An Experiment & A Question

The Experiment
1. Inhale, now exhale through your mouth.

2. Inhale, now exhale through your nose.

3. Inhale, now - just as you begin to exhale through your mouth - put your hand tightly over your mouth and continue to attempt to exhale through your mouth.
(you probably noticed - but just in case - not only did your cheeks puff out a little, but the air that you're trying to force out of your lungs was not able to escape through your nose)

OK, now that you've made that observation...

The Question(s)
On a recent trip to Cozumel, I took off swimming alongside a turtle and followed along with him for a while. After a bit, I stopped to catch my breath. I was breathing heavily by the time I stopped, and here's what I thought I observed: the amount of air I was exhaling was greater than what my regulator (USD SE2) could accommodate -- and the excess was forced out through my nose and then under the mask skirt. I could have sworn that I was simultaneously exhaling through my mouth and nose. But it doesn't seem that your body allows you to do that. Is it possible? Something to do with depth? I was probably at 50 feet. Not terribly important, but interesting. I probably imagined the whole thing.

Here's a more important question: have you found that you can exhale a volume of air that is greater than what your regulator can accommodate? It's kind of a drag. There must be a name for this.



Thanks

Yes, you can exhale though both you nose and your mouth at the same time.

this is how the exhaust valve works. there is a rubber flap that covers the exhaust port. when you breath out it gets pushed out of the way. when you inhale it closes.

I don't see how that could have a max amount of flow anywhere near what your lungs could produce.

Yes, you can exhale though both you nose and your mouth at the same time.

Click to expand...

Aaah, you're right. I was a little too hasty.

I don't see how that could have a max amount of flow anywhere near what your lungs could produce.

Click to expand...

That's what I would think.

By the time I started thinking about this, I was back at home. It occurred to me that this might either be a characteristic of the SE2 that I hadn't previously noticed, or that the exhaust valve was hanging up (you may have noticed that I have a separate post about this reg - it's making a 'honking' noise). But by this time, all I could do it to pick up the regulator and exhale hard into it. I thought I might notice some obstruction or hear something peculiar - but nothing. No matter how hard I exhale into it, it doesn't restrict my breath - it doesn't make any unusual noise. But then, I don't have it connected to a tank and I'm not 50 feet underwater. I wish I'd thought to attempt to duplicate this thing while I was still on the dive trip.

Anyway, thanks for your comments.