real world vs proper procedure

[standingup]

Just wondering what most actually do to their regulators after a day of diving.
Tell the truth not what were supposed to do- but what you actually do. Do you remove the hoses for a washing machine wash or just run some water thru?

[duckbill]

If I'm far from home, I put the yoke plug on and tighten her down, then put the whole regulator in a bath of fresh water for the trip home. This is to prevent salt crytals from forming and starts the rinsing process. IMO, the hardest place to clean on a rectangular label is behind the label. Soaking solves that problem.

At home, I remove the hoses, mouthpiece and wagon wheels and give them a good fresh water rinse. I think it may be time to invest in a bottle brush, though. Then I hold them at one end and spin them around to fling as much water out as possible. Then I let them air dry, blowing the humid air through from time to time.
Then, if I detect any evidence of water in the regulator body I pour fresh water into the inhale horn and rinse several times (with the yoke plug still in place, of course). Then I shake as much water as possible out and let it air dry, blowing the humid air out from time to time like the hoses.
Sometimes I remove the duckbill and rinse, and sometimes I rinse it in place. It depends on how long it will be until my next adventure.

And, yes. I do this after each diving day. I love my double hosers and hope to use them until I die.

[YankDownUnder]

What I actually do........

I take my gear to the dive site in a large plastic storage box. It is about 3 feet wide. It holds every thing except my tanks. I usually carry the lead seperately too. At the end of the dive, everything goes back in the storage box and I drive home. It then goes into the back yard and is placed on the patio. The box is filled with water from the garden hose, so it can soak. I slosh the items around in the fresh water until I am sure everything has been rinsed. If I feel a bit more energetic, or if the gear is very dirty, I'll put in a few drops of liquid soap. It tend to foam up, so I don't always use the soap. If I use soap I have to do a fresh water rinse. with the hose

Items soak until I get around to going back, usually about an hour. The items are spread in the shade on the picknic table and chairs and left to dry in the shade, and the water poured onto the flower bed. I shake excess water off of the items so they dry faster.

I keep my gear in a storage shed, so I put the plastic box away with the top off, so the areas not already dry can do so. The suit is spread out on top so it won't crease.

The tank just gets hosed down and so does the weight belt.

If I dive a rebreather, it is completely disassembed and each part is cleaned in the same way. (The rebreather is expensive.)

The best thing I ever bought was the big storage boxes. They also keep the dirt out of my car when the gear goes in. If my son dives with me, we use one box for soapy water and the other one for fresh water.

[duckbill]

........I'll put in a few drops of liquid soap. It tend to foam up, so I don't always use the soap.

This may help, or not- add the soap AFTER filling the tub with water, instead of before or during. Then gently mix it in to avoid making bubbles.

[Nemrod]

If I am on a trip of several days or such or longer I will rinse my regulators in fresh water if possible. I will often remove the outlet hose and look into the can if I think there may be salt water in there. If so I may just rinse it out with fresh water and then reassemble. Alternatively I might split the cans if I have a band clamp on that regulator but in all likelyhood do not, just rinse it out. If I have been diving only fresh water I don't worry over it at all. BUT, in either case when I get home or as soon as the last dive is complete I then split the cans and then fully clean and polish everything and do whatever repairs are needed.

You cannot leave seawater inside the cans. It only takes a few minutes to remove the outlet port hose and look in and give it a rinse and while at with the outlet hose disconnected run fresh water through it letting it work all the way through the duckbill.

As to bacteria in the hoses I just have not really had this problem but have used a mild antibacterial dish soap on them from time to time.

During the off season, all regulators are taken apart cleaned and repaired and reassembled sans hoses and then stored in a plastic tub with a towel wrapped around the cans. I pull the hoses down as well and the cage valves and mouthpieces, clean them, silicone them and dist in talc and store in a plastic bag in the tub with the regulators. I only have six double hosers that I dive so it is not like I am dealing with a couple of hundred like some of you .

James

[Bryan]

FRESH WATER DIVING:Soak in the tub with some simple green when I get home. Rinse and let dry.
SALT WATER DIVING: Soak in the tub with some of my regulator cleaner and some simple green overnight. Rinse and let dry
ONCE A YEAR: Hoses get a run through the washer. HOT water, a little simple green and regular laundry detergent. (no Snuggle needed)

I'm not a good example (for several reasons) I often try to abuse regulators that contain my reproduction parts. I want to see what happens in a worst case situation..

[dhaas]

This is the same crappola' I get from UW photographers and their precious equipment. I use it all, not abuse it and rinse and dry. That's it!

Regulators (modern or vintage) get a fresh water rinse, hang to dry, then thrown in large plastic tub (to keep the van clean) for next dive to my local quarry, Sand Dog event, etc. My double hose reg does get the hoses disconnected when I get home from a longer trip to totally dry inside. Maybe I'l start doing the bottle brush or washing machine regimen as Bryan states.

Hell, the damn things were designed to be used in SALT WATER for cryin' out loud! So why does everyone worry so much versus using them?

In closing, the more I see an UW photographer screw around "maintaining" their gear, the closer he / she is getting to a flood from taking the damn stuff apart too often except when it really needs an overhaul and new o-rings installed, etc.

Just my 2 cents

dhaas

[JES]

I'm with Bryan & David on this. I rinse my regulators in fresh water to remove sand & salt and then let them dry. Short & sweet.

[Nemrod]

Well, there is a difference, I can go down to my LDS and get ripped for a new Legend--what a piece of c--p regulator and even though I bought it well within the free octapus sale I got no free octapus---yep---no show!!

But, since the six double hose regulators I have are essentially irreplaceable, one has been mine for some 38 years, I tend to care for them and maintain them a little more enthusiastically than I might a plastic piece of junk like this Legend. It does not breath very good either. Maybe I should take it apart and use it for target practice. Why maintain something like this--just toss it after a trip and buy another.

There is a difference.

james

[JES]

... get ripped for a new Legend--what a piece of c--p regulator ... ---yep---no show!!

But, ... than I might a plastic piece of junk like this Legend. It does not breath very good either. Maybe ... use it for target practice. Why maintain something like this--just toss it after a trip and buy another.

There is a difference.

james

James I can appreciate your effort to carefully maintain your regualtors. I have seen your gear and it is impeccable! It takes time and effort to achieve those results.

As far as the Lengend is concerned, if you had bought the ScubaPro MK25 & S600 regulator you would not be so disappointed right now.

[dhaas]

James,

The Aqualung Legend has been used well past 250' regularly by "tech" guys. If yours is breathing less than excellent, I'd say your LDS doesn't have a tune up guy who knows how to set it. Can't help you on the free Octo which has sold a lot of modern regs for Aqualung......Maybe change shops (????)

I personally don't like anything more on a modern reg than a "venturi" pre-dive / dive switch like on the base model Legend and the lower priced but great breathing Titan LX. I've had mine to 150' of OCEAN water in current, and it is a modern Conshelf in performance and durability. I own 3 (me, the wifes, and a back up for traveling to give to my customers when their mega $$$$ reg blows up due to too many damn parts

This modern reg gets the same after dive rinse and dry like my old Mistral....Nothing more, nothing less.....

If you are going to shoot up your Leged, call oe email me first. Maybe I'll buy it from you!

dhaas

[Nemrod]

Has anyone used any salt neutralizer type products on dive gear?

James

[Bryan]

YES and I've been selling it for 2 years......I believe I have given you a few samples.....I know we gave out lots of samples at Wazee and Portage.

http://www.vintagedoublehose.com/store/ ... ucts_id=20

[standingup]

Thanks for all the answers-it seems there is two schools of thought -preventive maintenance or if it works don't screw with it. Glad to know that I"m not anally retentive - I personally like the preventive maintenance.

[Nemrod]

Maybe not give your secrets away Bryan . The stuff I bought last year down along the Gulf for my boat was clear, I think, don't remember the product.

James