The Blow-job...yes or no?

[sunfish]

(I'm wondering if the title will be censored or not...)

Finishing the last dive of my last dive trip, I was taking my regulator off the tank. I re-opened the tank valve to blow off the water on my protective cap, just like I'd been taught to do in my OW and just like everyone else in my dive shop club does. Something went flying about 20 meters straight up in the air. It took me at least half a minute to realize it was the O-ring...

Anyway, my question is, does everyone else blow the salt water off the protective rubber cap on their reg using leftover tank air? It seems to make sense to blow off all the salt water, but on the other hand it also seems to me that wiping it nicely with a damp cloth and leaving it alone for a few seconds to let it air dry would remove more salt than the blowing, and everyone knows salt= corrosion, not to mention the salt could prevent an adequate seal...

 

[pipedope]

I use the tank air to blow off the dust cap. All of the salt that is there when you come out of the water is still in the water so blowing it off removes the salt.

You could wash the entire tank/regulator assembly in fresh water first to remove the salt but you still want to dry (blow off) the cap before putting the cap on the first stage. You won't be able to do this on a boat because there is never that much fresh water available.

O-rings are plentyful and cheap, I keep at least 4 with me all the time so losing one is no big deal.

BTW You might find that opening the valve a little less, just enough to get a moderate flow will be less likely to blow the O-ring away.

There are two kinds of divers, those who have lost an O-ring and those who will.


michael

 

[DivingGal]

Originally posted by sunfish
(I'm wondering if the title will be censored or not...)
Anyway, my question is, does everyone else blow the salt water off the protective rubber cap on their reg using leftover tank air?...

yup - your title sure caught my eye, as I'm sure it will do the same for others.

A Pipedope says, you could wash the whole thing down -- but rather risky, as you have to keep the whole thing together to prevent water from getting into your first stage (the purpose of the cap).

An air blast will help, then I try to remember to use the cloth I have in my save-a-dive.

But remember the air blast is for the cap NOT the first stage. I've seen too many divers thinking they have to dry the first stage..... and end up forcing water into it.

 

[Natasha]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought, "This could be trouble, or this could be about a blow fish."
Well, I was wrong on both thoughts.
My next thought was ...no we won't go there ...
I dry it with a towel. I did learn the ' blow thing' in class but only did it by the pool, and never in the real water.

:gorgeous:

 

[Rooster1]

the only time I have ever blown the oring is because I disconnected the yoke without purging all the air out of the regs/hoses

 

[Uncle Pug]

Now why would your dust cap have salt water in it or on it?

You don't actually leave the thing tied to the regulator while you are diving do you?

The correct proceedure is to not have anything dangling that could pose and entanglement hazard... that applies especially to things behind you like on the tank neck or first stage reg.

Keep your dust caps for both the bottle and the regulator in your dry bag or coat pocket and you won't have to blow them off.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug
Now why would your dust cap have salt water in it or on it?

You don't actually leave the thing tied to the regulator while you are diving do you?

The correct proceedure is to not have anything dangling that could pose and entanglement hazard... that applies especially to things behind you like on the tank neck or first stage reg.

Keep your dust caps for both the bottle and the regulator in your dry bag or coat pocket and you won't have to blow them off.

Coat pocket???? Coat pocket! No wonder we don't see things quite the same, Pug... If you need a coat you need to head South!
-----------
Uncle Pug's point is well taken. Though it is common practice in recreational diving to leave the dust cover attached to the [yoke] regulator, it is better to not take it in the water at all, thus obviating the problem entirely. If you must leave it attached, then drying it with a dry towel is better than blowing it out, because blowing it out fills the air with salt water mist which can easily find its way onto your scintered filter, and on into your first stage... but blowing the cap off is preferable to putting it on wet.
Do not do what I see all too often - blast air into the first stage HP intake - that guarantees salt water mist into its innards and early failure/overhaul.
Rick

 

[devjr]

Leave the cap secured to the regulator. If wet, blow it off with compressed air. Do not blow air into the regulator inlet.

Don't assume that you will be able to find your dustcap or anything else unless it is right in front of your face. A boat deck is not a powder room, make your moves quickly and orderly. Don't tramp around a rocking boat looking for a dustcap.

You will be lucky just to find your gloves, fins, mask, snorkel, knife, polespear, spearhead cover, watch, compass, stringer, goody bag, glasses, seasick pill, Perrier, and other things. Don't stash or hide anything unless you must(like money).

Slide an extra O ring onto the yoke screw.

 

[roakey]

UP beat me to it.

My GUE instructor, Ted Cole pointed it out quite well:

"Why are you taking underwater something that's supposed to stay dry?"

Take it off your reg and put it in a dry box or something.

Yet another mainstream SCUBA example of "let's put a band-aid on this problem rather than fix it."

The REAL fix to this problem is to not take it the cover underwater with you.

Roak

Ps. Who else guessed the REAL subject before opening this note?

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by roakey
Who else guessed the REAL subject before opening this note?

Me... honest.