Can I pack a reg set with my check-in bags?

Greetings!
I am new to this forum, but not exactly new to diving.
Years ago I was told you shouldn't pack your reg in the aircraft hold due to the pressure changes that might occur, possibly damaging the regulator.
Is this a myth or is there some truth?
I sent a question to Sherwood (I have an Oasis reg) but have yet to hear from them.
My understanding is that most aircraft holds are in fact pressurized, making the question moot.
But does anyone really have an answer to this?
Thanks for your help....

Ed

Pressure changes are irrelevant.

Reg sets are so durable, you could drive nails with them. You can kill an al Queda guy with a Sherwood and be none the worse for wear. They are a top choice for international dive travel and universal serviceability.

(the Oasis Reg has one bizarre characteristic: they emit a steady tiny stream of zizzzing bubbles that will cause dive pals to excitedly point out to you that you're in mortal danger because your tank is leaking!)

No one steals them out of baggage, they are too hard to conceal (bulky rubber hoses in a jumpsuit) and are valueless once they walk out of the shop. You are 10,000x more likely to have a bag lost, so be sure to tag your bag with three durable tags that list your routing and destination.

Computers should be placed safely in your carry on baggage. Not because of pressure changes but instead of their value to concealability ratio (making them much more likely and inviting targets for theft). That and you really shouldn't whack them around like you could a regulator.

Hand carry the very minimum possible, check all that you can. This advice comes from ongoing years of dive travel- even beyond Grand Cayman.

Prepare now for many, many contrary advices that will follow.

Since I've been flying Southwest as much as possible for the last couple years because of their fly miles credit card, plus you can still check two large bags for nothing along with a carry-on and their generous policy of changing flight days for no extra charge I've gotten into the habit of checking in all my stuff. Only thing I carry on nowadays is my meds, cell phone, a sandwich and some candy, all in an old 12" leather doc's bag which I got for a dollar at a yard sale. Haven't had a problem so far.

I, too, pack my regs in checked luggage (and carry on my computer).

Interesting question. My thoughts:

Regulators are built to manage significant pressure differentials.

First stages have a high pressure chamber with internal pressures commonly around 3000 psi while surrounded by about 15 psi, for a ratio of about 200 to 1.

Second stages commonly are fed up to 150 psi above ambient for a ratio of about 10 to 1.

While in your luggage, the regulators have presumably been depressurized to about 1 atmosphere internal pressure.

Even if the cargo holds were not pressurized, the external pressure would drop at most from about 1 atm to perhaps 0.1 atm (if airlines flew higher than 50,000 feet). This 10 to 1 ratio is quite a bit less than the ratio felt by the first stage, and similar to that of the second stage. BUT the resulting force would be in the opposite direction. Does this matter? MAYBE the seat in the second stage could be affected. I suspect those with "seat-saver" features would not be, and that the effect on others would be minimal. Perhaps some of the regulator experts on ScubaBoard will offer opinions. I hope so, and look forward to their responses. <edit: I suspect the "wear" would be about the equivalent of one breath per flight. >

The only other potential practical consequence that I can think of could be if you start your trip at high elevation (say Tucson) and end at sea level, a very tight fitting dust cap could be difficult to remove.
< OK, Tucson isn't all that high, but it's where the OP is, and it's still a few thousand feet above sea level. >

Having rambled enough, I'll just add that I know many divers who have been packing their regs in checked luggage for years, and I've never heard of this as a problem.

I put my primary regulator set with computer in my carryon bag. My backup set goes in the checked bag. However, when I return, both go in the checked bag.

shawrg:

I put my primary regulator set with computer in my carryon bag. My backup set goes in the checked bag. However, when I return, both go in the checked bag.

Click to expand...

Me too. If my luggage gets lost on my to vacation, I want my regs (otherwise why not rent?). But if they get lost on the way home, no biggie, they will eventually show up or I will have plenty of time to replace prior to my next trip.

Thanks for all the quick replies!
I was finding that with all the electronics I am carrying on board already (camera, laptop, etc.), the reg would just add to the weight unnecessarily.
I am glad others have had no bad experiences with internal reg damage in the baggage hold. Loss of a checked bag is always a possibility, of course.

My inclination at this point is to pack my reg set, but carry on the computer.
I will have two prescription dive masks...one in each checked bag...just in case!
That's one item that I can't replace overseas!

The Cargo holds below the floor ARE Pressurized. The reality of the physics is that the fuselage of the plane is airtight and nearly round, so it is able to withstand the pressure easily. The Floor is flat and if it were sealed and pressurized it would have to be heavily braced to prevent it from buckling. And, all those cargo planes without floors and seats would have to be manufactured differently from the passenger planes&#8230;. A big headache for the manufacturers. Again &#8230; The Cargo holds below the floor ARE Pressurized ... Even in the little puddle jumpers.
That said, the planes are not pressurized back to sea level pressure. The cabin is typically pressurized to the equivalent of 8000 feet. Except for the people that do heavy exercise during the flight, most folks are very comfortable at that equivalent altitude.
To make the math easy, let&#8217;s call Sea Level =15psi, 8000ft = 11psi, and 35,000ft = 3 psi. In flight you and your gear are stressed by 4psi (15-11) difference from the ground. And the hull of the plane takes the other 8psi (11-3). To pressurize the plane all the way back to sea level , it would have to withstand the full 12Psi (15-3) and need to be 50% stronger (12psi/8psi).
But all this is moot. Your first stage regulator is trying its best to get the second stage hose up to 150 psi so you can breathe. The first stage valves are wide open when the valve is off the tank, and this is the reason you do not want to rinse your regulators without air pressure on them. This means the pressure on both sides of the second stage regulator are the same and there is NO pressure difference. The last item to consider is the first stage &#8220;Dust Cap&#8221;. There could feasibly still be the 4psi difference if the cap is truly air tight. So if you want to be really &#8220;Monk-ish&#8221;, loosen the Dust Cap before packing it.
In consideration of Lost Luggage. Unless the Bag falls off the plane in flight, it is almost never &#8220;Lost&#8221;. Go visit the lost baggage area at an airport and you will see that they know WHERE all the bags are. They just don&#8217;t know WHO they belong to. The Bags aren&#8217;t lost, the owners are! The one thing they all have in common, is the tags are missing. Consider your own bags, if the tags were missing, could someone still tell they belonged to you? The airlines do not want your stuff! They will open any lost bags to try to identify the owner. Make it easy for them. Place a copy of your itinerary and contact information INSIDE of your bags and they will never be lost. The Tags will be lost, the Handles may be gone, but the bag will still find its way home. I have had luggage that was &#8220;lost&#8221; and did not even have to go to the airport to get it. The airline had it delivered to our destination, 35 miles from the airport. Remember the secret is to --- Place a copy of your itinerary and contact information &#8220;INSIDE&#8221; of your bags!

RE>>>
The only other potential practical consequence that I can think of could be if you start your trip at high elevation (say Tucson) and end at sea level, a very tight fitting dust cap could be difficult to remove.
<<<

Knotical,

A quick bump of the second stage purge diaphram would cure the problem!

Bill.