Cold Water Regs. - Lake Michigan

[utiladude]

Cold Water Regs. - Lake Michigan
I'm fairly new to diving (21 dives) last Sep. 2008 on 70F day I had my first free flow and run out of air very fast (90 ft) , my buddy shared his octo with me and we got out fine.
My question is about cold water regs, several experienced divers tell me that
most regs are fine for Lake Michigan and my LDS rents non-cold water regulators
for lake Michigan diving and they tell me they never have a problem with them.
Do I need to buy a SP'MK17/250v', AL'Legend', Mares "Abyss"... or I can stil use my Oceanic GT3?
I was told that I got a free flow because I started breathing thru the reg. before
hitting water; I'm not plannig to do ice diving, Lake Michigan in Jun.-Oct. is cold
enough for me.
Thanks !
Utiladude

 

[ppo2_diver]

Kudos for handling the free flow incident. Many people panic and we have lost many divers due to this.

Shouldn't matter if you pre-breathed the reg on the surface. As long as the air temps weren't below freezing. I'm not all familiar with Oceanic in cold water. But the Aqualung, Apeks, or Mares should be fine. SP's are hit and miss. I know some people how use them with no freeflows, but I get more than my share of free flows from my SP deco regs. I've had no free flows with my Apeks.

Have fun on the lake.

 

[Gamehunter]

It looks like the Oceanic has or can have a cold water environmental kit on. This should make it a good regulator for cold water diving. You may want to take the regulator in and have it tuned down for cold water diving.

 

[utiladude]

I do remember now, me telling my LDS that I will never use my new Oceanic in Lake Michigan because the cold, he provably set it for warm water (little I new). Now I'm planning to use a pony b with the Oceanic and buy another reg for regular use. I like the Zeagle FH 6 any comments on this reg along with info about servicing it a home I’ll appreciate.
It's funny but I noticed that the most experienced divers (Lake Mich.) use pony bottles but newbies don't! That's when I went Mmmmmm . . .
Thanks guys

 

[alpenadiver]

I'm extremely happy with my 3 sets of apeks regs, I dive my TS-50's on doubles, and ATX-200 on my deco bottle

 

[mstrdvr]

I use a Sherwood Blizzard and a Sherwood Maximus Octo . I have never had a free flow even while ice diving . I also have an older Aqqua Lung SEA 4 that has not had an issue with cold water

 

[Gamehunter]

Well if you are looking at new regs you can check with your local Aqualung store and see if they will cut you a good deal on the Aqualung Glacia, they have it in their closeouts right now. I have seen them being discounted. They are also the ones that will carry the Apex line which is an exceptional regulator, both would be great for cold water. Which ever reg you decide on make sure that you can get it serviced locally or that parts are readily available, I run a dive shop and I hate when I have to send out a reg for a customer to be serviced, it just takes a lot longer.

 

[SwimJim]

I agree with ppo2_divers assesments. You might want to become involved with the local dive club and see what those guys recomend. The Buccaneers are in your area. I know the President and a few of the members and they are good people who will steer you in the right direction. They'll get you out diving too. Who could ask for anything more! I'm a Deep Six dive Group member. We're a little north, out of Port Washington. Your more then welcome to join us. Your friend Google will get you the websites.

Jim

 

[ComputerJoe]

First thing is to get your 1st stage enviromental kit installed!
After that most free flows are due to the 2nd stages.

I have been diving an Oceanic DX4 for 9 years with Omega, Zeta, and Delta 3 seconds. Never have had a freeflow at depth except for that time when I had a leaky mouthpiece and the 2nd was taking on water. Have come close, but rectified issues by changing my breathing pattern with longer, slower exhales. Sherwood has 2 metal strips in some of their seconds to capture the heat from your exhaled breath. Poseidon's are built so that the ice that does form will crack off their condom like sealing surface and not induce a freeflow.

If the air is cold and you prebreathed a cold reg or splashed your 2nd it will free flow relatively quickly if it is going to. I have got past this by surfacing, turning off my tank, breathing in atmoshere (not from the reg duuhh) and then exhaling into the reg to warm it up to above freezing.

By the time you got to 90 feet the reg temperature should have stablized to conditions. An adjustable 2nd stage is nice as IMHO temperature absolutely affect the dynamics of the springs and if your reg is set to the cutting edge this might be enough to push it into a free flow.

That said I would suggest Cold water Sherwoods or Posideons but there are a lot of good regs that once enviromentally sealed will serve you well if you learn how to deal with their operating characteristics.

 

[matt t.]

For now, I would have your current reg serviced/re-tuned and use that. With surface temps @ 70 and what I imagine the water temps to have been (high 40's-mid 50's) there should have been NO problems with the reg due to temperatures. Have the IP checked and go from there. If you're not satisfied with that I would look at Apeks regs. They are the best deal around value wise, and one of the more widely sold/serviced regs worldwide. I own a pile of them. P.M. me if you have any questions. I'm local to you. Good luck!