Regulator Bouyancy?

[KJ4GXU]

Good Morning All,
I've just recently completed by PADI Basic Open Water certification and I have a question.

While taking the class everything beyond mask/snorkel/fins was provided by the dive shop. My question is specifically around the regulator. While swimming around or occupied I didn't notice anything but when we'd stop and do skills and I was waiting on the instructor to come around to me I became very aware of the bouyancy of the regulator and the fact that it seemed to want to float toward the surface. It wasn't a huge amount of lift or anything but enough that after a minute or two I'd take to placing my hand on top of it to hold it down. These were Aqua lung regulators (not sure of the model) and it wasn't a huge problem as much as an annoyance when i wasn't otherwise occupied. It seems perfectly logical since it's got air in it that it'd be bouyant so I figure it's probably just the way it is but I wanted to ask anyway.

Is this a common thing, are some regulators better about it than others? Should I just quit whining and stay busy so i don't even notice it?

Thanks for the info
Eric

 

[tbone1004]

The first stages are very much negative, and the secondary second stage should be negative because it is flooded. The primary will likely be somewhat positive but you shouldn't experience discomfort by it. When you are diving in a horizontal position this is a non-issue. Don't dive vertical and you don't have to worry about it except for the final 15 feet of ascent, but I have never noticed this before... I dive Apeks and Poseidon regs normally, but have dove most of them and never noticed. Try a different mouthpiece when you purchase your own regulators, that may help

 

[fmerkel]

2nd stages come in different sizes, materials, and weights. The inherent buoyancy will be a function of those factors. The 'feel' of that may also be affected by the mouthpiece material, stiffness, and size.

It's unlikely that you will notice when you are actually diving. If it's a real annoyance for you then that's part of the choice process in picking your own reg when you get that far.

 

[TravisD]

Also, the hose can tug at your reg, which if it's in the right direction might feel like buoyancy. A swivel connection (like the Atomic's) can help with this since you can slightly change the direction of the host to make it seem more neutral. A different length hose can also sometimes help with that.

Did it float when you tossed it away to do the regulator recovery skill?

 

[TMHeimer]

The only time my reg mouthpiece has been out of my mouth over the years has been when doing the reg. retrieval skill and it never floated up. I've actually never heard of this.

 

[KJ4GXU]

The first stages are very much negative, and the secondary second stage should be negative because it is flooded. The primary will likely be somewhat positive but you shouldn't experience discomfort by it. When you are diving in a horizontal position this is a non-issue. Don't dive vertical and you don't have to worry about it except for the final 15 feet of ascent, but I have never noticed this before... I dive Apeks and Poseidon regs normally, but have dove most of them and never noticed. Try a different mouthpiece when you purchase your own regulators, that may help

The point about vertical vs horizontal may be right on. I felt like I was well trimmed when swimming and was very horizontal and I didn't notice anything then, but when we stopped to do skills we would be kneeling or standing on a platform and that's when I'd notice the issue.

 

[KJ4GXU]

Also, the hose can tug at your reg, which if it's in the right direction might feel like buoyancy. A swivel connection (like the Atomic's) can help with this since you can slightly change the direction of the host to make it seem more neutral. A different length hose can also sometimes help with that.

Did it float when you tossed it away to do the regulator recovery skill?

I don't believe it floated but I figured at that point it likely flooded which would have changed the bouyancy of it.

 

[Bob DBF]

I could believe it, although I never paid enough attention. I usually dive old brass seconds and the old heavy plastic seconds and all the new plastic regs I've tried feel floaty to me to start with.


Bob

 

[Got2Go]

The newer AquaLung Titans are a little buoyant...they do float up a bit when doing reg recovery skills. The older ones do not.

These are the ones that float a bit:

 

[2airishuman]

Good Morning All,
I've just recently completed by PADI Basic Open Water certification and I have a question.

While taking the class everything beyond mask/snorkel/fins was provided by the dive shop. My question is specifically around the regulator. While swimming around or occupied I didn't notice anything but when we'd stop and do skills and I was waiting on the instructor to come around to me I became very aware of the bouyancy of the regulator and the fact that it seemed to want to float toward the surface. It wasn't a huge amount of lift or anything but enough that after a minute or two I'd take to placing my hand on top of it to hold it down. These were Aqua lung regulators (not sure of the model) and it wasn't a huge problem as much as an annoyance when i wasn't otherwise occupied. It seems perfectly logical since it's got air in it that it'd be bouyant so I figure it's probably just the way it is but I wanted to ask anyway.

It varies. My Aqua Lung regulators are metal. They sink if I take them out of my mouth and let go of them, at which point they're filled with water. I've never noticed buoyancy while using them, although I have at various times noticed the hose pulling up or down. In general I try to adjust hose routing to avoid that.

Is this a common thing, are some regulators better about it than others? Should I just quit whining and stay busy so i don't even notice it?

Sensitivity to pressure on the jaw varies from one individual to the next. A long dive or a long day of diving can also make problems more obvious. I try to minimize the jaw pressure I have to use. I have done some experimenting with mouthpieces and, again, hose routing (including adding 70 and 90 degree fittings) to get it the way I like it best.