Trials and Tribulations

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saying

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Messages
344
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Location
Laie, HI
# of dives
500 - 999
OK, only one trial or tribulation, depending on how you look at it.

My first dive since certification in the warm, clear waters off Mexico was in the cold, dark water of the quarry. And after only 8 minutes I found myself at 60 feet with a free flowing regulator. After the dread eased it's grip on my heart I signalled my buddy and tapped on the purge a few times, but the free flow continued as we continued toward the surface.

By the time we got to about 20 feet the free flow subsided and I still had about 500 psi (amazing how fast it emptied the tank) so we hung out for a safety stop.

Other than wanting to share the fear of a newbie on his first non-check-out dive I wanted to ask whether there were any other steps one might take to try and stop a free flow without killing the dive?
 
saying once bubbled...
OK, only one trial or tribulation, depending on how you look at it.

My first dive since certification in the warm, clear waters off Mexico was in the cold, dark water of the quarry. And after only 8 minutes I found myself at 60 feet with a free flowing regulator. After the dread eased it's grip on my heart I signalled my buddy and tapped on the purge a few times, but the free flow continued as we continued toward the surface.

By the time we got to about 20 feet the free flow subsided and I still had about 500 psi (amazing how fast it emptied the tank) so we hung out for a safety stop.

Other than wanting to share the fear of a newbie on his first non-check-out dive I wanted to ask whether there were any other steps one might take to try and stop a free flow without killing the dive?

One thing I always try before calling the dive is to turn the tank off for a minute and then back on again. If the freeflow is caused by freezing of the 2nd stage, which can happen in water colder than about 8C, then this will sort it out about 80% of the time. We see this all the time in the winter where I live. The heart-attacks stop after the first few times :)

R..
P.S. obviously you need to secure your buddy's octo before you turn off the tank.... :)

R..
 
More information would be helpful.

Water temp, was this new or used gear, personal or rented, was the primary or you octo free-flowing, etc.

If you cant stop the freeflow, you might be able to pinch the hose off by doubling it back on itself to stop the air loss. If this occurred on your primary, you would of course want to switch to your octo before doing so.
 
Stick your thumb in the mouthpiece, if you can't get it to stop freeflowing. If your thumb is big enough, it can actually stop even a frozen reg from freeflowing. Big enough or not, this will almost always stop a reg that's not frozen.

If that doesn't work, shut the tank off.
 
Cave Diver once bubbled...
More information would be helpful.

Water temp,
43F

Was this new or used gear, personal or rented,

Rented. Looking in pretty heavy rotation. (I'll be ruining my credit future this coming weekend with my own Reg)

was the primary or you octo free-flowing, etc.

Primary
 
SeaJay once bubbled...
Stick your thumb in the mouthpiece, if you can't get it to stop freeflowing. If your thumb is big enough, it can actually stop even a frozen reg from freeflowing. Big enough or not, this will almost always stop a reg that's not frozen.

If that doesn't work, shut the tank off.

I'm not sure what brand of regulator you are referring to, but every one that I have seen, sticking your thumb in the mouthpiece will have absolutely no effect on air escaping out of the exhaust tee...
 
saying once bubbled...

Primary

Did you happen to notice the brand?
 
Cave Diver once bubbled...


I'm not sure what brand of regulator you are referring to, but every one that I have seen, sticking your thumb in the mouthpiece will have absolutely no effect on air escaping out of the exhaust tee...

Yeah, but it usually creates enough positive pressure to get the reg to stop freeflowing.
 
Cave Diver once bubbled...


I'm not sure what brand of regulator you are referring to, but every one that I have seen, sticking your thumb in the mouthpiece will have absolutely no effect on air escaping out of the exhaust tee...

He's right. It works above water if the venturi is holding the valve open. I'm not so sure it would work under water since the venturi doesn't generally start a free-flow when the thing is in your mouth.

R..
 
Diver0001 once bubbled...


He's right. It works above water if the venturi is holding the valve open. I'm not so sure it would work under water since the venturi doesn't generally start a free-flow when the thing is in your mouth.

R..

Yeah... What you said. :D

It wasn't mentioned that it was his primary that began to freeflow until after I'd posted that solution.

Since it's so common for the backup to be the one freeflowing, and since it's so commonly the venturi holding it open, I suggested that fix.

And then I added that "if that didn't work, to turn it off."

But I agree with you and Cave... If the problem is not due to the venturi holding it open, then "sticking your thumb in it" isn't going to work.

I find the "doubling over of the hose" an interesting solution. I've never thought of that. It doesn't damage the hose?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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