How often does a free-flowing regulator really happen?

[String]

Cold water first stage freeze is far more common than second stage freeze. Even its its environmentally sealed it can still happen. Its also a lot more violent than a 2nd stage - its immediate and fast with no slow buildup.

Maintain the gear perfectly and it can still freeflow. DONT breathe it on the surface (no not even for buddy checks), DONT purge it at all in the water, detune it slightly, DONT remove it from your mouth and you will reduce the risk. You cant eliminate the chance though.

 

[shoredivr]

We had a couple yesterday during an ice dive, they were not problems. Surface, turn off air, let reg thaw out, turn air back on, see if that fixed it. If not, dive over.


http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba...-where-did-you-dive-today-49.html#post4137179

 

[Darnold9999]

Two free flows in 300 dives - both on the backup reg. One a Oceanic Gamma2 reg bought on sale - think inexpensive. Started just as I was descending after a long surface swim. Could not get it to stop, the water was 45 ish. Drained the tank all but dry before I could get the valve off. The reg was completely iced up by the time I got the valve off. Was more than a little pissed as I had to swim all the way back on the surface.

Rebuilt the reg and it now sits in my save a dive kit as a spare. The second was also a backup reg, happened on the last dive of a 52 dive trip just as I was surfacing for the last dive of the trip. Perfect timing! Water was 80+ degrees so cold was not a factor, bungied secondary so not being dragged through the sand. Also all but drained the tank, but there was not much in the tank to start with. No idea what caused it, I just packed the reg off to my local LDS for servicing as they were due. I believe it is an Apex ATX50 but it is in the shop so I am not sure which reg I was using as my primary at the time.

Never had a primary free flow.

 

[gNats]

I'm looking into purchasing my first regulator.

Since I'm looking at ones that will be good in colder water, I'm noticing a lot of reference to free-flowing.

How often does this really happen? I understand why it happens, I practiced what to do in the pool if it does, but I'm sure not looking forward to it happening to me or my buddy. :shocked2:

Hey April - check out the Mares She Dives Proton 42 reg. It is environmentally sealed and is rated a cold water reg. Because it is in the She Dives product family, it also has a smaller profile for a woman's face. Don't let the "She" in the product name put you off. This is based on the Mares Proton Metal 42 (with a little girlie swirl), which I have been told is a great cold water reg by several instructors and LDSs.

You know I have been diving with mine all Winter here in Michigan. Water temps are somewhere in the 34 - 37 deg F range. I've had 4 dives at this temp. Not once did my reg freeflow.

However, I also do take some surface precautions.

One- I don't suck from my reg before I am in the water and face is in the water. I use the purge - I believe it is your breath that causes the icing in the 2nd stage.

Two, I don't inflate my BCD using the auto inflate - I blow it up with my mouth before I enter the quarry. That way there isn't a large demand for air at once.

I am very pleased with the quality and the performance of this reg and I would highly recommend it to any woman who is expecting to dive colder temps.

Could it freeflow? Possibly. Probably. All regs can free-flow there is no guarantee that they won't. But, based on my past four dives, 3 of which were in the dead of winter with less than 20 deg F air temps, I am pleased with my purchase.

 

[SkipperJohn]

of all the things that make me nervous about diving, a FFR is not one of them. My instructor taught me what he said was a rather unconventional method of dealing with a FFR. Instead of sipping air form the flow which can be hard, he had me make a slightly open fist forming a tube or straw with my hand. Latching on the FFR with my pinky and just draw the air form the tube formed by my hand. The tube is open enough that all excess air simply blows out between your fingers. The pressure is high enough that there is no issue with getting water. Worked like a charm.

 

[LiteHedded]

mine free flowed last weekend. had to shut down the valve in the cave and exit
good times

 

[Seadeuce]

The above is a way of ensuring you get ONLY air, and not water, from the pillar valve of a dive tank without a regulator.
It has been practised in a pool many times.

To use the same method for a FFR might work, but it occupies both your hands on the ascent.
I would prefer to have a hand free to control the ascent, dump air etc., and just keep that reg held with one hand to my mouth, with all surplus air venting out.

That works, and has done, for me. Cold teeth is the only ill-effect, and lasts only a minute or two.


Seadeuce