Maintenance Tips

Mask Care and Maintenance

Care Before the Dive:

1. During the manufacturing process, a thin film of silicone will develop on the glass lens. This film of silicone will cause rapid fogging that is resistant to conventional anti-fog measures. It is important to remove this film of silicone from the lens prior to your first dive. To remove the film you will need to scrub the lens inside and out with a mild abrasive. A paste toothpaste is ideal but a liquid scrub will also work. Rub the cleanser into the lens with your fingers several times and then rinse clean thoroughly.
2. Mask fogging is a normal occurrence, even after the film of silicone has been removed. Normal fogging can be easily prevented with after market anti-fog agents or saliva. Rub onto the lens and then rinse. Your dive will now be fog free!
3. Some after after-market anti-fog agents contain formaldehyde, alcohol, or other substances that may damage the plastic materials used in your mask. If unsure, avoid prolonged exposure of the anti-fog agent with the plastic parts of your mask.

Care During the Dive:

1. When entering the water either from a boat or a beach, place a hand over the lens of your dive mask and hold it securely in place. This will help ensure your mask stays in place during entry and will help deflect any direct impact of water on the lens caused by the jump into the water or any approaching waves.
2. A typical dive staging area is a dangerous place for dive masks. Care should be taken to not leave your mask in a location where it might be exposed to dropping weight belts or tanks.
3. It is best to avoid putting your mask on your forehead at any time during the dive. Several factors can cause the mask on your forehead to be dislodged and subsequently lost. If you want to temporarily remove the mask from your face, place the mask around your neck.

Care After the Dive:

1. Soak in warm fresh water (not over 120°F) to dissolve salt crystals.
2. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and towel dry before final storage.

Storage:

1. Store in a cool, dry and protected place out of direct sunlight.
2. Store separated from other dive gear as the black pigmentation of other equipment may discolor the clear silicone skirt of your mask.

Chemicals/Solvents:

1. Avoid any contact with alcohol, oil, gasoline, aerosols, or chemical solvents.
2. Do not expose any part to aerosol spray, as some aerosol propellants attack or degrade rubber and plastic materials.
3. Do not use any type of alcohol, solvent or petroleum based substances to clean or lubricate any part.
4. Do not store your equipment near any oil, gasoline, chemicals, or solvents.

Fin Care and Maintenance

Care Before and During the Dive

1. Avoid standing your fins on the tips of the blades for any extended period of time.
2. Avoid hot temperatures and hot surfaces as these can damage the fin.
3. Avoid placing the fins in a car trunk on hot days as the temperatures inside car trunks can exceed the temperature tolerances of the fin and the blades may distort.

Care After the Dive:

1. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and towel dry before final storage.

Storage:

1. Store in a cool, dry and protected place out of direct sunlight.

Chemicals/Solvents:

1. Avoid any contact with alcohol, oil, gasoline, aerosols, or chemical solvents.
2. Do not expose any part to aerosol spray, as some aerosol propellants attack or degrade rubber and plastic materials.
3. Do not use any type of alcohol, solvent or petroleum based substances to clean or lubricate any part. Do not store your equipment near any oil, gasoline, chemicals, or solvents.

BCD Care and Maintenance

Although all dive gear is an investment, your Buoyancy Compensator is one of the most important pieces of dive gear you will ever own. It is what allows you to ascend, descend and maintaining neutral buoyancy at depth during every dive. As such, not only is it important for you to take good care of it so that it will stay in excellent working order, but for you to get the most of your money by making your BCD work for you for many years.

Properly cleaning your BCD is a little more involved then just rinsing it in the shower at the beach or on the boat post-dive. Your BCD needs to be cleaned thoroughly after every use. We say “use” here because it is not only salt water that can damage your BCD. Of course, letting the salt water dry on your BCD will not only leave salt crystals on the material which can be very abrasive and lead to damage, but the microorganisms and bacteria in the seawater will result in your BCD smelling funky. Aside from ocean diving, your BCD needs to be rinsed after fresh water diving just as much to remove all silt and sand from the BCD. Not cleaning off silt and sand which will cause the same abrasion problems the salt water will. Rinsing is importing even after all pool dives to remove chlorine from the BCD which leads to fading and deterioration of the BCD material.

We understand that most divers don’t love taking the time to clean their gear, but if you spend just a couple of extra minutes following these simple steps your BCD will thank you for it.

Step 1: Thoroughly rinse the BCD

Here we want you to rinse the outside of your BCD thoroughly, especially between all of the folds, pockets, buckles and velcro.  Your best options here are to run a hose over the entire BCD for a few minutes, spraying all over, or dunking it in a freshly filled rinse bucket.  (We say “freshly” filled because rinse buckets that sit out all day for all divers to use without being emptied and re-filled will eventually become full of the same salt or silt from other people’s gear that you are trying to get OFF of yours).

Step 2:  Work the buttons

While your BCD is in the rinse tub, or while you are running water continuously over it, work all of your BCD’s buttons such as the inflator and deflator buttons, front and rear dump valves, and any other valves or buttons you may have on your BCD.

Step 3:  Rinse the hose

This step is best done with running water from a hose.  While pressing the deflator button on your BCD, run fresh water into your inflator hose, down the hose and into the bladder inside your BCD.  If you don’t press the deflator button, it will not open up the valve to allow water to run through the hose and into your BCD bladder.

Step 4:  Rinse the inside bladder

Rinsing the inside of the bladder is probably THE most important step in cleaning your BCD but the most skipped.  During every dive, water enters your BCD bladder, usually when we try dumping air when our BCD is already empty.  This water needs to be rinsed out before being allowed to dry on the inside walls of the bladder.  First, dump any remaining water from the dive out by holding the BCD upside down, depressing the deflator button and draining.  Then fill the bladder by following step 3 above, swish the water around and dump it out again.  Repeat this step 3-4 times.

Step 5:  Inflate and dry

The last step is to orally inflate your BCD and hang it up to dry in a cool, SHADED area, preferably on a BCD hanger.

By following these simple steps you can rest assured that your BCD will be completely rinsed and ready to store for your next dive.

Tank Care and Maintenance

Scuba cylinders should be rinsed in fresh water after use, then wiped dry. Remove the tank boot and dry the cylinder completely so that no water is allowed to accumulate on the outside of the tank. The valve should be opened briefly to expel any moisture from the valve opening.

All compressed air cylinders should be inspected regularly. Before diving, check for any corrosion or heavy wear on the outside of the tank. Visual inspection is required annually and more frequently if used heavily, filled in a humid environment, or if the tank is drained completely. Any stickers should be removed prior to a visual inspection. Tanks must be hydrostatically tested once every five years to ensure the integrity of the tank walls.

Dive Computer Care and Maintenance

Dive computers and instruments are extremely sensitive. Soak them in fresh water as soon as possible after use. Work all moving parts while soaking to loosen any salt and sand deposits.

Annual service is recommended to ensure the longevity of delicate and expensive equipment. Be sure to follow any and all manufacturer’s recommendations and consult the owner’s manual before attempting replacement of the batteries.

Compressor Care and Maintenance

Scheduled Maintenance for Tropical Plus Commander 290L, 340L, and COLTRI 235L

1. Before operating the compressors, the lubricating oil level must be checked and ensure that it was cleaned. Same goes in every 50 hours.
2. Safety valve should be cleaned and check before every refilling stage and replaced it for every 1,000 hours
3. For the first 5 hours condensate discharge must check and clean before using. After checking, it will run again and for the next 5 hours do the checking and cleaning routine and continue the process for the next 40 hours.
4. For every 50 hours, intake filter must be checked and cleaned to keep compressors running more efficiently and quietly. However, intake filter will be changed for the next 250 hours.
5. There will be an automatic shutdown checking and cleaning in the first 10 hours and if there will be no malfunction it will continue to run and repeat the process for the next 50 hours
6. Compressors’ main functions must be checked and cleaned for every 250 hours as well as the condensate discharge valve
7. For every 250 hours, condensate discharge seat should be change
8. On the other hand, condensate discharge valves will be changed on its maximum of 2,000 hours
9. Belt wear and tension should be checked and cleaned on the its 250 hours and change it for other 250 hours.
10. Separator filter element should be cleaned on its 250 hours and should be replaced when it reaches its 1000 hours.

Oil Change (Coltri CE-750)

1. For Coltri 340L & 290L, oil filter change will be on its first 50 hours and change it on the following 2,000 hours or beyond one year whichever comes first.
2. For the maxi filter, the filter cartridge must be changed on its 40 hours while for hyper filter, its filter cartridge will be replaced on first 100 hours.
3. The first stage and second stage valves must be checked and cleaned after 500 hours and replace it on the succeeding 500 hours. Additionally, when it’s reaches the 3,000 hours, first stage and second stage valves will be replaced by another valves.
4. On the contrary, the third stage valve will immediately replace on its first 500 hours
5. After consuming 3,000 hours of using HP water, oil separator, and HP filter body, it must be regenerate by another sets and for the next 1,000 hours continue the cycle again
6. Talking about the first stage and second stage segments of Coltri it must be replaced after consuming the first 2,000 hours. In contrast, third stage segments should be replaced on its first 1,000 hours.
7. Check and clean the HP flex hoses after consuming its 500 hours and change it for the next 500 hours
8. There will be general check-up for every 500 hours to check its fitting or any damage like hose leak
9. General overhaul will happen for every 1,000 hours and check the pumping unit. It is important that you know how to handle it to maintain the durability of the machine
10. First stage and second stage safety valves will change after 2,000 hours of using
11. Replacement of engine oil, spark plug and air cleaner will be done after 3 months as well as greasing electric motor bearings

Important: Maintenance interval times are indicative only and may vary according to the conditions under which the compressor is used.

Scheduled Maintenance for Coltri 100L Personal

1. For better performance check and clean the intake filter a day after and change it after 1,000 hours of using it
2. Lubricating oil daily helps the machine to have smooth movement. First oil change happens after 5 hours. Furthermore, after consuming 500 hours oil must be change
3. Main functions must be checked and cleaned on every 50 hours
4. For every 25 hours, belt wear and tension must be checked and cleaned. However, it will be replaced on its 500 hours
5. Cleaning and checking the separator filter element will be on every 250 hours and will be replaced for the next 750 hours
6. Replacement of filter cartridge in 20 hours
7. First, second and third stage valves should be check and cleaned on the first 500 hours and change it on the next 500 hours. However, fourth stage valves must replace immediately on 500 hours of using
8. Change the HP water, oil separator and HP body on its 3,000 hours
9. First, second and third stage segments shall be change on its 2,000 hours while the fourth stage segments will be change ahead of time, on its 1,000 hours to be precise.
10. Check the HP flex hoses a day after and replace it on 1,000 hours of consuming it
11. There will be general check-up for every 500 hours to check its fitting or any damage like hose leak
12. General overhaul will happen for every 1,000 hours and check the pumping unit. It is important that you know how to handle it to maintain the durability of the machine
13. To ensure safety bear in mind to change the safety valve for every 500 hours
14. Replacement of engine oil, spark plug and air cleaner will be done after 3 months as well as the greasing electric motor bearings

Important: Maintenance interval times are indicative only and may vary according to the conditions under which the compressor is used.

DAILY MAINTENANCE

Compressor Preventive Maintenance: Quick Reference Guide

(Coltri 100L Personal)

1. On first 5 hours oil must be change. Thereafter, this will continue for every 500 hours
2. Before starting or operating the compressor it is important to check the oil level
3. If needed, top oil off daily
4. For every 10-15 minutes, drain water condensate drain valve and filter housing drain valves
5. For every 20 hours, replace the filter cartridge (Carbon and Molecular Sieve Filter)
6. Use synthetic oil for the Coltri compressor
7. Since this is not a commercial machine after one hour running it needs an hour for rest and a maximum usage of four hours a day
8. Prior in starting and operating compressor it is better to check the tightness of all fittings and belts in the compressor
9. After the operation, don’t forget to turn off the safety breaker of compressor
10. Replacement of engine oil, spark plug and air cleaner will be every 3 months as well as greasing the electric motor bearing
11. During the compressor downtimes, it is advisable to run the compressor for like 20 minutes once a week.

Important: In case the compressor will be out of service for a brief period of time kindly see the Storage Guidelines provided on Compressor’s Manual

Compressor Preventive Maintenance: Quick Reference Guide

(Coltri 235L / Coltri Tropical Plus Commander 290L, 340L)

1. On the first 50 hours oil must change. Thereafter, this will continue every 2,000 hours or 1 year whichever comes first
2. In every oil change, replace oil filter element for Tropical Plus and other compressor models with oil pump
3. It is important to check the level of oil compressor before starting and operating it
4. If only needed, top-up compressor oil once the oil goes below minimum
5. For every 10-15 minutes, drain water condensate drain valve and filter housing drain valves
6. For maxi filter the filter cartridge must be replaced on its 40 hours while hyper filter will be replaced on its 100 hours
7. Use synthetic oil for the Coltri compressor
8. In terms of compressor running hours, it was recommended to rest it for a minimum of one hour after running 4-6 hours
9. Prior in starting and operating compressor it is better to check the tightness of all fittings and belts in the compressor
10. After the operation, don’t forget to turn off the safety breaker of compressor
11. For every 3 months grease the electric motor bearing (if only required)
12. Replacement of engine oil, spark plug and air cleaner will be every 3 months
13. During the compressor downtimes, it is advisable to run the compressor for like 20 minutes once a week

Important: In case the compressor will be out of service for a brief period of time kindly see the Storage Guidelines provided on Compressor’s Manual