Rinsing gear.

[Linedog]

Other than being easy on your hands, is there any benefit to rinsing gear with warm/hot water instead of cold?

[Tom Nic]

When I can, I use warm (not hot) water. My reason is that it seems that it would dissolve any salt easier / quicker. I have no scientific evidence to back up my hunch. I'm guessing that someone will either confirm or debunk!

[fmerkel]

I doubt anyone has taken 2 sets of dive gear and subjected them to the same treatment except for water rinsing temp. But, well known that warm water is more effective at removing dirt and dissolving things than cold. So, I use warm. I even take warm water in an insulated container for preliminary rinsing of cameras and regs on site. Then I do it again at home.

Any rinse is better than no rinse. Earlier rinses are more effective than late rinses.

[Linedog]

Well my hot water tank is 3 feet from the outside spigot in an unfinished basement. So it looks like I have yet one project on my list.

[fmerkel]

I use a short hose on a laundry sink near the back door. Transport bins become rinse bins. On those days I don't want to do the whole process the gear gets one soak in the laundry sink.

You could probably use the hose method on the HW tank.

[renoun]

Well my hot water tank is 3 feet from the outside spigot in an unfinished basement. So it looks like I have yet one project on my list.

Moen makes some great frost free hot/cold mixing valves for outdoor use with your hose. I've installed several and really like them but they do require a larger hole than a traditional hose bib, I think around 1.5" which is a PITA if you are drilling through concrete.

[Linedog]

Well my hot water tank is 3 feet from the outside spigot in an unfinished basement. So it looks like I have yet one project on my list.

Moen makes some great frost free hot/cold mixing valves for outdoor use with your hose. I've installed several and really like them but they do require a larger hole than a traditional hose bib, I think around 1.5" which is a PITA if you are drilling through concrete.

Nice I like that Moen unit, just drilling threw a wood wall.

[Magoi]

If you rinse right after a dive, I do not think it makes any difference on your gear if you use warm or cold water. Warm water dissolved things faster, but if you do not let your gear dry before rinsing, there is really nothing to dissolve and either should work about the same. Rinsing with either should remove surface saltwater and surface dirt. Warm water should not be more effective in removing dirt. If you let it dry, warm water would be better.

When we dive salt water has your whole dive time to diffuse into the fabric and any crevices/seams/joints in your hard gear. It takes time to diffuse out again into fresh water, and it is not likely that rinsing will remove this salt, but soaking will, as it give the water time to work. Additionally, any saltwater not removed by rinsing or soaking will dry in the fabric/crevices, and can only be removed by dissolving and diffusing it out. Warm water would work faster than cold for soaking, but if you give it an hour (or preferably more) to soak, temperature probably makes little difference. It is a good idea to give your gear a good long soak on occasion, especially your reg, camera case, and light.

Another thing to consider with hot water is the effect on your gear. Equipment like your reg is designed for diving temperatures. If you put it in very hot water it could affect plastic parts, some of which are quite small and could be affected quickly.

[Jeff Pack]

I use an aquarium heater in my covered rinse tank, keep the water about 75d-80d. Much nicer when rinsing gear in the winter months.

I also use Salt Away though at a low dose, as the Fusions are notorious for trapping salt between the skin and dryshell, so I figure it cant hurt.

[Linedog]

I soak my gear for about a half an hour after each dive. Jeff, do you use the same water all the time.

[Jeff Pack]

I change the water when its gets too spunky, I'll recharge the Salt Away in between. So maybe every couple of months or so I'll change the water.

[Norris]

I built a portable shower and fill it from my hot water heater in the mornings before a dive. If I am doing a night dive it is still pretty warm at 8pm. Rinse gear, throw in bin, hang up at home, crack beer.
I like the warm water in the winter months and would have to agree that warm water rinses more thoroughly than cold in terms of salt and dirt.

[camerone]

Are there really no chemists here to fix the misinformation in this thread?

The solubility coefficient of salt (sodium chloride) is virtually the same in water from freezing to boiling...yes, "slightly" better in water too hot to touch, but not meaningful for what you're trying to do with rinsing gear. Warm or cold, it doesn't make a dang bit of difference with how much salt is going to come out of your gear.

That said, I end up hooking a hose to the bottom of my water heater in the garage and using it to fill rinse buckets. If you're like me, and your builder was a cheap bastard who put a tanked hot water heater in your home instead of a modern tankless unit, it's good to drain them now and again. It's also a lot more pleasant in the cooler times of the year to rinse in warm water.

That's about it...

[CaptnJack]

Are there really no chemists here to fix the misinformation in this thread?

Sadly no lol

I'm surprised your hot water tank isn't full of rust and scale like mine

[camerone]

I'm surprised your hot water tank isn't full of rust and scale like mine

I would like to say I dive enough to drain it often enough that it doesn't get a chance to build up, but this last year, that hasn't been true. I did have to replace it a few years back, and I've been good about keeping this one flushed. The #@%$@#% builder didn't leave a good venting solution to put in a tankless, or I would have... one of the many reasons I've been house shopping lately.

[H20doctor]

i throw mine in a rubber maid tub outside , let it soak for 24 hrs ... then drip dry

[CaptnJack]

I'm surprised your hot water tank isn't full of rust and scale like mine

I would like to say I dive enough to drain it often enough that it doesn't get a chance to build up, but this last year, that hasn't been true. I did have to replace it a few years back, and I've been good about keeping this one flushed. The #@%$@#% builder didn't leave a good venting solution to put in a tankless, or I would have... one of the many reasons I've been house shopping lately.

I have no way to vent mine either and I have 2 ovens in the house each on a 50amp breaker so no capacity for an electric tankless. My tank is way to far away to use as a source water for gear rinses though.

I use a 55 gal polyethylene drum in my garage with the top cut off. Water stays at ambient temp and I change it out whenever I'm in the mood to drain it. Or it gets green or brown.

[Tom Nic]

I have no scientific evidence to back up my hunch. I'm guessing that someone will either confirm or debunk!

Are there really no chemists here to fix the misinformation in this thread?

Told ya.

That said, I end up hooking a hose to the bottom of my water heater in the garage and using it to fill rinse buckets.

See. Warm water just "feels" better. Kinda like the folks who say Nitrox and air should make no difference in how you "feel" physically after a dive. It makes me feel better, and if it makes me "feel" better I will take the red pill in this case.

And I'm with the previous comments that it doesn't matter much at all if the gear is still wet.

Curious if that "salt away" stuff is just a gimmick to sell snake oil...

[Norris]

Yeah I noticed that when I first started using the water heater I was getting some rust and scale so I filled up my shower a couple times and dumped until it came clean. Now it fills clean pretty often with only an occasional dirty fill. I imagine that is good for my heater to drain from time to time.

[Jeff Pack]

Curious if that "salt away" stuff is just a gimmick to sell snake oil...

I don't think there's any real evidence one way or the other.

Anything material and dunked in Salt Away gets fresh water rinsed as well. Dunno how that stuff would be on material over time. Anything metal gets dunked in Salt Away and dries, sometimes I'll FW rinse as well if I feel like it.

I also don't dry my stuff in the sun (UV damage). Even my rebreather between dives get covered.

[Joshua Smith]

Folks----if you're going to run out and start draining your water heaters on a regular basis- well, first off, don't. And second off, be really careful. You can create an extremely hazardous condition by forgetting to turn it off before you drain it, and/or by not ensuring that it's good and full before you turn it back on. And if you're seeing lots of rust and corrosion, buy a new damn water heater. They don't cost that much, generally speaking. Oh, and the tankless units? They are very cool- but in many cases, people have to upgrade their gas service to run one, which can be quite spendy. They use less gas than a conventional unit, overall- but they use one heck of a lot of gas when they fire up. It might pay for itself in the long run, but the last one I installed required about $1500.00 to buy a new meter and run larger gas pipe to the utility room.

[Norris]

Folks----if you're going to run out and start draining your water heaters on a regular basis- well, first off, don't. And second off, be really careful. You can create an extremely hazardous condition by forgetting to turn it off before you drain it, and/or by not ensuring that it's good and full before you turn it back on. And if you're seeing lots of rust and corrosion, buy a new damn water heater. They don't cost that much, generally speaking. Oh, and the tankless units? They are very cool- but in many cases, people have to upgrade their gas service to run one, which can be quite spendy. They use less gas than a conventional unit, overall- but they use one heck of a lot of gas when they fire up. It might pay for itself in the long run, but the last one I installed required about $1500.00 to buy a new meter and run larger gas pipe to the utility room.

Whew that was a close one!!!! <stops draining plugged in water heater while naked and working on electronics>

[Joshua Smith]

Folks----if you're going to run out and start draining your water heaters on a regular basis- well, first off, don't. And second off, be really careful. You can create an extremely hazardous condition by forgetting to turn it off before you drain it, and/or by not ensuring that it's good and full before you turn it back on. And if you're seeing lots of rust and corrosion, buy a new damn water heater. They don't cost that much, generally speaking. Oh, and the tankless units? They are very cool- but in many cases, people have to upgrade their gas service to run one, which can be quite spendy. They use less gas than a conventional unit, overall- but they use one heck of a lot of gas when they fire up. It might pay for itself in the long run, but the last one I installed required about $1500.00 to buy a new meter and run larger gas pipe to the utility room.

Whew that was a close one!!!! <stops draining plugged in water heater while naked and working on electronics>

<picks up syringe, bottle of cheap gin and "Albino Goat Lovers Confidential" dvd, heads back into house singing "baaaaaad company...till the day I die..." quietly to himself>

[spatman]

Aside from the naked drunk goat lovers in this thread, the rest if you all make me look lazy. Not that it's hard to do, really.

I leave my gear in my truck overnight then rinse it all down with a hose the next morning. While rinsing I soak regs and small bits in the travel tub, maybe 20 min max. Haven't had any problems yet.

That said, has anyone here ever had a salt related problem with their gear, other than regulator and inflator maintenance?

[Linedog]

When I started diving I bought a used BCD from a guy. It was hanging in his closet for 5-6 years. I took it apart to check it out, it had about 1/2 cup of salt crystals in the bladder. Cleaned everything up and it worked fine for years.