inside - cannot escape. If it is salt water...then it can start causing a degredation to the return spring that forces the needle back against the air pressure. In a worst case scenario the spring can lose sufficient strength/become seized and the needle will not show reducing air pressure in your tank.

That can create a scenario where your SPG will stick during the dive...and can cause an out-of-air emergency.

 

[redacted]

All SPGs I have seen use a bourdon tube that contains the pressure (and any water) to sense and respond to your tank pressure. (eFunda: Introduction to Bourdon Tubes) In the extreme, the copper bourdon could, I guess, be damaged by water but I have never heard of that being any more than a hypothetical problem.

 

[DevonDiver]

I had a SPG seize up on me... now I don't take chances....hence my advice.

I wasn't speaking hypothetically

 

[300bar]

All SPGs I have seen use a bourdon tube that contains the pressure (and any water) to sense and respond to your tank pressure. (eFunda: Introduction to Bourdon Tubes) In the extreme, the copper bourdon could, I guess, be damaged by water but I have never heard of that being any more than a hypothetical problem.

AFAIK ALL mecanical SPG's are of the bourdon type.
But when saltwater enters and eats away the brass tube,you'll have a blowout.
I have to go look for it but I have one around somewhere.
That was/is the reason new divers are thought to not look at the glass of a SPG when opening a tankvalve.This is wrong btw.

Most if not all newer SPG's have a small plastic plug on the back side,if you have a blowout,that plug will comeout,most likely with some power/speed.

 

[redacted]

Most that I have seen fail seemed to be caused by water getting into the "surface" pressure chamber causing the connecting bits between the bourdon tube and the indicator needle to fail. I have also seen them fail because the indicator needle attachment failed. Those needles seem to be simply pressed into place (or maybe the retaining adhesive failed). In any case, those water incursions seen to be either through the blowout plug in the rear or through the o-ring face seal on metal SPGs. POS plastic ones are also vulnerable to cracked bodies.