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The real 'Bag Trick'!


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#1 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 03:44 PM

Tech Tips from the Repair Bench
Todays Topic: The Bag Trick


Note: This technique is a generic rinse procedure that you should do EVERY TIME YOU GO DIVING with a few tweaks to deal with some of today's first stages. In particular the sealed type of first stage such as Zeagle, Apeks, etc. do not require the syringe portion of the rinse procedure. The key feature to the 'Bag Trick' is the fact that you are aggressively pressure rinsing accessible portions of the regulator before any of the components of water, salt or fresh, have time to solidify. (Soaking in a tub is very much like putting another lock on the barn door after the horses are gone.)

Unfortunately the way most of us were taught about the conditions of matter was that it went from gas to liquid to solid (and for those that know about this a fourth condition is plasma but we won't be dealing with plasma). In many dive courses the implication was that salt water was just fresh water with salt disolved in it. That implied that when the salt became a solid you could return all of it back to a liquid by soaking it. Unfortunately it doesn't quite work that way. Salt water not only contains salt it contains everything else including minerals that when solidified do not reverse back to a liquid with soaking. An example that we are all familar would be the cement in concrete. When it cures it is solid and in fact it gets more durable if we soak it. Many rock quarries are almost like diving in diluted portland cement.
"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#2 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 03:46 PM

The following information relating to field preventative maintenance can dramatically extend the useful life of SCUBA equipment. Unfortunately, some of the worst neglect and abuse is often caused by well meaning dive masters on charter boats. Consequently your first line of defense is to make a deal with the dive masters that they will always allow you to move your own equipment from tank to tank.

Illustration 1 shows your preventative maintenance kit consisting of a leftover 2 liter cold drink bottle, an ear syringe, and a plastic lined lunch bag (the kind that will hold water). These lunch bags are widely available in grocery stores, drugstores, discount houses, etc.

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  • 2RegRinseKit.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#3 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 03:48 PM

Illustration 2 When you first get back on board the boat, quickly stow your fins, mask, and snorkel, shoo the dive master away from your gear again.
With the regulator still on the tank and the air still turned on, pour some of the drinkable water from your plastic bottle into the lunch bag. Fill the ear syringe with water from the bag and flush out the first stage spring chamber of the regulator.

Note: Access to the spring chamber varies in location from model to model. The one shown is the large flow through piston type. Some of todays 1st stages have sealed spring chambers so there is no access point to flush them out with the ear syringe.

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  • 32FirstStageFlush.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#4 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 03:56 PM

Illustration 3 -. Next, put the 2nd stage(s) in the bag, squeeze the top of the bag closed and shake it vigorously.

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  • 4SecondStageRinse.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#5 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 03:59 PM

Illustration 4 - Do the same procedure with each and every hose especially if you have an AirII.

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  • 5PowerInflaterRinse.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#6 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 04:26 PM

Illustration 5 - Do the same procedure with each and every hose including your gauges.

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  • 6ConsoleCompterRinse.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#7 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 04:27 PM

Illustration 5 - Pour some water over the 1st stage being sure to include the storage cap use the remaining water in the bag to pour over your face. If your eyelashes get dry salt crust on them between dives, that is your reminder that you did not do your preventative maintenance "bag trick."

Calm seas, clear water and clean regulators.
-Senior Tech

Attached Images

  • 7FaceRinse.jpg

"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#8 jextract

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 04:33 PM

Do you recommend doing this after every dive (i.e. during the surface interval) or just after your last dive on the way back home on the boat?
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#9 Senior Tech

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 04:39 PM

Do you recommend doing this after every dive (i.e. during the surface interval) or just after your last dive on the way back home on the boat?

YES...you want to do this literally within seconds of ending your dive. EVERY DIVE. The damage to regs occurs when salt and other minerals harden inside the regs and no matter how long you soak them afterwards....they will not return to liquid.

This is the REAL secret to proper gear maintenance.
"People ask how long I've been repairing regulators...that's easy...ever since there was only one brand and model commercially available." -JC

#10 Marvel

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 05:44 PM

Interesting- thaks so much for the recommendations & pictures. Your explaination makes a lot of sense.
Marvel

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#11 drdiver

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 05:56 PM

A really excellent description and suggestion. Thank you very much! It was worth the wait for the pictures!
There are old divers and there are bold divers, but there ain't no old, bold divers.

#12 Walter

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 07:38 PM

Thanks, that's great info! One more question - I'll start this after my next dive, but do I then rinse my regulator as before when I return home or is this all it needs?
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#13 Funewgy

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 08:08 PM

I ask this question in all sincerity. Let's assume that I have taken a cooler of my favorite beverage onto the dive boat for the ride back to the dock after diving. On a hot day, those ice cold beverages are going to be floating in a very cold combination of ice and water pretty early in the day.

Can I dunk my regs and gauges in the ice water to perform the same function? Are there any risks or issues related to the ice water versus warm or room temp water?

In other words, can the "Bag Trick" be modified to the "Beer Cooler Trick" without issue. Just curious.
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#14 triggerfish

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 09:52 PM

now, most people would think doug was kidding.

i, however, think it's a good question.

whaddya say, jc....can you use cold water? or will the deposits go back into "solutin" better with warm water?

or is it actually the agitation that is the key?

thanks so much for saving my soon-to-be new reg! :thankyou:

#15 drdiver

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Posted 14 February 2005 - 09:55 PM

It's a good question. I'm thinking about investing in a SP MK25 S600.
My guess would be cold water wouldn't make a difference as the concept is to get the salt water out. But I'll wait to hear the correct decision.
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