TT_Vert
Contributor
- Messages
- 340
- Reaction score
- 26
While doing some testing w/ my new rig last week I was brushing up on some skills and one of them was simulating a free flow of the 2nd stage w/ purge valve. I recalled a few years ago during OW PADI cert we were sipping air and I got competent at it. However I proved how rusty I was doing so w/o practice for some time. So for the sake of argument I left the reg in my mouth and held purge and I was able to breath just fine off the freeflowing regulator. My questions pertaining to a 2nd stage free flow are as follows:
1. Why does PADI teach the sipping method when you can breath off a freeflowing reg w/o a problem.
2. Do you feel it is safer to pull a freeflowing reg from you mouth that is providing air but making a bunch of bubbles or take it out of your mouth and hope you've mastered sipping a freeflowing reg? I know if I was in a situation where I had to sip under duress w/o practicing for 2 years (like my simulation last week) I probably would have drown.
I'm also curous about 1st stage free flows. My understanding of this is that it is usually due to freezing but if this happens am I understanding correctly that the entire tank pressure will be on the seat of the regulator? Can the regulator seat actually withstand that kind of pressure?? What would occur If I were to breath a tank w/ a 1st stage free flow situation? Would the excess air just flow out the exhaust as a 2nd stage freeflow does? At 20 times the normal operating pressure at the regulator I'm really curious what happens w/ a 1st stage freeflow.
Thanks
Dave
1. Why does PADI teach the sipping method when you can breath off a freeflowing reg w/o a problem.
2. Do you feel it is safer to pull a freeflowing reg from you mouth that is providing air but making a bunch of bubbles or take it out of your mouth and hope you've mastered sipping a freeflowing reg? I know if I was in a situation where I had to sip under duress w/o practicing for 2 years (like my simulation last week) I probably would have drown.
I'm also curous about 1st stage free flows. My understanding of this is that it is usually due to freezing but if this happens am I understanding correctly that the entire tank pressure will be on the seat of the regulator? Can the regulator seat actually withstand that kind of pressure?? What would occur If I were to breath a tank w/ a 1st stage free flow situation? Would the excess air just flow out the exhaust as a 2nd stage freeflow does? At 20 times the normal operating pressure at the regulator I'm really curious what happens w/ a 1st stage freeflow.
Thanks
Dave