JamesK
Contributor
I just throw my wetsuit, booties, gloves, hood, vest in the washing machine. My wings go in the utility sink. The rest jets rinsed in the tub.
Gear Rinsing Idea
- Thread starter MNScuba
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I've done it. I've used the high pressure wash setting to blast wetsuits and tanks, but wouldn't want to do that to any gear that might be damaged by the cutting blast of water. The low pressure settings work fine for most of the rest of the gear, but I still took everything home and gave it a good soak and rinse. Those of you who have been in warm freshwater know what that end-of-summer green smell is like: eau de quarry. This will help a lot. Just be careful.
Steven
I built a Rinse Rack out of 1 1/2 PVC pipe (cost $20). I hang wetsuits and BCs on the rack and rinse from a garden hose. The base could be made so it would fit in a bathtub. Regs etc. get rinsed in a rubermaid tub.
Jeff
Jeff
hjhlota
Registered
I bought a $10 tension rod (made for shower curtains) and set it up over the tub. Now I can hang my gear or my laundry to dry, depending on how exciting my weekend is going.
Also, I like to place fins, boots, etc. on a plastic welcome mat to dry. That way the water drips through the plastic tines and everything dries without having to be turned over. Total cost=$2.
Also, I like to place fins, boots, etc. on a plastic welcome mat to dry. That way the water drips through the plastic tines and everything dries without having to be turned over. Total cost=$2.
One of the instructors I worked with used to carry a plastic tub in the back of his truck and fill it with clean water and at the end of his dive, throw everything in it with some Scuba Cleaners, and put the lid back.
This effectively allowed the gear to move around in the tub from the motion of the truck and washing his gear, kinda like a washing machine. Interesting Idea none the less.
Ryan Stone
This effectively allowed the gear to move around in the tub from the motion of the truck and washing his gear, kinda like a washing machine. Interesting Idea none the less.
Ryan Stone
Rockhound
Guest
The idea of using LP Rev. Osmosis rinse water from a car wash is very interesting......I'll keep it in mind.
We camp a lot (tent trailer), so I often bring a large RubberMaid "Blue Tote" and rinse my gear in it using a hose and the campground water. The wetsuit and most of the personal gear gets sloshed around a bit, then I change the water and let the gear soak again for a half hour or so before taking it out to dry on a lawn chair I use as a rack.
The regulator, with the first stage capped, gets put in alone. I slosh it (1st stage is well agitated and the 2nd's are more gently treated so as not push the purge valves). I change the water, then let the rig soak from 30 minutes to several hours.
I do the same with my Nikonos V , SB105 and accesories, sometimes soaking them overnight.
Soaking is preferable to rinsing, btw, as it allows water to penetrate and dilute away the salt water droplets. Salt crystals (precipitates) WILL NOT dissolve once they come out of solution and weld themselves to your gear, so soaking only gets rid of the salt water. If you get some problematic crystallization, it will take a more thorough disassembly and cleaning to get things right. (But, more often than not, you will have some small amount of these deposits present at your annual, no matter how much soaking you do.).
One way of preventing precipitation of salt and other minerals on your gear, especially on long or multiday trips is to keep the gear wet, even if it is with salt water.
I sometimes place a wet towel over my setup in the rack and I place my camera in a "wet bag" under a soaked towel and out of the sun.
So far, 15 yrs. and no camera floods (now I went and jinxed things, didn't I?).
We camp a lot (tent trailer), so I often bring a large RubberMaid "Blue Tote" and rinse my gear in it using a hose and the campground water. The wetsuit and most of the personal gear gets sloshed around a bit, then I change the water and let the gear soak again for a half hour or so before taking it out to dry on a lawn chair I use as a rack.
The regulator, with the first stage capped, gets put in alone. I slosh it (1st stage is well agitated and the 2nd's are more gently treated so as not push the purge valves). I change the water, then let the rig soak from 30 minutes to several hours.
I do the same with my Nikonos V , SB105 and accesories, sometimes soaking them overnight.
Soaking is preferable to rinsing, btw, as it allows water to penetrate and dilute away the salt water droplets. Salt crystals (precipitates) WILL NOT dissolve once they come out of solution and weld themselves to your gear, so soaking only gets rid of the salt water. If you get some problematic crystallization, it will take a more thorough disassembly and cleaning to get things right. (But, more often than not, you will have some small amount of these deposits present at your annual, no matter how much soaking you do.).
One way of preventing precipitation of salt and other minerals on your gear, especially on long or multiday trips is to keep the gear wet, even if it is with salt water.
I sometimes place a wet towel over my setup in the rack and I place my camera in a "wet bag" under a soaked towel and out of the sun.
So far, 15 yrs. and no camera floods (now I went and jinxed things, didn't I?).
divrnr
Guest
I do like netpro, I made a pvc hanging rack, but I sealed it and put on a female hose end. Then I drilled little holes in the all the right places and Viola' It rinses and then dries!!!=-)
tinman
Contributor
I love those plastic hanger sets for gear. http://www.innovativescuba.com/Product_Rubber2.htm
Dump everything in a rubbermaid bin at the site. Drive home, hook up the gear in the garage on a piece of dowel slung from the ceiling, use my pump sprayer full of car wash cleaner, rinse and I'm done. At camp sites, I've stolen great ideas from others: take some good rope and your best knots, add some shade and two trees and you have your clothsline (if your an Eagle Scout, get an 7-8 foot stick and put a v cut in the top to support all that gear that your buddies will add to the line...). The hangers make sure everything is in one place. I haven't thought about it before but are mild surfactants a problem with any gear? I'll have to check what's in my car wash diluted mix....
Dump everything in a rubbermaid bin at the site. Drive home, hook up the gear in the garage on a piece of dowel slung from the ceiling, use my pump sprayer full of car wash cleaner, rinse and I'm done. At camp sites, I've stolen great ideas from others: take some good rope and your best knots, add some shade and two trees and you have your clothsline (if your an Eagle Scout, get an 7-8 foot stick and put a v cut in the top to support all that gear that your buddies will add to the line...). The hangers make sure everything is in one place. I haven't thought about it before but are mild surfactants a problem with any gear? I'll have to check what's in my car wash diluted mix....
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