Saltwater Build-up

Hi there,

Does anyone have any home remedies for getting rid of the green
saltwater build-up n gear that has been left in storage for too long!!?

Yes, take it in and get it serviced. The green isn't saltwater; it is
copper oxide. Copper in the brass of your regulator starts to corrode when
the chrome plating has been breached or worn away. This is often a result
of using a regulator without properly rinsing it after use in sea water.
The salt that is not washed away crystalizes as the water evaporates and
forms a very abrasive surface. The next time the regulator is used it acts
like sandpaper to wear away the moving parts of the regulator. Not only the
brass, but the o-rings and other moving parts are compromised. Do yourself
a favor and have someone who knows how to service it do a proper job.

Safe diving,
Cpt. Dale


"ellyandmilton" <ellyandmilton@xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1136288235.278631.185990@g44g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi there,
>
> Does anyone have any home remedies for getting rid of the green
> saltwater build-up n gear that has been left in storage for too long!!?
>
>

Sorry, but there are no "home remedies" unless you know what you are doing
and you have the parts you will need to replace and the tools to do the job.
If your intention is to mount the regulator an a board and hang it on the
wall, a little brass cleaner will do the trick. If you want to breath off
of it underwater, have a qualified service technician service it. To
properly service the regulator a technician will consult with the
manufacturer's maintenance manual for information and diagrams on that
particular regulator. He will completely disassemble it and clean all the
parts with an ultrasonic cleaner in a slightly acidic detergent bath, then
rinse and dry with compressed air. Any damaged or worn metal parts and all
rubber parts and o-rings will be replaced with parts from the original
manufacturer. Most moving parts (but not necessarily all) are then
lubricated with Dow 111 or Crysto-Lube and everything is reassembled. Most
regulators require special tools to take apart and put together. All have
critical torque specifications and adjustments. Once everything is put
together the intermediate pressure is adjusted to the manufacturer's
specifications and then the breathing resistance is measured with a
manometer and adjusted with a special tool. The regulator is then set aside
and readjusted 24 hours later when the new valve seats have had a chance to
take an impression.

Safe diving,
Cpt. Dale