Scared Silly
Contributor
The responses from some are just silly ... good thing folks learn to dive on the internet.
FAIL - This scenario does and has happened so it is not BS. The goal for diving is not just going on the dive but learning how to come back from the dive alive. As a Divemaster you should have better knowledge.
FAIL - Brass which the vast majority of reg are made from does not rust it corrodes. Short term exposure to water will not hurt the reg.
FAIL - Do you carry a wrench to disassemble your reg while diving?
Possible solution but it depends on a number of factors. For instance, some regs such as Atomic the second stage poppet releases when there is no pressure on it. Thus air and water can freely move through. As such, if the second stage was above the first stage this would not work.
But in reality and as I learned, I really do not give a damn about water incursion into a reg if the scenario dictates that I need to switch regs between cylinders in order to survive the dive. The reg will work just fine - it is not like water even salt water will corrode a reg so fast that the reg will fail to work.
Next time you are going to get your reg overhauled go throw it in a pool. Then throw a cylinder in. Dive down assemble it and then sit there and breath off of it till the cylinder is about empty - probably take ya a good couple of hours. Then hand the reg to your tech and have them immediately disassemble it. Other than perhaps some water still inside I doubt you will see anything.
What a question for an instructor to ask....the real answer would be:
"it's a BS scenario because A) I would not have an empty tank under any circumstances other than reg/valve failure, and B) please tell me exactly what kind of reg failure would make it impossible for me to get air out of a tank."
FAIL - This scenario does and has happened so it is not BS. The goal for diving is not just going on the dive but learning how to come back from the dive alive. As a Divemaster you should have better knowledge.
I belive it could possibley be done, however the risk of rusting the interior of the first stage exsists..
FAIL - Brass which the vast majority of reg are made from does not rust it corrodes. Short term exposure to water will not hurt the reg.
Assuming you have another tank to breathe from, it might be possible to unscrew the SPG from the good reg, stick the SPG HP hose in your mouth, and blow air into it while you (quickly) switch regs. I dunno...
FAIL - Do you carry a wrench to disassemble your reg while diving?
If you keep the inlet pointed downward and don't descend, The 1st stage will trap gas and minimize water intrusion. Then, with the valve pointed upwards, open the valve on the good tank just a bit to displace water from the valve as the good 1st stage is installed.
Possible solution but it depends on a number of factors. For instance, some regs such as Atomic the second stage poppet releases when there is no pressure on it. Thus air and water can freely move through. As such, if the second stage was above the first stage this would not work.
But in reality and as I learned, I really do not give a damn about water incursion into a reg if the scenario dictates that I need to switch regs between cylinders in order to survive the dive. The reg will work just fine - it is not like water even salt water will corrode a reg so fast that the reg will fail to work.
Next time you are going to get your reg overhauled go throw it in a pool. Then throw a cylinder in. Dive down assemble it and then sit there and breath off of it till the cylinder is about empty - probably take ya a good couple of hours. Then hand the reg to your tech and have them immediately disassemble it. Other than perhaps some water still inside I doubt you will see anything.