Using a regulator in cold water.

[cloudflint]

Annoyingly enough I had a 2nd stage reg freeze up in the boot of my car last weekend (air temp over here are sitting at about -8 Celsius). I put it on the tank and switched it on and it just constantly free flowed. I chucked the kit in the sea for 5 minutes and it all thawed out (Sea temperatures are sitting at between 2 and 8 Celsius so warm enough to get the ice to melt off).

Its something I had never really considered, the guy I was diving with suggested that in future I transport my regs on the floor of my car as he had so they are kept above freezing. So its something to think about when diving in very cold weather, dry your regs after you use them and try not to transport or store them in sub-zero temperatures!

 

[SDAnderson]

Diving in the cold:

• Before diving, keep your regulator and cylinders as warm as possible. Don't leave them outside overnight and transport them inside the car, if you can.
• Assemble your gear the night before if you can. If you have to assemble it at the site, do it at the last minute. Don't put your gear together and let it stand around in the cold air.
• Don't pre-breathe your regulator. This is a violation of normal safety protocols but you really don't want to chill the rig before you get it wet.
• Once you gear up, get in the water as quickly as you can. Water is a far more effective conductor of heat and can actually help keep your rig from freezing.
• Once you get out of the water, you're done until you can dry off your rig.
• Environmentally sealed first stages can be dive (or life) savers.
• Second stages with lots of metal in them are better than plastic - it conducts heat better. Look for heat sinks near the inlet or attached to the valve.
• If your primary consideration when purchasing your gear was price, rethink that decision. Cold water diving isn't the time to skimp on quality.

 

[j yaeger]

Hey no need for the name calling. Just because we have some of the best diving in the world and it is all in water that is at least 72F to 92F does not make us wusses.
I was told buy a buddy that does ICE diving (he's nuts) that his threshold is 40F.

i belive we allllll know that florida ice diving involves
some rum...
some fruity juice...
and a tumbler of ice!!!!!!
...and sometimes the juice is optional!!!

 

[djb_1965]

Actually, when we ice dive we keep our regs in the cold the night before, that way there is less chance of them freezing when you get into the water, and do not breathe on them until you head is below the surface. I never put mine in my mouth till under water.

 

[cloudflint]

Diving in the cold:

• Before diving, keep your regulator and cylinders as warm as possible. Don't leave them outside overnight and transport them inside the car, if you can.
• Assemble your gear the night before if you can. If you have to assemble it at the site, do it at the last minute. Don't put your gear together and let it stand around in the cold air.
• Don't pre-breathe your regulator. This is a violation of normal safety protocols but you really don't want to chill the rig before you get it wet.
• Once you gear up, get in the water as quickly as you can. Water is a far more effective conductor of heat and can actually help keep your rig from freezing.
• Once you get out of the water, you're done until you can dry off your rig.
• Environmentally sealed first stages can be dive (or life) savers.
• Second stages with lots of metal in them are better than plastic - it conducts heat better. Look for heat sinks near the inlet or attached to the valve.
• If your primary consideration when purchasing your gear was price, rethink that decision. Cold water diving isn't the time to skimp on quality.

^^ cheers for that, you brought up some stuff i hadn't thought off before, mainly the stuff abut keeping the gear in the warm for as long as possible before taking it out into the cold to kit it up then getting in the water as fast as possible. I never really figured that icing would be a problem until I hit the water and everything started getting damp.

I was feeling kinda smug since I dive a twin hose, figured since water never gets anywhere near the 1st or 2nd stage I wouldn't have to worry about freezing. I never considered what would happen if moisture in the inlet hose froze during transport however

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

i belive we allllll know that florida ice diving involves
some rum...
some fruity juice...
and a tumbler of ice!!!!!!
...and sometimes the juice is optional!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[knowone]

Now if only non purging, breathing, testing could be applied
everywhere where purgers and breathers and testers gather.

 

[softballer]

I ended up buying a mk17/g250. From what I hear this is a good cold water setup.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've been in 33F with my standard (bought used) Mares reg. Not more than 15-20 mins. of a dive and the reg. usually was inside my house until I walked out & into the water. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[Chill Diver]

Softballer, you should be happy with that setup. I have the Mk17/A700 setup. The sealed first stage and all metal second stage work great in cold water. The G250 doesn't have an all metal case but it does have metal internals so it should keep you from having any unexpected freeflows.