Tips for Basic Regulator Maintenance

Today let’s focus on regulator care. I have seen many regulators come in for service that just make my skin crawl. I just don’t understand how some people do not take care of equipment on which they depend so completely while diving. Regulators with corrosion in the first stage can be avoided with regular care. The gritty sand which gets into your second stage and seems impossible to avoid, especially when diving La Jolla Shores, can also be removed with regular care.

I will give you some tips on how to take care of your life-preserving regulators. I would also like to dispel some of the misunderstandings on the auto closure devices (ACD) on the Aqua Lung regulators and a tip on a relatively unknown fact about the Atomic regulators.

We all know we need to test our equipment before we use it diving. For those of you who have taken a class at The Dive Shack, hopefully you remember when testing a regulator you need to breathe on it. Pushing the purge valve on the regulator to ensure it is working, in fact does nothing to test its proper functioning. When you push the purge valve, yes you make air come out, but that does not test the integrity of the diaphragm. When the reg is in your mouth and you inhale, the diaphragm collapses onto the purge valve which opens the regulator to allow air to flow. Testing your reg by actually breathing on it not only checks the valve, but also the condition of the diaphragm, and the way the regulator will be operating during the dive.

When putting your gear together for a dive, here is a helpful tip to care for your reg. Before you put your regulator onto your tank valve, blow a puff of air out of the tank. This will clean out the tank valve, which will ensure no water or other debris gets into your regulator.

Now let’s talk about post-dive care.

After your dive, when you take the reg off the tank valve, make sure the dust cap is clean and dry before you put it back into place and secure it with the yoke screw. Just remember you do not need to crush the dust cover, finger tight always works here.

Now let’s talk about that ACD (auto closure device) on your Aqualung regulator. Some people think that because of the ACD located on your first stage, the dust cap is no longer needed. This is not true. You should still use the cap, just don’t install it to where you are pushing in on the ACD causing it to open. The reason for using the cap is, even though water is not going to get into the regulator, it will collect in the face of the ACD and if you put the reg onto the tank you are now allowing water to drip into your first stage which leads to corrosion.

When rinsing your regs, slosh your second stage around in fresh water and move any parts that are movable (i.e. adjustment knobs). It’s not a bad idea to use a cleaner like the one sold at TDS, it helps dissolve salts and chlorine. Rinsing will also help get the sand out. Some people like to soak their regs, this is really not needed, and in fact if the dust cover is not on properly water may enter the hose and trickle back into the first stage. After you rinse the reg let it hang to dry. You should make sure to drain any water that collects inside the second stages and in the ambient chamber of the first stage.

Atomic regulators are designed with a small leaf spring in the second stage. The purpose of this spring is to take the pressure off the rubber seat in the inlet valve when there is no air pressure coming down the hose. The up side to this leaf spring is it takes some of the wear away allowing a longer life for your reg. However, the down side to the leaf spring design is, even with the dust cap on, water can get into the hose from the second stage. This is why you should never soak an Atomic Regulator.

For storage, keep your reg in a cool, dry place; never in direct sunlight for an extended amount of time. Some people like to spray their gear with conditioner. It is fine to be one of those people, just make sure you use a food grade silicone (sold at The Dive Shack) and never, ever use an oil. Spray some silicone onto a dry rag and wipe it on the hoses, mouthpiece, and even the reg body if you like. This will keep it looking shiny and new. But remember don’t spray it into the reg; just wipe it on the outside with a clean cloth. You want to avoid getting any silicone on the diaphragm.

The last thing to keep in mind when caring for your regulator is to take your gear in annually to TDS for service to make sure it is clean inside, and that it is working within factory settings. Also, during the service overhaul we freshen your regulator by changing out all its o-rings and seats.

So in closing, to keep me happy and you safe during your dives, make sure you follow the proper assembly and disassembly of the gear. Test your equipment the way it is meant to be used. Clean your equipment thoroughly while ensuring you take care not to allow water into the first stage or the hoses. Store your equipment someplace where it will not get dried out. And finally, make sure your gear is serviced regularly according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you ever have any questions regarding the care and maintenance of your gear, read the user’s manual and or give us a visit at The Dive Shack.

Enjoy your regulator and happy diving.