Free Flow...

[Tigerman]

Yeah, Ive had a freeflow (Or more like 10 in one day)..
I basically just kept going and breathing from the freeflowing reg, but then again I was pretty much at 0-1m splashing around to get a machine out of the swamp-bottomed, 1,5 meter iced lake and the cause of the freeflows was me breathing hard as well as going above and below the surface repeatedly which lead me to inadvertedly take a few breaths of -20 celcius air on the surface.. A perfect recipe for getting a freeflow regardless of what reg you use.

 

[CattMollins]

Thanks Cam. I was diving with our mutual buddy Matt Wetzel. You need to get up here and do some dives with us!

 

[halocline]

If you search the regulator forum, you'll find all sorts of discussion about cold water performance of specific regulators. One problem with the SR1 and the S600 is that the 2nd stages are small, plastic, and have a strong venturi effect, which means you have pretty fast moving expanding air with not-so-great heat transfer.

The G250V has a larger case, metal air barrel, and a nice large metal jamb-nut where the hose enters the regulator. The this both slows air down in the 2nd stage (greater volume of air around the air barrel), and improves the heat transfer.

I've heard of lots of problems with the SR1, and the one I've actually played with did not perform well right out of the box. Since there are so many excellent choices in regulators, I'd simply move on to something else.

If I were diving in cold water and I had a MK25, I'd use the G250V as a 2nd stage rather than the S600. The MK25 does not have a stellar cold water record, but paired with a good cold-water 2nd it seems to have far fewer problems than when it's with the S600.

I'm not sure exactly how the Sr1 1st stage is sealed, but I think it's with a secondary diaphragm, like many diaphragm regs are sealed. This is different than the atomics and older SP piston 1sts, which are sealed with environmental grease like Tribolube. That's a proven, decades-old method of keeping ice out of piston 1st stages.

 

[TRIBOLUBE71]

I recently visited Mike Ward at Dive Lab in Panama City, Florida. We discussed this icing condition and I wanted to share the collaborative report from 2001 that details the problem. Mike did mention that he was considering an update to the information. I know this is information that will be useful.View attachment Solving cold water breathing problems July 2001.pdf

 

[binobanana]

If you go diving in cold water, get a Y valve and 2 regs (witch are in some places required)

And use gear that will not freeze in cold water! And stop buying **** gear! Just like one said start Freeflowing right out of the Box have you thought about having a certified dive shop getting you Regulator done? may would not happened!

I never had a free flowing reg! Must be, because i do all right :cool2:

 

[Tigerman]

I smell a troll..

 

[RTee]

...for some reasons cold water and Florida do not appear to be synonyms to a guy hailing from Great White North

 

[DianeKim]

I recently experienced free flow. Upon later inspection, we discovered I had some very small pebbles lodged in the diaphragm of the second stage. Just sharing this as this was my fault due to mishandling my regulator on a prior shore dive. The surf swept particles into my reg as I was gearing up and later paddling out using my snorkel in the shallow water. Lesson learned was to keep that reg in my mouth or protected as much as possible while making your way out of the shallow surgy water.

 

[knowone]

Your reg in mouth thing is a very good idea. You can breathe around the mouthpiece, so you don't use your tank, and if the waves and their friend surge take you where they want as they sometimes do you wont be stuck rolling around breathing water.

 

[Tigerman]

Your reg in mouth thing is a very good idea. You can breathe around the mouthpiece, so you don't use your tank, and if the waves and their friend surge take you where they want as they sometimes do you wont be stuck rolling around breathing water.

VERY bad idea if youre in freezing airtemps..