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Regulator corrosion

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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BatRay

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2002
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In keeping with the unwritten standards of a poor student, I cannot afford my own kit yet. I'm presently getting as much information as I can about gear. I figure if I can't buy it, the next best thing is talking about it.:)

My question, or rather, request, has to do with regulators. I have heard of regulators corroding. How often does this happen? How much use would you probably get out of a regulator that isn't made of titanium? Also, has anyone tried the titanium regulators?

Thanks guys,

Batray
 
Most regs are Marine brass with a anti-corosin type Crome stuff plated on the outside. the corosion is usually what you'll find on the inside when they are contaminated by seawater. Piss poor reg handling is usually to blame. Some one pressing the purge on their second stage while washing, or leaving the dustcap off.

TI Regs are nice and light and pretty and you can look extra spiffy on the boat with some. Bottom line is they are overpriced and cannot be used with high O2 mixes. So No Nitrox.

As for use - I own 3 US Divers Conshelf 14 First Stages that I bought off a guy that purchased his in 1980. I've put them through about 200 dives personally ( I use them for Stage bottles and when I'm sidemounting) and I have no Idea how many he's put them through. I service my own every 100 dives or so - and these ones really didn't need it last time - preventive work only. Buy a good reg - keep it serviced and take care of it and it will out last you.

Just remember -buy the best you can afford and do your homework. The Cheapest is never the best, but sometimes neither is the most expensive. It's Life support equipment, buy the best.

Willer
 
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If you plan to practice in a chlorinated pool, does that ever cause corrosion? Or is that only under the same circumstances as saltwater corrosion?

:D Have a nice day.
 
Chlorine is nasty stuff. will fade colors and weaken plastics/rubber. makes sure you rinse your equipment really well after a pool session. I have my 2 sets of gear: pool equipment and my "good" equip. the pool stuff is old kit I use for teaching.

the only way you're going to get "corrosion" on your regs is by letting moisture in. be it pool, ocean, lake - where ever.

simple things like keeping the dust cap on when your washing them off and not pressing the purge button when the line isn't charged will help keep water out.

and beware the filter. you'll see some people drying the 1st stage filter off with a blast of tank air (while they're drying the dust cap) after a dive. big NO-NO! if there is any moisture on the filter you will just shoot it into your reg.

back to your original question. all water will corode the insides of a reg. your main concern with Chlorine is the effects it has on rubber and plastics (synthetics). I soak all my good equipment in the tub at home for a bit if I use it in the pool. help leach out the Chlorine.

Just Curious - did your instructor not go over this in class? we drill it into our students 24/7 from day 1.


Willer
 
My class was taught not to press the purge button if the regulator wasn't charged and to rinse our equipment thoroughly following a pool session. After our certification dives (ocean), we had to soak and clean our gear in a sort of detergent and water before returning it to the shop.

We were not told specifically that chlorine messes up plastics, etc, only that clear silicone will yellow with age.

About the filter- good to know. Is there another way to dry the 1st stage, or should it simply be allowed to air dry?
 
Life of a regulator

:Batray,

I started diving in 1981 with a Nemrod Snark II single hose regulator and a pressure gauge. There was no such thing as a octopus and there was no place on my regulator to attach one.

Two years ago I sold this regulator as vintage and antique on ebay. It still worked.

Forget about the exotic metals. Buy you a good middle of the road priced regulator that has a balanced first and second stage and have it serviced annually and it will last a long time.

Check out the online stores like Leisure Pro and several others. Yes you can also buy from your local dive shop. See what your local dive shop(s) services--- Dacor, Scuba Pro, Aqua Lung, Oceanic. If you buy a Posiden and the only place that services it is 100 miles away it make it hard to run in and buy a new hose for it.

Before you buy off the internet or from your LDS read all you can and consider renting some of the gear to get a better idea of how it well it works before you turn a loose of some hard earned money.

A regulator is just one of the pieces that you have to consider. Are you thinking about BCD--jacket, back inflation, or backpack and wings. Also eventually you might want to consider a dive computer.

I can tell you that a computer is without question the best investment I made in dive gear. But it can certainly wait. I dove with a $5 set of tables for 18 years.


Hope this helps.

Jim Baldwin
 
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I've started looking at other types of gear and I think my priority is actually my own BC. I learned with a jacket-style SeaQuest, which was fine until I tried a rear-air cell pack. I'll never go back again...
 
Last edited:
So for my first reg, would it be better for me to get one that is strictly air, or can be switched air to nitrox, or worry about nitrox if later?

Looking at reg prices is like Sanskrit to me; what does a middle of the road reg cost, approx?
 
Unless you're intent on using regualtors for more the 40% EANx a standard air regulator should be fine. there are many opinions on how to "clean" a Nitrox reg. truth be told I've used up to a 36% mix and have never changed anything on my regs.

I really like the:

Apeks ATX 50 DS4 (din or yoke)from Deeperblue @ $290us.

the ATX100 from (only yoke) Leisurepro @ $325us

*or from deeperblue @ $370us (approx) in Din or yoke


The Scubapro Mark25 is a great deal from Deeperblue although the price escapes me at the moment. Would be my first choice for warm water diving, but I'm a bit leary of piston regs in Cold/icy conditions.

I'm purchasing two regs in the next couple months and am trying to decide between the ATX50 DS4 and the ATX 100.

my feeling has always been to wait and buy the reg you want rather then buying whatyou can afford now. the apeks regs at deeperblue give "mid road" prices for a first class reg. why else would all the DIR types be using them?
:D

Willer


PM me and I'll try and put together my "picks" list for regs and sources.
 
Ok, here's another one

I've been looking around at different BCs lately, and some of them feature an inflator hose with a mouthpiece, to be used as an emergency 2nd stage. Does anyone have any experience with these? How well do they work, how dependable, etc?

Thanks much:D
 
Re: Here's another one

BatRay,

I learned in and used a SeaQuest BC in my minimal experience. However, I recently did a practice pool dive with the Mares Pegasus Airtrim. What amazed me was how easy it made decents and ascents. No holding anything over you head. Just a two piece button on your left side. Really worked great and made buoyancy control a snap (although you shouldn't depend on your BC for bouyancy to much, proper weighting and lung control is best here). I will never go back to the old style. I understand that there is a new BC called the Morphos Airtrim. I am off to try that one next. I'll buy whoever wins :)

MaresMan1
 
The Airtrim/hub systems are the biggest deathtrap/money-wasting product on the market today.

have you seen how they orally inflate? from that P.O.S. straw in the pocket? Real safe. try to have your buddy get to it in a hurry when you really need it. SLOW, now dive in cold water (California) and have your buddy (or you) wearing 5mm gloves. you're going home in a bag.

now what happens when your power inflator sticks? detaching the hose from the Airtrim System is fumbly at best - there is too much vest around it. Gloves?

so many more reasons.....

I like Mares equipment, and I own a fair bit of it - but you couldn't pay me to dive (die) with one of those units - and I'd never get in the water if my buddy had one.

major safety issues with the Airtrim.

Willer
 
Mares Airtrim BC

Amphibious,

Ouch, well I said that I had little experience. But I had no trouble at all with the oral inflator. However, since I only do warm water diving, I don't think that I will run into a thick glove issue. Any valve can stick if not properly cared for. I had the inflator stick on me with the Seaquest BC (which was well used).

Bottom line is that for me this BC made me feel very comfortable and in control without feeling like I am striking a pose(just kidding).

However, I apprecaite your opinion and I will keep it in mind. I will also make sure that I carry out extra practice with my new Mares BC.

Thanks.
 
I love Mares BC's. nice fit, nice materials. Just NOT the airtrim.

any valve can stick - but even fixing the airtrim can be a pain in the ass with out the right tools.

the thick glove issue will come back around when you want to travel someplace cold. I never thought I would. I just bought a drysuit....

I just have some real safety concerns with that BC.

Willer
 
BC Evolution

I just found out that ScubaPro and Dacor have released air integrated BC, much like the Mares Pegasus and Morphos. Additionally, Seaquest has a similar BC being prepared for release. Does this validate the Mares vision? I also understand that the Morphos has completely sold out. Maybe the sign of the times. BC do evolve. Now I do agree that the HUB is a little much t get used to, but there may be something to the Pegasus and Morphos.

:cool:
DiveOn
 
Well dudes, you can add Cressi Sub to the list of manuf who are on the Airtrim kick. They just released their "J" line of 3 Airtrim BCs. Although these are slightly different in that the Airtrim is controlled by a joystick motion. Don't know if I like that. If you get tangled in line and yank on the stick, what happens?

Oh well, the future is going to get us anyway :p

DiveOn
 
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