It Was Corrosion...
- Last night, I opened up the cans on my Argonaut and was shocked to see a fair amount of corrosion. It was causing the 2nd stage lever to be sticky and that was why it was behaving the way it was. It didn't take much to clean it up... A soft toothbrush and some soap and water. I rinsed it with the mechanism facing down so as not to drown the internals. Sprayed a little food grade silicone lube on the lever mechanism and it is now moving freely with the regulator breathing perfectly again. This is enough for now so I can dive it the rest of the season. But, I'm going to take the whole thing apart for a good cleaning later this Fall.
- I blame myself for the corrosion. I think I caused it to let salt water into the mechanism. When I bought the new hose set with DSV, I did a horrible job of installing it. I don't know why I didn't notice but, the little tabs that slip under the opposite side of the hose clamps were crunched instead of slid underneath. I remember some wet breathing sometimes but on at least one occasion it was because I had the DSV in a partially open position while breathing... And I assumed that's what caused the wet breathing.
- This is the "Sea Hunt" serial numbered regulator I got in the Argonaut crowd funding program. Its a collector and means a lot to me. So, I feel terrible about letting it get corroded. But, I've used it a lot in fresh water as well as salt water. A week of diving in Cozumel last year.
- And more recently, I used this regulator for 3 dives a day for a week down in the salt water of St. Kitts and Saba this spring. I rinsed everything when I got home but I didn't take the cans apart to inspect the inside much less rinse the inside. I know better now.