free flow regs

I just read an article a diver who had trouble with a free flow regulator. It just dawned on me that I have forgotton how to "sip air" from a free flowing regulator, I can only think of 2 tequniques to deal with a free flow reg 1: cover the mouth piece with a thumb or finger or 2: switch to useing my octo. what other techniques are there? and can someone remind me how to do that basic sipping technique?

The sipping technique is done by taking one edge of the mouthpiece and placing it in the corner of your mouth then sipping from it like a straw. Sorry, but that is the best way I can describe it. Personally, I just keep the second in my mouth and move my tongue toward the front of my mouth to help deflect incoming air back out the exhaust port while preparing to transition to my pony bottle. In reference to free flows, it is not a good practice to train to switch to an octo from the same 1st stage as it is most likely going to free flow as well. This is a circumstance where having a redundant air source is particularly advantageous. Free flows are not a big deal as long as you are prepared. Inappropriate responses by divers to free flows are what get them in trouble. Hope this helps.

JWDive:

I just read an article a diver who had trouble with a free flow regulator. It just dawned on me that I have forgotton how to "sip air" from a free flowing regulator, I can only think of 2 tequniques to deal with a free flow reg 1: cover the mouth piece with a thumb or finger or 2: switch to useing my octo. what other techniques are there? and can someone remind me how to do that basic sipping technique?

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I'd recommend, if you think you need to know this, that you take a refresher course. There might be other things you have forgotten that a refresher course could help you out with.

It was NEVER suggested to try and stop a free flow. You can sip off it until you can get your buddy's attention and share air. Sipping air from a free flow is like drinking water from a hose. You don't stick the hose in your mouth and drink. You put your lips on the side of the water flow and drink it in. Same idea with a free flow. Put your lips on the stream of air and sip it.

This really should be in Basic SCUBA section.

A vital skill and a simple skill - its not difficult and various methods of doing it.

My reg free flowed weekend before last. I practice breathing from a free flow almost every dive and do other skills. When it happened, it was just a minor thing and didn't freak me out. I did burn through a lot of gas in a short time, but other than that, it was no big deal. I am a big fan of always working on skills for a minute or two during the dive.

Hold the purge button down on the primary and have a go at it. Key is to not try to seal your mouth around the mouthpiece thus allowing plenty of route for excess gas to escape. This really is a skill worth practicing occasionally as the excess bubbles could be a bit unnerving if you are not confident in your ability to handle it.

.........In reference to free flows, it is not a good practice to train to switch to an octo from the same 1st stage as it is most likely going to free flow as well.........

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While I agree that it should not be the "practice" to switch from your primary 2nd stage to your octo, I would like to better understand how getting a piece of sand in your primary will automatically cause your octo to free flow as well? Even if it is cold water that caused it to free flow, it is not a "guarantee" that it will free flow. The best way to cause a free flow in cold water is to breathe the reg outside of the water in the cold air and then start to dive. This is not a guarantee (as I can personally attest to) that you will free flow but it certainly increases your chances of having one. You are actually less likely (no guarantees) to free flow on a reg that has not been breathed topside at all that you are the reg that was in your mouth being breathed as you broke the surface to begin your descent.

Breathing from a free flowing reg is a basic skill which needs to be practiced which I hope is why the OP posted their question. To breathe from a free flowing reg, keep the reg in your mouth and tilt it to one side so that the air is forced to the corner of your mouth. This will allow you to breathe normally and allow the excess air to escape your mouth.

This is one of the 20 required skills for PADI OW certification. It is an easy one to forget, because you (hopefully!) don't find yourself in situations that require it too often. Putting your thumb over the mouthpiece of a freeflowing reg will do nothing; the air will just exit the exhaust valve instead of the mouthpiece. If your octo is not freeflowing, switching to it is an appropriate response, but you'll still have to consider the issue of quick air depletion. If the cause of the freeflow is in the 1st stage, (it often is) then the octo is also likely to start flowing, sometimes followed by the LP inflator hose. If I were at depth and both my 2nd stages started flowing, I would quickly disconnect the LP inflator hose to prevent a possible uncontrollable BC inflation and resulting express trip to the surface.

The way we demonstrated this skill in OW classes is: take the reg out of your mouth, then bite down on one wing or tab, leaving the other outside your mouth. Tip your head so that that side is up (it helps keep the bubbles out of your face a little) then press the purge and get used to taking what air you need. It's very easy, although it can be a little scary with all the bubbles. One improvement in terms of realism for practicing would be to initiate the freeflow while the reg is still in your mouth, then adjust to it rather than getting the reg placed just right and then starting the flow.

mattboy:

This is one of the 20 required skills for PADI OW certification. It is an easy one to forget, because you (hopefully!) don't find yourself in situations that require it too often. Putting your thumb over the mouthpiece of a freeflowing reg will do nothing; the air will just exit the exhaust valve instead of the mouthpiece.

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If the freeflow is caused by a well tuned regulator activated in the water by a normal difference in pressures that may occur due to orientation and sustained by the venturi effect, placing your thumb over the mouthpiece (or placing the regulator in your mouth) will interrupt the venturi assist and should stop the freeflow. If the cause is any one of a number of other reasons (ice, seat failure, spring failure, fouled lever, etc.) then stopping the venturi effect will no stop the freeflow. My D-series regs are tuned fairly hot so freeflow during a share air drill are common unless the reg is handled very carefully when a diver rfemoves it from their mouth. But this type of FF is easy to stop, at least in warmer waters.

When I posted that the octo was "most likely" to free flow I did not mean this to be a guarantee that it would happen. Yes, it is possible to free flow for reasons other than cold related and in this case it would be a remedy to switch to the octo. If you do free flow a reg in cold water then switch to an octo that then starts to free flow, you are combining alot of stressors into the situation and predisposing yourself to a negative outcome if you haven't trained and prepared appropriately. When performing in stressful environments if you do not train and prepare you won't rise to the occasion, but will fall to the level of your training. Just my 2 cents.