Free Flow Incidents

[mick allein III]

All: I have had a 2nd stage free flow but never the pleasure of a full on first stage free flow. I'm interested in some descriptions of what it's like. Specifically:

1. What triggered it?
2. Did it effect your BC inflator and Drysuit inflator.
3. How did you handle it?
4. How would you suggest preparing for this type of event?




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[Agility]

1. diving cold water
2. no
3. switch to secondary octo and shut down right post
4. redundancy and practice to use it (never dive in cold water without two first stages)

 

[rhwestfall]

have your gear selected properly, and set up right.

 

[RJP]

have your gear selected properly, and set up right.

Insufficient as an absolute preventative, and does nothing to prepare you to handle the situation if/when it does occur.

 

[rhwestfall]

Insufficient as an absolute preventative, and does nothing to prepare you to handle the situation if/when it does occur.

and you offer what to the discussion?

yes, but a sound platform. I can go on as to the past training, and it should be a component, but that too is chapters of commentary.

---------- Post added February 9th, 2014 at 05:00 PM ----------

Preventative:
did you learn not to trigger your LPI and breathe the same time?
did you learn to not wait until the last minute to put air in your buoyancy device?
did you learn to have your regs tuned (perhaps drop the IP)?
did you learn that a plastic reg is not a favorable choice?
Reacation:
Are you diving with either independent doubles or an H-valve?
Have you drilled buddy skills?
Are you diving with a redundant source (pony)?
Can you reach your valve(s)?

scratching the surface....

---------- Post added February 9th, 2014 at 05:03 PM ----------

I learned early that some of the "hot rod" regs were a thing to avoid as they couldn't handle the stress of cold water....

 

[mick allein III]

I have those covered. Curious if it causes problems with forcing air anywhere else in your kit. I wouldn't think so given that there are separate inflators on Drysuit and bcd, but just wanted to be sure.


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[rhwestfall]

"usually" only if at the same time.....

200-400 dives, and a "cold water" diver (Michigan, if you dive at home), I think you are likely on solid ground.....

 

[RJP]

and you offer what to the discussion?

That "having your gear selected properly, and set up right" is nice, but insufficient as an absolute preventative and does nothing to prepare you to handle the situation if/when it does occur.

:d

 

[Centrals]

All: I have had a 2nd stage free flow but never the pleasure of a full on first stage free flow. I'm interested in some descriptions of what it's like. Specifically:

1. What triggered it?
2. Did it effect your BC inflator and Drysuit inflator.
3. How did you handle it?
4. How would you suggest preparing for this type of event?

Free flow 1st stage!!!
1. Lack of service, mishandling, cold water etc etc.
2. Yes or NO depends if it still delivers gas through the 2nd stage or inflation hose.
3. Time to go up.
4. Look after it properly and remember how to handle OAA. Use appropriate equipment in cold water. Some 1st stages are NOT designed for cold water.

 

[TSandM]

I had a violent freeflow the first year I was diving. It occurred in the winter, in about 45 degree water. I had just finished an air-sharing drill with my buddy (double demand on the first stage) and my backup reg freeflowed. It was sudden and violent, and with the backup reg bungied under my chin, my head was engulfed in bubbles, I couldn't see, and the noise was horrendous.

We dealt with it by having my instructor (who was in the water with me and my buddy on a fun dive) donate his long hose. My buddy offered to turn off my tank, but the instructor waved him off. In retrospect, I think that was a mistake, because the whole situation would have been calmer and easier to manage had those darned noisy bubbles gone away.

There was no problem with the inflators, nor would I expect there to be; once the excess IP from the frozen first stage has begun to vent through the second stage, there is no reason for the pressure to blow out anywhere else.

I would suggest, in preparation, to be VERY comfortable with air sharing and air sharing ascents. I also think it is rare for single tank divers to make sure they can reach their own tank valves and turn them -- and if you allow your buddy to turn off your tank, you need to be sure you can reach that valve, if you lose control of your ascent and lose that borrowed regulator.