So what's with the new way of rinsing regs?

[timz]

I normally rinse it with water and shoot through the ambient chamber of my Atomic B2 forst stage and shoot through the exhaust and mouth piece of my 2nd stage. But i have not use my regs long enough for a service.

Sorry for interupting. After a dive trip yesterday, while cleaning my gears, i realize the BC inflation LP hose was abit lose where i am able to unscrew it with hands. So, i removed the hose and blew through the port and there is a little bit of water coming out. Should I be worry?

Should i rinse the LP chamber of the first stage with fresh water?

Should I just leave it?

 

[redacted]

What is the purpose of soaking a sealed diaphragm first stage?

To remove salt water from those areas that are not sealed, like the yoke retainer and other unprotected threaded connections.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I spray my regs off with fresh water for a few seconds after I dive. I've been doing that for more than 25 years without a problem.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I used to just rinse my regulators, but I found that soaking helps reduce corrosion. I use good rubber dust caps, soak for maybe an hour and then generally hook back up to a tank and blow them dry.

Sometimes, my regs may not see any freshwater for 3-4 days of solid saltwater use (when offshore), but we would normally soak them in a bucket of freshwater for the 15 hour ride back to shore. In my experience, it helps.

---------- Post added December 6th, 2015 at 01:42 PM ----------

I normally rinse it with water and shoot through the ambient chamber of my Atomic B2 forst stage and shoot through the exhaust and mouth piece of my 2nd stage. But i have not use my regs long enough for a service.

Sorry for interupting. After a dive trip yesterday, while cleaning my gears, i realize the BC inflation LP hose was abit lose where i am able to unscrew it with hands. So, i removed the hose and blew through the port and there is a little bit of water coming out. Should I be worry?

Should i rinse the LP chamber of the first stage with fresh water?

Should I just leave it?

I would remove all the hoses, blow it out by hooking to a tank, then connect the hoses and hook back to tank and press the purges and also run air through the BC inflator hose.

 

[tracydr]

soak overnight while pressured, no leak & best cleaning

This is what I do,too.

 

[claymore]

When it comes to rinsing regs it is personal choice for personal regs but at the shop I DM for only DMs and Instructors rinse regs in the pool rinse tubs. There were several instances of first stages being rinsed by students with the dust cap missing and destroying the AI Cobra computers with water intrusion, an expensive mistake for the shop to eat. Now only staff rinses the regs and then only the second stages.

 

[redacted]

I spray my regs off with fresh water for a few seconds after I dive. I've been doing that for more than 25 years without a problem.

Simple rinsing will work OK as long as the chrome finish is in good shape and they are serviced often with a film of lube on unprotected threads. My regs usually go 5+ years between service and rarely see the US cleaner.

 

[extremetito]

Some Aqualung regulators tout an auto-closure device (ACD) on the first stage-does that work well? Any reports of failures or problems?
(This issue was queried on this board 2009-at that time most respondents thought it worked reliably. Since then, I believe that the ACD system was slightly redesigned to prevent inadvertent compression of the spring by excessive pressure when screwing down the dust cap.)

 

[Scott]

Some Aqualung regulators tout an auto-closure device (ACD) on the first stage-does that work well? Any reports of failures or problems?
(This issue was queried on this board 2009-at that time most respondents thought it worked reliably. Since then, I believe that the ACD system was slightly redesigned to prevent inadvertent compression of the spring by excessive pressure when screwing down the dust cap.)

The ACD works well as long as you take care of it, just like any piece of equipment. If you have a grit of sand blocking the ACD from closing it is no different than leaving the dust cap off.

 

[kr2y5]

I don't soak, just rinse with a spray from garden hose while pressurized, then pour some water into the second stages, pour it out and blow until dry by depressing the purge button. I leave my stuff pressurized for a little bit, then close the valves and let the pressure out. Am I doing it right?