Old timer ripped my valve maintenance routine apart

I was on a pipeline job near Port Fourchon last fall. This diver with 40 years experience watched me service a Kirby Morgan band mask. He said I was wrecking the inhalation valve by using silicone grease. Told me it attracts debris and causes slow leaks. I switched to a dry lubricant spray after that. Also changed how I seat the diaphragm. Now I check for tiny cracks with a magnifying glass before every dive. Saved me from a potential CO2 buildup on a 60 foot bottom time job last month. Anyone else get called out for bad maintenance habits on a routine check?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.mia1mo ago

Damn right that old timer was onto something. Silicone grease is a nightmare for valves, it just turns into a sticky grit magnet after a couple dives. I learned that the hard way when I had to tear down a regulator on the boat because it started free flowing. Dry lube is the way to go, and checking for cracks with a magnifying glass is smart but I just use a bright flashlight and bend the rubber a bit. You saved your own skin on that 60 foot job, CO2 buildup is no joke and hits fast. That's the kind of lesson you only learn from getting called out or nearly dying.

jordan6531mo ago

How many times did you have to rebuild that reg before you ditched silicone entirely?